Question

Outbreeding is an important strategy of animal husbandry because it

• A. Exposes harmful recessive genes that are eliminated by selection
• B. Helps in accumulation of superior genes
• C. Is useful in producing pure lines of animals
• D. Is useful in overcoming inbreeding depression

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

Is useful in overcoming inbreeding depression

Inbreeding is the process in which mating of more closely related individuals within the same breed for 4-6 generations take place. The breeding strategy is, superior males and superior females of the same breed are identified and mated in pairs. It increases homozygosity. However, continued inbreeding usually reduces fertility and even productivity called inbreeding depression. To overcome such problem, selected animals of the breeding population should be mated with unrelated superior animals of the same breed. This usually helps restore fertility and yield. Such method is called as outbreeding. Thus, the correct answer is 'Is useful in overcoming inbreeding depression'.