How can inbreeding depression be prevented in fur animal breeding? Over many years of practical breeding experience, it has been proven that the most effective strategy is to establish a detailed bloodline record for the entire population on the farm. Each animal should be assigned a unique identification number and labeled with a standard number plate that is placed on its cage. When planning matings, breeders must strictly follow scientific non-relatedness guidelines to avoid inbreeding. All breeding activities are carried out based on these carefully designed mating plans.
Before the litter is separated into nests, a generation-specific genealogy file is created. When selling the animals, the pedigree records and numbered plates must accompany them. By following this method across generations, inbreeding can be effectively avoided both within the farm and when animals are purchased from other sources.
If animals are acquired from external farms, it’s essential that the original farm provides pedigree records and identification tags. The buyer should bring these documents back and use the original lineage information to plan matings. If the farm does not have a documented lineage, it’s advisable to purchase animals from two different sources. As soon as the animals arrive, pedigree files should be created immediately, and number plates assigned.
The numbering system works like this: suppose 30 animals are imported from Farm A and 30 from Farm B, with 10 males and 20 females each. The first letter represents the origin—capital letters for the source farm. Then comes the individual number. For males, it's a single number, while females get a double number. For example:
- Males from Farm A: A01, A03, A05…A19
- Females from Farm A: A02, A04, A06…A40
- Males from Farm B: B01, B03, B05…B19
- Females from Farm B: B02, B04, B06…B40
When designing mating schemes, males from Farm A are paired with females from Farm B, and vice versa. This ensures genetic diversity and helps maintain a healthy, robust population over time.
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