Enhancement of Food Production — BIOLOGY STD 12 Science — Question

(1) Outbreeding involves breeding of two unrelated animals.
(2) It is of three types, viz. outcrossing, cross-breeding and interspecific hybridization.

(3) Outcrossing:

• Outcrossing involves mating of animals of same breed, which do not have a common ancestors on either side of mating partners up to 4 to 6 generations.
• The progeny obtained from such mating is called an outcross.
• Outcrossing is done to overcome inbreeding depression.

(4) Crossbreeding:

• In crossbreeding superior males of one breed are mated with superior females of another breed.
• New animal breeds of desirable characters are developed by this method.
• Example : Hisardale breed of sheep is developed in Punjab by crossing Bikaneri ewes and Marino rams.

(5) Interspecific hybridization:

• It involves breeding of animals of two different but related species.
• It is used to produce animals with desirable characters from both the parents.
• e.g. Mule is a breed obtained from horse and donkey.
• It may not be always successful.