Question

Which method is commonly used for improving the cattle breeds and why?

Answer 1

It is a form of mating, where superior males of one breed undergo mating with superior females of another breed.

Complete Answer:
- Breeding requires mixing of valuable animal species with the goal of increasing livestock yields and enhancing the desired quality of the product. The breeding mechanism is called inbreeding, as it happens between closely related individuals of the same species.
- On the other hand, outbreeding is called the method of breeding between unrelated animals and may be between separate breeds or species.
- Cross-breeding is a type of outbreeding in which mating occurs between individuals from entirely different breeds.
- Cross-breeding approach is widely used to improve cattle breeds. This is a conventional breeding practice, which takes place by the normal physical matting mechanism through cross-breeding between the desi or local breed and the exotic breed.
- Exotic breeds typically have long periods of lactation while local breeds show exceptional resistance to disease. Cross-breeding the two will produce the desirable traits of animals.
- Milk production and lactation time prolongation have significantly increased by effective cross-breeding programmes.

Note: Cross-breeding approach is widely used to enhance cattle breeds. A new improved variety will be developed by crossbreeding between two successful varieties of cattle. For example, the crossing of international breeds such as Jersey Brown, Swiss (with long lactation periods) and Indian breeds like Red Sindhi, Sahiwal (with excellent disease resistant power) creates a new species with qualities of both breeds.