Economic Aspects of Animal Breeding [Hardcover]

This important book covers economic evaluation of genetic differences in animals, determination of breeding goals within an economic context and economic evaluation of breeding programs. During the last 50 years there have been great advances made in the breeding of domesticated animal species. Most of this work has been achieved through the efforts of geneticists, and often the economic goals of such advances have not been clearly evaluated. Economic Aspects of Animal Breeding redresses the balance and provides a much needed synthesis of this most important subject. The book is divided into five sections: basic concepts; economic evaluation of genetic differences; advanced topics in selection indices; economic evaluation of breeding programs, including biotechnological aspects; crossbreeding and heterosis.Basic concepts. Basic concepts in quantitative genetics. Basic concepts in economics. Principles of matrix algebra and selection index. Introduction to systems analysis. Economic evaluation of genetic differences. The main elements of returns and costs. Evaluation of genetic differences from profit equations. Evaluation of genetic differences by alternate methods. Long-term considerations. Construction, uses and problems of multitrait selection indices. Selection indices for non-linear profit functions. Comparison of different selection indices. Economic evaluation of breeding programs. Economic evaluation of breeding programs, theory. Comparison of alternative breeding programs. Evaluation of existing breeding programs. Crossbreeding and heterosis. Economic evaluation of heterosis. Choice of the most profitable parental combination. Planned matings together with line breeding. Glossary of symbols. References Index.