791-002 Animal Breeding

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

One Animal Management Elective.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

The objective of this subject is to enable the students to:

• develop their knowledge of basic genetics into the related areas of population genetics;

• explain the inheritance of quantitative traits, the effect of the environment on their variations, and the concept of heritability;

• evaluate selection methods, investigate applications of reproductive technology and mating systems; and

• interpret research data and apply research findings which are directly applicable to animal genetics reproduction.

The content includes the concepts of gene frequency and population equilibrium and factors affecting them; continuous variations in quantitative traits, the environmental and genetic basis of such variations; selection methods, selection differential, generation length, heritability, repeatability, response to selection in current and future generations; aids to selection, repeated measurements, records of relatives, correlation between traits and correlated responses; inbreeding and its co-efficient, heterosis and hybrid vigour, cross-breeding systems and breeding efficiency; and applications of reproductive technologies, i.e. semen and embryo handline, artificial breeding programs, endocrine manipulation.

Assessment

3 assignments of 2000 words (65%), 2-hour examination (35%).