Realizing Economic Benefits From Selective Breeding

摘要

Although not universally practiced, the potential benefits of selective breeding in aquaculture outweigh all other options for improving animal performance. The genetic potential of aquaculture animals is plastic and can be improved over a relativelyshort timeframe. Successful selective breeding can result in increased animal survival and weight gain, shorter growth cycles and better feed conversion. Although feed costs may increase, total overhead costs decrease. Selective breeding of aquaculture animals has been practiced commercially only since about 1975 - not long when compared to the selective breeding work for terrestrial animals. It is estimated that less than 15% of all aquaculture animals in production today were derived from selective-breeding programs. Poultry and swine production has increased greatly since organized breeding programs were instituted at universities and federal agricultural research institutes in the early 1900s. Poultry and swine growth rates have increased 350 and 250%, respectively, over their 1940 levels.