Types of selection are individual or mass selection, within and between family selection, sibling selection, and progeny testing, with many variations. Within family selection uses the best individual from each family for breeding. Between family selection uses the whole family for selection. Mass selection uses records of only the candidates for selection. Mass selection is most effective when heritability is high and the trait is expressed early in life, in which case all that is required is observation and selection based on phenotypes. When mass selection is not appropriate, other methods of selection, which make use of relatives or progeny, can be used singularly or in combination. Modern technologies allow use of all these types of selection at the same time, which results in greater accuracy.
Red-Poll-cow-and-calfRed Poll cow and calf.[Credits : © J.C. Allen and Son]
Thoroughbred-stallion-with-dark-bay-coatThoroughbred stallion with dark bay coat.[Credits : © Scott Smudsky]
The-mouse-at-bottom-is-heterozygous-with-a-mutant-geneThe mouse at bottom is heterozygous with a mutant gene that gives it a spotted tail. The two mice …[Credits : Inserm U636]
Black-Angus-bullBlack Angus bull.[Credits : Henry Elder/Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.]
Female-pigs-can-have-as-many-as-20-piglets-inFemale pigs can have as many as 20 piglets in a litter. China holds the record for having the …[Credits : © Corbis]
German-shepherdGerman shepherd (Alsatian).[Credits : © Sally Anne Thompson/Animal Photography]
Holstein-Friesian-cowHolstein-Friesian cow.[Credits : Henry Elder/Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.]
Duroc-boarDuroc boar.[Credits : Grant Heilman Photography]
Link to this article and share the full text with the readers of your Web site or blog-post.
If you think a reference to this article on "animal breeding" will enhance your Web site,
blog-post, or any other web-content, then feel free to link to this article,
and your readers will gain full access to the full article, even if they do not subscribe to our service.
You may want to use the HTML code fragment provided below.
We welcome your comments. Any revisions or updates suggested for this article will be reviewed by our editorial staff. Contact us here.
Regular users of Britannica may notice that this comments feature is less robust than in the past. This is only temporary, while we make the transition to a dramatically new and richer site. The functionality of the system will be restored soon.