Inbreeding in captive populations of animals also occurs, and is generally done intentionally for various reasons. Animals can become inbred as a result of selective breeding for desirable traits. Animals in captivity face different selection pressures in comparison to those in the wild, as they are provided with optimal environmental conditions and have the natural ability to choose a mate removed. Breeding solely within a single captive population of animals eliminates the addition of different alleles to the gene pool and reduces the genetic diversity of the population. This means that the probability of genetic material being more uniform is more common in a captive population and so inbreeding depression is more likely to occur.
Inbreeding is likely to occur on commercial farms as a by-product of selective breeding. As many of the animals will possess the alleles for the same desirable traits to maximise yield and profit, these animals will be bred and this can have a negative impact on animal welfare. For example, dairy cattle can be bred for maximum milk production, and even though this increases profit for a farmer, it has adverse effects on the cow, leaving …show more content…
This increase in homozygosity is what causes the increased susceptibility to disease in many pedigree breeds. This is displayed through the bearded collie, which has an average inbreeding coefficient of 14.9%, higher than the equivalent of a grandparent and grandchild mating (12.5%). This level of inbreeding has resulted in the breed becoming more susceptible to Addison’s disease, an autoimmune disease that affects the adrenal glands, resulting in an adrenal insufficiency in the body. Although not
Inbreeding is likely to occur on commercial farms as a by-product of selective breeding. As many of the animals will possess the alleles for the same desirable traits to maximise yield and profit, these animals will be bred and this can have a negative impact on animal welfare. For example, dairy cattle can be bred for maximum milk production, and even though this increases profit for a farmer, it has adverse effects on the cow, leaving …show more content…
This increase in homozygosity is what causes the increased susceptibility to disease in many pedigree breeds. This is displayed through the bearded collie, which has an average inbreeding coefficient of 14.9%, higher than the equivalent of a grandparent and grandchild mating (12.5%). This level of inbreeding has resulted in the breed becoming more susceptible to Addison’s disease, an autoimmune disease that affects the adrenal glands, resulting in an adrenal insufficiency in the body. Although not