Selective breeding (B6.3)

Question 1

how is selective breeding carried out?

Answer 1

-animals with desirable characteristics are bred together
-animal with most desirable characteristic is selected from the offspring
-offspring animals are bred
-occurs over may generations

Question 2

what are the disadvantages of selective breeding?

Answer 2

-inbreeding reduces genetic variation which increases likelihood of genetic conditions and reduces its ability to adapt to changing environments (e.g disease)
-ethical concerns for the welfare of animals

Question 3

why does inbreeding increase the likelihood of genetic conditions?

Answer 3

as genetic conditions are often recessive, there is an increased chance of a homozygous recessive.