Question

If retained hybrid vigor increases with more breeds in a rotation, why not include many breeds?

Answer 1

Answer:-

Hybrid vigor or heterosis increases with more breeds in a rotational crossbreeding. Rotational crossbreeding is the crossbleeding between males of two or more breeds with the hybrid or crossbred females. As the number of breeds increases, the level of heterosis also increases. Generally we do not include many breeds in the rotation due to low cost of producing beef. Every breed is not equally effective in beef production. Hence we have use highly effective breed in the rotational crossbreeding. So in case of two breed rotation, we would use two breed with highest efficiency. Similarly we would select three breed with highest efficiency for beef production in three breed rotational crossbreeding. So the number of breed increases hybrid vigor but at the price of their efficiency. We increase breeds in rotational crossbreeding when their there is difference between the efficiency of the breeds in production of beef or the efficiency of the breed is being affected by the hybrid vigor. We generally use crossbreeding in beef cattle industry in order to develop productivity through hybrid vigor.

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