GENERAL ZOOTECHNICS AND GENETIC IMPROVEMENT

Zootechnical systems for the production of meat, milk and other animal-based products.
ZOOTECHNICAL DEMOGRAPHY
Structure of animal populations.
GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF ANIMALS IN ZOOTECHNICAL PRODUCTION
Outline of genetic transmission of characteristics. Mendelian heredity (qualitative characteristics, Mendel’s Laws, gene interaction and deviation from expected Mendelian relationships, sex determination and sex-related heredity, lethal genes, multiple allelism). Principles of population genetics (concept of gene and genotype frequency, Hardy-Weinberg Law). Brief references to statistical concepts (probability, variance, covariance, correlation and regression). Quantitative traits (variability, composition of phenotype variability, environmental variability, additive and non-additive effect of genes, heritability, repeatability). Genetic improvement of animals in zootechnical production. Organisation of selection in Italy (genealogical books, registers). Functional controls of animal productions. Relationships. Methods of estimating the genetic value of breed animals (performance test, Sib test, progeny test, BLUP-animal model). Direct and indirect selection, genetic progress, selection using multiple characteristics Reproduction methods: blood relationship and crossbreeding. Application of genetic improvement to the main zootechnical productions (bovine: milk and meat; swine: meat).
ZOOTECHNICAL ETHNOGRAPHY AND ETHNOLOGY
General traits, origin, evolution, diffusion and classification of the main breeds:
- breeds of dairy and beef cattle, dual purpose breeds (beef and dairy or vice versa);
- ovine breeds raised in Italy classified by main purpose;
- foreign ovine breeds of major interest for Italian breeding farms;
- goat breeds;
- pig breeds;
- horse breeds;
- classification of canine breeds.