This article describes the different types of mating and selective breeding systems in horses.

This third edition provides basic information on genetics in an easy-to-understand format. As before, the book includes introductory chapters on basic genetics that review terminology and fundamental concepts. At the same time, the text contains very specific information about the DNA variants...

This chapter presents the classification of cats based on their lineage, common name and species of cats. A brief history on African wild cats (most likely the ancestors of the domestic cat) was discussed as well as domestication of cats which probably began around 10 000 years ago in a region of...

Guidelines in choosing a cat as pet were presented highlighting the different reasons for wanting to own a cat as well as health benefits of pet ownership.

This chapter deals with genomic prediction and genome-wide association studies in beef and dairy cattle. Topics discussed include conventional pedigree-based prediction, prediction using genomic information, validation of predictive ability, understanding predictive ability, blending genomic and...

The basic model and assumptions governing genetic evaluation are presented in this chapter, together with simple situations involving prediction of breeding values from the records of an individual. Moreover, the introduction and use of selection indices to predict genetic merit combining...

This chapter addresses the calculation of the additive genetic relationship among individuals and how to determine the level of inbreeding. Genetic covariance between relatives, numerator relationship matrix, decomposing the relationship matrix, computing the inverse of the relationship matrix,...

This chapter deals with linkage analysis, with focus on the use of microsatellites as markers for the purpose of marker-assisted selection (MAS). Defining a model with marker information, calculating the covariance matrix for quantitative trait locus (MQTL) effects, alternative approach for...

The advantages and disadvantages of the different breeding systems used in rabbits are discussed in this chapter. The breeding systems higlighted includes inbreeding, linebreeding, outcrossing, crossbreeding, and random mating.

We have a much richer vocabulary to discuss genetics than was available to Gregor Mendel. But genes remain abstract concepts discussed using words such as dominant, recessive, reading frame, double helix and Punnett square. Nevertheless, these concepts are useful to make us more successful horse...