Abstract
IT has been stated by Rabasa1 that in order to avoid inbreeding and the loss of genetic variability, artificial insemination should be used for a few generations only. It should be pointed out that much of his reasoning would already apply in most pure breeds of livestock, where Lush2 has demonstrated for cattle, horses, pigs and sheep that, because of inbreeding, the number of males actually used is only equivalent to about twenty or thirty with equal chances of parenthood, though, of course, the census number is far larger. For example, from a study3 of the Shorthorn breed in Britain, the rate of increase in the level of inbreeding at the time of the study (1925) would correspond to an effective number of twenty-one bulls.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Rabasa, S. L., Nature, 166, 821 (1950).
Lush, J. L., Amer. Nat., 80, 318 (1946).
Wright, Sewall and McPhee, H. C., J. Agric. Res., 31, 377 (1925).
Robertson, A., and Rendel, J. M., J. Genet., 50, 21 (1950).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
WRIGHT, G. Genetic Variability and Artificial Insemination. Nature 167, 320 (1951). https://doi.org/10.1038/167320b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/167320b0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.