Hi,
I've been reading about Line Breeding. I understand the concept of breeding related animals to "set" a characteristic, essentially trying to increase the chance of obtaining a homozygous animal for certain traits so that it will breed true to type.
My question is, how much is too much? Obviously, the flip side of Line Breeding is in-breeding and the amplification of bad traits. So when does Line breeding become a problem and become inbreeding? I've read about inbreeding coefficients - is there a number that is too high, a cut-off if you will? Or is it more or less result driven. Line breeding is fine/good so long as the offspring are healthy and strong?
Also, what is "normal" breeding practice. I've seen two bull rotations and three bull rotations. Both of these will result in some inbreeding / line breeding - the first is grandfather to grand daughter and the second is great-grandfather to great-granddaughter, but not as close as father/daughter or sibling/sibling crosses. Would a cousin cross, for example, be considered Line breeding / in-breeding?
Thanks.
I've been reading about Line Breeding. I understand the concept of breeding related animals to "set" a characteristic, essentially trying to increase the chance of obtaining a homozygous animal for certain traits so that it will breed true to type.
My question is, how much is too much? Obviously, the flip side of Line Breeding is in-breeding and the amplification of bad traits. So when does Line breeding become a problem and become inbreeding? I've read about inbreeding coefficients - is there a number that is too high, a cut-off if you will? Or is it more or less result driven. Line breeding is fine/good so long as the offspring are healthy and strong?
Also, what is "normal" breeding practice. I've seen two bull rotations and three bull rotations. Both of these will result in some inbreeding / line breeding - the first is grandfather to grand daughter and the second is great-grandfather to great-granddaughter, but not as close as father/daughter or sibling/sibling crosses. Would a cousin cross, for example, be considered Line breeding / in-breeding?
Thanks.