Small Ruminants

Question 1

is the ‘ideal’ animal a
producer aims to breed.

Answer 1

Breeding objective

Question 2

is the method by which the producer
identifies that animal.

Answer 2

Selection

Question 3

describes
characteristics that affect profit the most, as
well as how important each trait is to profit.

Answer 3

Breeding objective

Question 4

This should be specific, measurable, and
attainable.

Answer 4

Breeding objective

Question 5

Generally specific to a particular market,
therefore it is important to understand
customer andmarket requirement

Answer 5

Breeding Objectives

Question 6

Depending on the target market, some traits
or characteristics have greater economic
importance than others e.g. growth rate as an
influencer of live weight at sale.

Answer 6

Breeding Objective

Question 7

Monitoring the current herd or flock
performance against customer or market
requirements and considering how
performance and the requirements might
change over time.

Answer 7

Breeding Objective

Question 8

Classing and culling play an important role in
improving the average genetic merit of a herd or
flock

Answer 8

Breeding, classing and culling

Question 9

Producers can class livestock and cull where
necessary to achieve market specifications and
enterprise breeding objectives.

Answer 9

Breeding, classing and culling

Question 10

•This may occur prior to selling and be based
on factors such as condition score, or prior to
breeding and consider more fundamental
conformational or genetic traits.

Answer 10

Breeding, classing and culling

Question 11

•Regardless of when classing occurs, target
market specifications should play a major
role in the process.

Answer 11

Breeding, classing and culling

Question 12

•P= G + E
•Where P is Phenotype can also mean production
•G is Genotype
•E is Environment in which the animal is raised, i.e.
nutrition, health program, housing, temperature,
humidity, parasite challenge, etc.
•Changing G is the overarching goal of any breeding
programme

Answer 12

The whole picture

Question 13

•The individual animal is not the main objective in
genetic selection but the population as a whole
•The success of the breeding program depends
on the:
a. breeding goals
b. record keeping
c. management

Answer 13

The whole picture

Question 14

The success of the breeding program depends
on the:

Answer 14

•The individual anima
a. breeding goals
b. record keeping
c. management

Question 15

Selection tools

Answer 15

1. General visual appraisal-most common
2. Breeder records
3. Performance data for sires
4. Expected Progeny difference
5. Show records
6. Pedigree data
7. Industry standards
8. Breed standards