Genetics is the science of heredity and variation. All animals have a predetermined genotype that they inherit from their parents. The information in an organism's genes provides a biological blueprint for its appearance, function and survival and largely defines its similarities and differences with other organisms. The genetics of livestock are therefore a critical factor influencing animal production and health. However an animal’s genotype can be manipulated by breeding and more advanced scientific technique (genetic engineering and cloning) Genetic makeup of animals have been manipulated to: improve productivity, increase efficiency, and adaptability. Successful manipulation of the genetic composition of animals requires a depth understanding of fundamental principles of genetics.

1. ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
FUNDAMENTALS OF ANIMAL GENETICS
Elizabeth Philip

2. INTRODUCTION
• Genetics is the science of heredity and variation.
• All animals have a predetermined genotype that they inherit from their parents.
• The information in an organism's genes provides a biological blueprint for its
appearance, function and survival and largely defines its similarities and differences
with other organisms.
• The genetics of livestock are therefore a critical factor influencing animal production
and health.
• However an animal’s genotype can be manipulated by breeding and more advanced
scientific technique (genetic engineering and cloning)
• Genetic makeup of animals have been manipulated to: improve productivity, increase
efficiency, and adaptability.
• Successful manipulation of the genetic composition of animals requires a depth
understanding of fundamental principles of genetics.

3. Main branches of animal genetics:
• Basic genetics—which enframes Cytogenetics and Mendelian
genetics
• Molecular genetics—studies the molecular basis of the heredity
• Genetic engineering—is defined as an ensemble of methods and
technologies made with genes, chromosomes or even entire cells,
on the purpose of obtaining new genetic structures with deliberate
hereditary features.
• Population genetics—studies the inheritance pattern of different
features which are manifested and transmitted in different
populations of animals.

4. SELECTION
 Artificial Selection:
• Refers to a set of rules designed by humans to govern the probability that an
individual survives and reproduces.
• Two factors responsible for genetic variation in animals:
1. ADDITIVE GENE EFFECTS:
Many different genes involved in the expression of the trait.
Individual genes have little effect on the trait
Most of the economically important traits: weight gain, milk production
2. NON ADDITIVE GENE EFFECTS:
Non-additive genetic variation results from interactions between genes.
 Interactions between genes at the same locus are called dominance, and
interactions between genes at different loci are called epistasis.

5. First, it can be used to predict breeding
values of selection candidates, where the
breeding values could include information on
lethal alleles.
Second, it can be used to constrain parental
relationships and control rates of inbreeding.
Third, it can be used to monitor losses
of genetic variation through genetic drift.
• Genomic information has at least three potential
benefits for animal breeding:

6. APPLICATION OF GENOMIC TOOLS IN ANIMAL
BREEDING:
• Genetic improvement in domesticated animal populations that are used
for agricultural production mainly involves selection of males and females
that, when mated, are expected to produce progeny that perform better
than the average of the current generation.
• Performance usually includes a combination of multiple characteristics,
or traits, most of which are quantitative in nature (traits such as milk
yield, fat yield, protein yield and longevity in dairy cattle, and growth
rate, fatness and feed intake in beef cattle and pigs.)
• Starting in the 1970’s, the advent of the era of molecular genetics
provided new opportunities to enhance breeding programs in livestock by
allowing the use of DNA markers to identify genes or genomic regions
that control traits of interest.

7. AQUACULTURE:
• The application of genetics to the breeding and management
of cultivable aquatic organisms is likely to result in
considerable improvement as it has with domesticated
mammalian and avian livestock.
• Because aquatic organisms are ectothermic and lack the
sophisticated endogenous homeostasis of mammals and
birds, it is more than ever necessary that genetically altered
stock be adequately tested and monitored under a variety of
conditions representative of the great range of environments
characteristic of intensive and extensive culture systems.
• Aquaculture (also known as aquafarming) is the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish,
shellfish, algae, and other organisms in all types of water environments.
• It is the fastest growing food production industry, and the vast majority of aquaculture products
are derived from Asia.
• Aquaculture species typically have several common features, for e.g., high fecundity and external
fertilization. The reproductive features enable flexible mating structures to be used for breeding
programs, and can provide a powerful resource for genetic studies of complex traits, such as
disease resistance

8. GM Atlantic Salmon culture
Genetic engineering has been slow to take hold in aquaculture;
only one genetically modified species, a transgenic salmon, has
been commercialized.

9. SHRIMP CULTURE OYSTER CULTURE
PRAWN CULTURE

10. Principles of cattle genetics:
Bulls have a major influence on commercial breeding
programs because of the number of calves they sire.
Selection of sires is a critical control point in the
operation of an effective breeding program.
Genetic improvement should be considered in
conjunction with non-genetic means of improving
performance (e.g., current herd selection, improved
nutrition, or changes to market procedures), which
may be more cost-effective.
Some traits of cattle are under genetic control (heritable) and can be exploited to
increase herd profitability. Traits that are economically important and are heritable
should be included in the breeding objective.
Variation for economically important traits occurs within breeds and between breeds,
and some variation can be created by crossbreeds. All sources of genetic variation should
be considered when planning a breeding program.

11. • Disease resistance
• Increasing meat and milk production
• Improving hair and fibre
• Enhancing growth rates and carcass composition
• Improving reproductive performance
• Vaccine production
Genetic engineering applications in cattle breeding

12. THANK YOU