The book presents conventional and modern breeding technologies in the vital areas of animal breeding, to stimulate more research, and to rapidly pass such modern techniques to scientific community. Various conventional breeding technologies used for selection and faster multiplication of superior cattle and buffalo germplasm have contributed significantly to increase in milk production, which were mainly due to the technologies developed in the areas of quantitative genetics and reproductive biology. These included methodologies for selection of females based upon their expected producing ability and young males based on the performance of progeny. Emerging developments in the areas of molecular marker systems in animals, genome maps, methods of detecting Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) linkages, Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) etc., are latest tools to be used in breeding programmes for enhancing the rate of genetic progress. These modern techniques could be of great help for those traits, for which the conventional technologies have limitations in their use. Therefore, integration of molecular markers with conventional breeding technologies involving pedigree and phenotypic information are probable future breeding tools for genetic improvement of livestock and poultry.

Genetic Improvement of Farmed Animals provides a thorough grounding in the basic sciences underpinning farmed animal breeding. Relating science to practical application, it covers all the major farmed animal species: cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, pigs and aquaculture species.

The book presents conventional and modern breeding technologies in the vital areas of animal breeding, to stimulate more research, and to rapidly pass such modern techniques to scientific community. Various conventional breeding technologies used for selection and faster multiplication of superior cattle and buffalo germplasm have contributed significantly to increase in milk production, which were mainly due to the technologies developed in the areas of quantitative genetics and reproductive biology. These included methodologies for selection of females based upon their expected producing ability and young males based on the performance of progeny. Emerging developments in the areas of molecular marker systems in animals, genome maps, methods of detecting Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) linkages, Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) etc., are latest tools to be used in breeding programmes for enhancing the rate of genetic progress. These modern techniques could be of great help for those traits, for which the conventional technologies have limitations in their use. Therefore, integration of molecular markers with conventional breeding technologies involving pedigree and phenotypic information are probable future breeding tools for genetic improvement of livestock and poultry.

It is difficult to forecast the There are 25 s contributed by distinguished contributors who have made valuable contributions to the field of conservation of animal biodiversity and improvement of livestock. The topics covered are ranging from cattle genetic resources, strategic action plan for sustainable management, conservation and genetics improvement, breeding strategies to improve milk productivity, production systems and breeding policies for genetic improvement, application of biotechnological tools for conservation and improving of animal genetic resources, bioinformatics and genome analysis in conservation, heat stress management etc.

This collection begins by reviewing current challenges facing poultry breeding. It goes on to review recent research on the genetics of key production and functional traits. The book then summarises key advances in genomic selection techniques and concludes by surveying emerging trends such as the use of epigenetics and genome editing in poultry breeding.

The review evaluates critically the progress achieved in animal breeding practice and research over the past 2 decades for the basic species of domestic animals and poultry; identifies major factors that contributed to this progress; projects future routes for genetic improvements; identifies important areas that require particular attention and emphasis; and examines the role of the various scientific disciplines or areas of research related to animal improvement from the points of view of their past and future effects and interactions.

This newly updated and revised volume of the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology (ESST) details the role of Animal Breeding and Genetics in the sustainability of animal agriculture. The volume covers scientific principles and applications includes the current science used to advance cattle, poultry, swine,sheep, and equine populations, as well as the future role of techniques such as gene editing. International leaders in the field explain foundational concepts such as heritability, the covariance between relatives, statistical approaches to predicting the genetic merit of individuals, and the development and advancement of molecular techniques to elucidate changes in the DNA sequence that underly phenotypic variation. The use of genetic-based tools to improve animal agriculture and meet consumer demands across species is treated in detail. Readers will gain an understanding of how global livestock producers have implemented advanced genetic selection tools and used them to improve reproduction, production, efficiency, health, and sustainability. The interactions of genetics and production environments, and the genetic components of the complex interactions among animals are also discussed. The future of Animal Breeding and Genetics, including the challenges and opportunities that exist in feeding a growing world population, are addressed.