need and methods of gene conservation in animal breeding需要在动物育种和基因保护的方法.pdfVIP

NEED AND METHODS OF GENE CONSERVATION IN ANIMAL BREEDING (*) K. MAIJALA Agricultural Research Centre, Department of Animal Breeding, Tikkurila, Finland SUMMARY The of losses was considered at least in cattle and problem gene topical poultry, possibly also in pigs and sheep. The need of preventing them is determined by several factors: 1) Past experience of actual losses ; 2) probable effect of present breeding methods on the genetic variability (both selection and random drift); 3)changing demand for animal products because of new knowledge in food science, rising living standard, new fashions, increased quality requi- rement, need of lower production costs, need of bigger quantities, etc.; 4) changes in envi- ronment (feeding, housing, managements, disease); 5) experiences from plant breeding; 6) existence of unexamined breeds; 7) better utilization of land; 8) utilization of hybrid vigor; 9) difficulties in creating new useful variation. The available methods of gene conservation were discussed, the main attention being paid to the maintenance of small nuclei of most breeds and strains, to the establishment of gene pools, and to the establishment of frozen semen banks. Finally, organisation and principles of gene pools were briefly discussed, and the need of a coordinating international body was indicated. 1. - INTRODUCTION The present era of frozen semen in cattle A.I. has re-actualized the problem of gene losses, which was amply discussed a few decades ago when the A.I. breeding was at the stage of a final The second breakthrough DWARDS(E, species