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<title>Progeny testing</title>
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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Progeny testing</span></span>
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<p><b>Progeny testing</b> is a test of the value for <a href="Selective_breeding" title="Selective breeding">selective breeding</a> of an individual's <a href="Genotype" title="Genotype">genotype</a> by looking at the <a href="Offspring" title="Offspring">progeny</a> produced by different matings.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Uses">Uses</h2></div>
<p>It is used in the <a href="Breeding_in_the_wild" title="Breeding in the wild">breeding</a> of both <a href="Plant" title="Plant">plants</a> and <a href="Animal" title="Animal">animals</a>, but is most commercially important in <a href="Animal_breeding" title="Animal breeding">animal breeding</a> to determine the true breeding value of an animal (especially males) which are used extensively for propagation of best germplasm. The extensive use of artificial insemination in domestic animals has helped in increasing the selection intensity on male animals. This selection tool is usually used for characters that are sex-limited, expressed after death (meat characteristics) and usually with low heritability, for example, milk or egg production in females. A bull, for example, cannot be assessed for milk production, however, the performance of its female offspring can be used to determine the use of the animal for future crosses.
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Process">Process</h2></div>
<p>A progeny test is performed by mating the male with a number of females to produce many progenies in a different environment and over a long time period involving different seasons to nullify the impact of season, management and environment in breeding value estimation. The average performance of the offspring is then found, giving a measure of the male's respective value to the breeder.
</p><p>In animals, the progeny testing could be conducted in a large herd or involving associated herds or in the field in farmers place. The field-based progeny testing is highly required when the selected bulls are to be distributed in a large area to many farmers in different environments. Conducting a field-based progeny testing, especially in <a href="Smallholding" title="Smallholding">smallholder</a> production systems of Asia and Africa, require huge resources both financial and infrastructural - a large AI network, robust and dynamic data collection and analysis system. Usually, the breeding companies conduct progeny testing of their bulls so that they can be commercially promoted. But when the breeding organisations are Government controlled (e.g. India), the onus of conducting the testing also lies with them if required genetic improvement is to be achieved.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>
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<li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.everythingbio.com/glos/definition.php?word=progeny+testing">progeny testing : Definition</a></span>
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<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">
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</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120528191331/http://www.nddb.org/English/Services/AB/Pages/Progeny-Testing.aspx">"Progeny Testing - National Dairy Development Board"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nddb.org/English/Services/AB/Pages/Progeny-Testing.aspx">the original</a> on 2012-05-28<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2012-10-23</span></span>.</cite></span>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2></div>
<ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160303193924/http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/beef/breeding/breedplan/bull-buy">Breedplan and bull buying</a></li></ul>
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