Breeding and genetics topics

Session 1

What is genetics

Genes

DNA

Intro. to protein synthesis

Meiosis

Genetic diversity: recombination (crossing over), random alignment

Session 2

Genetic terminology: genes, alleles, genotype, phenotype, homozygous, heterozygous

Mendel’s laws: law of segregation, law of independent assortment, law of dominance

Dominant + recessive

Monohybrid cross, monohybrid ratio

Dihybrid cross, dihybrid ratio

Sex determination

Codominance

Epistasis

Sex linkage

Multiple alleles

Lethal genes

Session 3

Reasons for breeding: pet trade, exhibition, production, work, competition, conservation

Breeding considerations with stud male and breeding female

Stud books

Population management

Intensive vs extensive farming

Session 4

Gene interactions: lethal alleles, incomplete dominance, codominance, epistasis, sex linkage, sex influenced, multiple alleles

Desirable characteristics: mammals—pets, livestock, working animals; birds—meat, eggs, pets; herptiles

Pedigree

Session 5

Legislation: animal welfare act inc. 5 needs, animal scientific procedures act, licensing for dog breeding inc. star rating based on welfare standards and risk rating, Lucy’s Law

Handling considerations, techniques, equipment

Session 6

Planning for mating: selecting animals, how often breeding from, how long between breeding, age

Considerations for breeding: age, oestrus cycles, natural breeding season, behaviour, location, health, breeding history

Mate recognition system: auditory, behavioural, olfactory, visual

Session 7

Animal condition: body condition score, e.g. for pigs, teeth condition, behaviour assessment, inc. for conservation

Session 8

Breeding plan creation:

Legislation e.g. animal welfare act, breeding of dogs act, defra + rspca guidelines, animal activities licensing, cites,

Key steps in breeding plan: define objectives, select stock, manage mating, record and review

Mate selection: genetic diversity, pedigree charts, health screening, avoid inbreeding

Desirable traits

Breeding cycles

Parturition: signs, stages, problems

Housing

Feeding: pre-breeding nutrition, gestation/lactation diets, supplementation, hydration

Infant care: neonatal checks, weaning, hygiene, warmth

Healthcare: vaccination, parasite control, vet checks before + after birth

Genetic disorders + screening

Record keeping: how and why

Monitoring: check breeding success rates, adjust pairings, use data to improve results

Incubation of eggs

Hatching: signs of pipping, post-hatch care

Raising chicks: brooder set-up, weaning, disease prevention

Fish breeding: conditioning breeders, water quality triggers, fry rearing tanks

Reptile breeding: temperature dependent sex, egg incubation substrate, neonate handling

Comparative breeding challenges: mammal vs avian vs aquatic, welfare vs productivity, ethical issues

Session 9:

Husbandry for breeding animals: healthcare, nutrition, housing

Breeding male considerations: physiology (needs to be well developed), health screening, accommodation (house males + females separately), mating (may need to learn mating behaviour), behaviour

Breeding process: oestrus, mating, pregnancy, parturition, post partum

The oestrus cycle: pro-oestrus, oestrus, met-oestrus, an-oestrus

Right time for mating: behaviour, clinical signs, hormone levels, cytology

Problems with mating: immaturity, preferences, aggression

Diagnosis of pregnancy: clinical signs, palpation, ultrasound, radiography

Gestation periods of different animals

3 trimesters of pregnancy

5 stages of parturition: preparation, first stage, second stage, third stage, puerperium

Nutrition for breeding female: pregnancy, lactation

Hygiene, health, safety

Session 10:

Diagnosis of pregnancy: clinical signs, abdominal palpation, ultrasound, radiography, identification, hormone tests, acute phase proteins as in human pregnancy test

Pseudocyesis i.e. false pregnancy: cause, signs, treatment

Normal progression of pregnancy

Problems with pregnancy: resorption, abortion, stillbirth

Preparation for parturition: whelping box, temperature, bedding, location, equipment

Labour and parturition

Stages of birth

Complications with birth

Reproductive hormones

Management of the mother after birth: cleaning, feeding, exercise, veterinary examination

Management of neonates

Congenital abnormalities

Session 11:

Problems can occur in mating, pregnancy, parturition, postpartum

Mating problems: incompatibility (different species, size, behaviour, solitary animals not at right time); infertility (breeding management, diet, genetic issues, physical problems e.g. cystic ovaries, bacterial or viral infection)

Pregnancy problems: eclampsia

Parturition problems: dystocia (pelvic canal not wide enough or deformed, offspring too big or in wrong position, uterine inertia)

Postpartum problems: mastitis, retained placenta, uterine prolapse, haemorrhage, cannibalism, infection

Postpartum care

Session 12:

Hand rearing: definition, why needed, alternative options, bottle feeding guidelines, bowel and bladder care

Fading puppy and kitten syndrome

Weaning

Training + socialising hand-reared animals

Vet care for neonates

When not to hand-rear

Session 13:

Snake breeding: reasons for breeding, species commonly kept, equipment, selecting breeding stock, preparing adults for breeding, introducing the adults, care of gravid females (carrying eggs or live young), care of eggs, care of adults and offspring after birth/hatching,