Term | Definition |
Additive gene action | when total phenotypic effect is the sum of the individual effects of the alleles |
Alleles | one of tow or more alternative forms of a gene occupying corresponding sites(loci) on homologous chromosomes |
Biotechnology | a collective set of tools and applications of living organisms to make or modify products, improve plants or animals, or develop microorganisms for specific uses |
Breed | animals with common ancestry that have distinguishable, fixed characteristics;when mated with others of the breed, they produce offspring with the same characteristics |
Crossbreeding | mating animals of diverse genetic backgrounds (breeds) within a species |
EPD | (expected progeny difference); equal to half the breeding value for an animal |
Epistasis | interaction among genes at different loci; expression of genes at one locus depends on alleles present at one or more other loci |
Gametes | mature sperm in the male and the egg or ova in the female; the reproductive cells |
Gene | a short segment of a chromosome; genes direct the synthesis of proteins or perform regulatory functions |
Genetic engineering | tern used to describe the technologies for moving genes from one animal to another |
Genome | the complete genetic material of an organism |
Genotype | the genetic makeup of an organism |
Heritability | measure of the proportion of phenotypic variation that is caused by additive gene effects; proportion of differences between individuals that is genetic |
Heterosis | superiority of an outbred individual relative to the average performance of the parent populations included in the cross |
Homologous chromosomes | chromosomes with the same size and shape, occurring in pairs, and affecting the same traits |
Homozygous | when two genes of a pair are the same |
Inbreeding | mating system in which mated individuals have one common ancestor appearing several times at least three to four generations |
Outbreeding | process of mating less closely related individuals when compared to the average of the population |
F1 | two-breed cross animals |
Phenotypic value | measure of individual performance for a specific unit |
Selection | process of allowing some animals to be parents more than others |
Breed type | distinctive features (such as form, head, color, and markings) in which one breed differs from another |
Conformation | physical from of an animal; its shape an arrangement of parts |
Cull | to eliminate one or more animals from a herd or flock |
Full(Half) Sibs | animals have the same sire and dam (full), or one parent in common(half) |
Pedigree | record of the ancestry of an animal |
Purebred | animal eligible for registry with a recognized breed organization |
Scrub | a very inferior animal in breeding and conformation; ancestry unknown |