Selective breeding is the process by which humans use animal breeding and plant breeding to selectively develop particular phenotypic traits (characteristics) by choosing which typically animal or plant males and females will sexually reproduce and have offspring together. Domesticated animals are known as breeds, normally bred by a professional breeder, while domesticated plants are known as varieties, cultigens, cultivars, or breeds. Two purebred animals of different breeds produce a crossbreed, and crossbred plants are called hybrids. Flowers, vegetables and fruit-trees may be bred by amateurs and commercial or non-commercial professionals: major crops are usually the provenance of the professionals.
A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. Crossbreeding, sometimes called "designer crossbreeding", is the process of breeding such an organism. While crossbreeding is used to maintain health and viability of organisms, irresponsible crossbreeding can also produce organisms of inferior quality or dilute a purebred gene pool to the point of extinction of a given breed of organism.
Breed broiler is any chicken that is bred and raised specifically for meat production. Most commercial broilers reach slaughter weight between four and six weeks of age, although slower growing breeds reach slaughter weight at approximately 14 weeks of age. Typical broilers have white feathers and yellowish skin. Broiler or sometimes broiler-fryer is also used sometimes to refer specifically to younger chickens under 2.0 kilograms, as compared with the larger roasters.
Culling is the process of segregating organisms from a group according to desired or undesired characteristics. In animal breeding, it is removing or segregating animals from a breeding stock based on a specific trait. This is done to exaggerate desirable characteristics, or to remove undesirable characteristics by altering the genetic makeup of the population. For livestock and wildlife, culling often refers to killing removed animals based on their characteristics, such as their sex or species membership, or as a means of preventing infectious disease transmission.
Animal breeding is a branch of animal science that addresses the evaluation of the genetic value of livestock. Selecting for breeding animals with superior EBV in growth rate, egg, meat, milk, or wool production, or with other desirable traits has revolutionized livestock production throughout the entire world. The scientific theory of animal breeding incorporates population genetics, quantitative genetics, statistics, and recently molecular genetics and is based on the pioneering work of Sewall Wright, Jay Lush, and Charles Henderson.
Sex-links are crossbred chickens whose color at hatching is differentiated by sex, thus making chick sexing an easier process. Sex-links come in several varieties. As hybrids of laying or dual-purpose breeds infused with extra vigor via heterosis, sex-links can be extremely good egg-layers which often produce 300 eggs a year or more depending on the quality of care and feed. The color of their eggs vary according to the mix of breeds, and blue-green eggs are possible.
The New Hampshire Red or New Hampshire is an American breed of chicken. It was developed in the early twentieth century in the state of New Hampshire by selective breeding of Rhode Island Red stock; no other breed was involved. It is fast-growing, early-maturing, quick-feathering, and yields a meaty carcass. Mature birds are a light or medium red in color; they may fade in sunlight.
Tilapia has become the third most important fish in aquaculture after carp and salmon; worldwide production exceeded 1.5 million metric tons in 2002 and increases annually. Because of their high protein content, large size, rapid growth, and palatability, a number of coptodonine and oreochromine cichlids—specifically, various species of Coptodon, Oreochromis, and Sarotherodon—are the focus of major aquaculture efforts.
The Rhode Island White is a breed of chicken originating in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Despite their very similar names and shared place of origin, the Rhode Island White is a distinct breed from the Rhode Island Red. However, Rhode Island Reds and Whites can be bred together to create Red Sex-Link hybrid chickens, such as the ISA Brown. In Australia, the Rhode Island White is regarded as a color variety of the Rhode Island breed according to the Australian Poultry Standards.
The Java is a breed of chicken originating in the United States. Despite the breed's name, a reference to the island of Java, it was developed in the U.S. from chickens of unknown Asian extraction. It is one of the oldest American chickens, forming the basis for many other breeds, but is critically endangered today. Javas are large birds with a sturdy appearance. They are hardy, and are well-suited for both meat and egg production, especially by small-scale farms, homesteads, and backyard keepers.
The Ermellinata di Rovigo is a modern Italian breed of dual-purpose chicken. It originates in the city of Rovigo in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy, from which it takes its name. It was created between 1959 and 1965, principally from Sussex and Rhode Island Red parentage.
The Robusta Maculata is a modern Italian dual-purpose breed of chicken. It originates in the city of Rovigo in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy, where it was created between 1959 and 1965 by cross-breeding Buff Orpingtons with the commercial strain known in Italy as "White America".
Donald McQueen Shaver was a Canadian pioneer in the poultry industry, who founded a breeding company that achieved worldwide prominence. At its peak Shaver Poultry Breeding Farms was the world's largest, being one of only two "world class foundation breeding" companies in Canada. Shaver died in 2018 of age related causes.
The broiler industry is the process by which broiler chickens are reared and prepared for meat consumption. Worldwide, in 2005 production was 71,851,000 tonnes. From 1985 to 2005, the broiler industry grew by 158%.
Slovenian Barred Hen is a traditional breed of domestic chicken, originating in Slovenia. This breed was developed on the Biotechnical Faculty of University of Ljubljana some decades ago. Animals of the Slovenian Barred Hen are barred black and white layer hens, used primarily for production of commercial crossbreeds sold under the trademark Prelux.
Slovenian Brown Hen is a traditional breed of domestic chicken, originating in Slovenia. It was developed at the end of the 20th century at the Biotechnical Faculty of University of Ljubljana. Animals of this breed are brown coloured layer hens that are also used as parents for commercial crossbreeds sold under the trademark Prelux.
Slovenian Silver Hen is a traditional breed of domestic chicken, originating in Slovenia. The breed, that was developed some centuries ago on the Biotechnical Faculty of University of Ljubljana, is characterised by typical white coloured layer hens, used primarily for production of commercial crossbreeds sold under the trademark Prelux.
Prelux are commercial chicken crossbreeds of the Slovenian origin, that are being sold under the eponymous trademark by the Biotechnical Faculty of University of Ljubljana. The name is an abbreviation for the Slovenian phrase prevojski luxuriranci, with a word luxuriranci referring to luxuriance (heterosis) or outbreeding enhancement of hybrid offspring, and adjective prevojski referring to the Slovenian settlement Prevoje, where selective breeding was once performed. This name was given to quality layer hens, that are being obtained by crossbreeding three Slovenian traditional breeds of layer hens; Slovenian Barred, Slovenian Brown and Slovenian Silver Hen. The most known and best-selling layer hens of the trademark Prelux are Prelux-Č, Prelux-G and Prelux-R. A part of the selection is also a meat type chicken (broiler), Prelux-BRO.
The EW Group is a German multinational family-owned livestock breeding group. It is the world market leader in breeding and genetics of poultry and tilapia. It comprises 53 German and 220 foreign companies under the parent company EW Group GmbH with headquarters in Visbek. Founder and manager of the group is Erich Wesjohann.
Golden Comet is a cross bred and sex linked chicken gotten from the crossbreeding of a female White Rock or Rhode Island White and a male New Hampshire Red chicken.
