Breed

A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slightly deviating definitions.^[2] Breeds are formed through genetic isolation and either natural adaptation to the environment or selective breeding, or a combination of the two. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry and agriculture, no single, scientifically accepted definition of the term exists.^[3]^: 340 A breed is therefore not an objective or biologically verifiable classification but is instead a term of art amongst groups of breeders who share a consensus around what qualities make some members of a given species members of a nameable subset.^[4]

Another point of view is that a breed is consistent enough in type to be logically grouped together and when mated within the group produce the same type.^[5] When bred together, individuals of the same breed pass on these predictable traits to their offspring, and this ability – known as "breeding true" – is a requirement for a breed. Plant breeds are more commonly known as cultivars. The offspring produced as a result of breeding animals of one breed with other animals of another breed are known as crossbreeds or mixed breeds. Crosses between animal or plant variants above the level of breed/cultivar (i.e. between species, subspecies, botanical variety, even different genera) are referred to as hybrids.^[6]

Breeding: selection by breeders

This example shows three different breeds of the domestic pig, which all vary widely in appearance.

The breeder (or group of breeders) who initially establishes a breed does so by selecting individual animals from within a gene pool that they see as having the necessary qualities needed to enhance the breed model they are aiming for. These animals are referred to as foundation stock. Furthermore, the breeder mates the most desirable representatives of the breed from his or her point of view, aiming to pass such characteristics to their progeny. This process is known as selective breeding. A written description of desirable and undesirable breed representatives is referred to as a breed standard.

Breed characteristics

Breed specific characteristics, also known as breed traits, are inherited, and purebred animals pass such traits from generation to generation. Thus, all specimens of the same breed carry several genetic characteristics of the original foundation animal(s). In order to maintain the breed, a breeder would select those animals with the most desirable traits to achieve further maintenance and developing of such traits. At the same time, the breed would avoid animals carrying characteristics undesirable or not typical for the breed, including faults or genetic defects. The population within the same breed should consist of a sufficient number of animals to maintain the breed within the specified parameters without the necessity of forced inbreeding.

Domestic animal breeds commonly differ from country to country, and from nation to nation. Breeds originating in a certain country are known as "native breeds" of that country.

Lists of breeds

Mammals

Insects

List of Apis mellifera subspecies

Birds

References

^ "Breeds:German owl". The Cattle Sit. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^ Hall, S. J. G.; Bradley, D. G. (1995). "Conserving livestock breed biodiversity". Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 10 (7): 267–70. doi:10.1016/0169-5347(95)90005-5. PMID 21237034.
^ Rischkowsky, Barbara; Pilling, Dafydd, eds. (2007). The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PDF). Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629 – via FAO.org.
^ Lush, Jay Laurence (1994). Chapman, A. B.; Shrode, Robert R.; Crow, James F. (eds.). The Genetics of Populations. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State College. p. 381. OCLC 31073249. Cited in: Rischkowsky & Pilling (2007), p. 340.
^ Clutton-Brock, Juliet. 1987 A Natural History of Domesticated Mammals, Cambridge University Press and the Museum of Natural History, page 40.
^ Banga, Surinder S. (1998). Hybrid Cultivar Development. Springer-Verlag. p. 119. ISBN 3540635238.

External links

[1] "Breeds:German owl". The Cattle Sit. Retrieved 22 February 2021.

[2] Hall, S. J. G.; Bradley, D. G. (1995). "Conserving livestock breed biodiversity". Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 10 (7): 267–70. doi:10.1016/0169-5347(95)90005-5. PMID 21237034.

[fao-3] Rischkowsky, Barbara; Pilling, Dafydd, eds. (2007). The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PDF). Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629 – via FAO.org.

[lush-4] Lush, Jay Laurence (1994). Chapman, A. B.; Shrode, Robert R.; Crow, James F. (eds.). The Genetics of Populations. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State College. p. 381. OCLC 31073249. Cited in: Rischkowsky & Pilling (2007), p. 340.

[5] Clutton-Brock, Juliet. 1987 A Natural History of Domesticated Mammals, Cambridge University Press and the Museum of Natural History, page 40.

[6] Banga, Surinder S. (1998). Hybrid Cultivar Development. Springer-Verlag. p. 119. ISBN 3540635238.

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v t e Breeds and cultivars
Lists of breeds Lists of cultivars
Methods	Backcrossing Crossbreed Inbreeding Marker-assisted selection Mutation breeding Outcrossing Preservation breeding Selective breeding Smart breeding (Marker-assisted selection) Hybrid Purebred
Animal breeds	Cat Cattle Chicken Dog breeding Donkey Duck Goat Goose Guinea pig Horse breeding Pig Pigeon breeding Rabbit Sheep Turkey Water buffalo Backyard breeder Breed standard Breeding back Breeding pair Breeding program Captive breeding Designer crossbreed
Plant cultivars	Apple Japanese Banana Basil Callistemon Canna Cannabis Capsicum Cherimoya Citrus hybrids Coffee Cucumber Gazania Grape Grevillea Hop Mango Narcissus (daffodils) Nemesia Nepenthes Olives Onion Pear Rice Rose breeders cultivars Strawberry Sweet potato Sweetcorn Tomato Venus flytrap
Selection methods and genetics	Culling Marker-assisted selection Natural selection balancing directional disruptive negative selective sweep stabilizing Selection methods in plant breeding Genotype Phenotype Dominance Codominance Epistasis Dwarfing Heterosis Outbreeding depression Inbreeding depression Recessive trait Sex linkage F1 hybrid
Other	Breed registry Breeder profession animal Eugenics Germline Heirloom plant Landrace Rare breed Tree breeding