ANB 301: Principles and Practices of Animal Breeding
Credit Hours: 3 (2+1)
Full Marks: 75 (Theory: 50, Practical: 25)
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the fundamental principles and scope of animal breeding.
- Identify and manage animal genetic resources (AnGR) and strategies for conservation.
- Apply breeding techniques to improve livestock and poultry performance.
- Understand heritability, repeatability, selection methods, mating systems, and biotechnology in animal breeding.
I. Syllabus Overview
- Animal breeding, importance, and scope in livestock improvement.
- Genetic resources and sustainable development of indigenous and rare breeds.
- Variation, heredity, gene action, heritability, and repeatability.
- Selection principles, mating systems, inbreeding, outbreeding.
- Genetic resistance to diseases and traits of economic importance.
- Biotechnology in animal breeding: nuclear transplantation, transgenic animals, and their application.
II. Course Outline
A. Theory (30 Lectures)
S.N. | Topic | No. of Lectures |
---|---|---|
1 | Introduction, history, and importance of animal breeding | 2 |
2 | Animal genetic resources and sustainable development | 2 |
3 | Importance of indigenous breeds and economic values | 2 |
4 | Rare breeds of different species and their characteristics | 2 |
5 | Reasons for endangerment; strategies for conservation | 2 |
6 | Variation and causes of variation | 2 |
7 | Importance of heredity and environment | 2 |
8 | Concept of heritability and repeatability | 2 |
9 | Selection: principles, basis, methods, parameters | 2 |
10 | Mating systems: inbreeding and outbreeding | 2 |
11 | Concept of genetic resistance to diseases and parasites | 2 |
12 | Important economic traits of livestock and poultry | 2 |
13 | Transgenic animals and their production | 2 |
14 | Animal biotechnology and recent advances | 4 |
Total | 30 |
B. Practical (15 Sessions)
S.N. | Practical Activities | No. of Practicals |
---|---|---|
1 | Estimation of heritability using regression and correlation | 1 |
2 | Estimation of heritability using twin comparison and selection | 1 |
3 | Estimation of heritability using one-way and nested design | 2 |
4 | Estimation of repeatability | 1 |
5 | Estimation of variance components and means | 2 |
6 | Breeding value, PBA (Probable Breeding Ability), MPPA (Most Probable Producing Ability) | 2 |
7 | Calculation of inbreeding relationship and coefficient | 2 |
8 | Estimation of selection parameters and selection index | 2 |
9 | Livestock farm data analysis and report writing | 2 |
Total | 15 |
References
- Rendel, I.J. Genetics and Animal Breeding. W.H. Freeman and Company, USA.
- Lasley, J.F. (1988). Genetics of Livestock Improvement, 3rd edition, Prentice-Hall, Inc., New Jersey.
- Lush, J.L. (1960). Animal Breeding Plans, Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa.
- Nicholl, D.S.T. (1994). An Introduction to Genetic Engineering, Cambridge University Press.
- Stufflebeam, C.E. (1989). Genetics of Domestic Animals, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
- Warwick & Legates (1979). Breeding and Improvement of Farm Animals.
- Hutt, F.B. (1982). Animal Genetics.
- Johansson, I. & Rendel, J. (1968). Genetics and Animal Breeding.