Indian Society of Genetics & Plant Breeding
Recent developments in Animal Genetics and Breeding
(AGB) in 21st Century have made these areas logical to be
unavoidable for modern livestock husbandry. AGB teaching
consists of knowledge in three fields’ viz., conventional
animal breeding, application of molecular genetics in
livestock production and reproduction of superior genetic
material. Teaching in this subject currently has however,
been skewed either to animal breeding or to molecular
genetics resulting in incomplete knowledge of both the
fields. Simple laboratory practical exercises on Tribolium
and Drosophila, which were routinely experienced about
20 years back, are now missing in most of the colleges/
universities. Livestock farm facilities for each species like
cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig should be strengthened
to understand the genetic mechanism of quantitative traits.
Advanced statistical tools, which are required to understand
the complex structure and function of genes and genome
are missing in the curricula. Use of the latest software to
understand the molecular mechanisms underlying
important traits in domestic animals need to be emphasized
in syllabus. Basic knowledge of computer languages like
R, C++, FORTRAN and Java must be compulsory for the
students of AGB to understand and formulate the
parameters for the software. Experience of collecting huge
phenomic data from the livestock farms and its statistical
analysis is missing in the curricula. A compulsory course
on “Livestock Farm Practices” in line with Under Graduate
students should be kept in 1st year for Post Graduate
students also. Furthermore, exposure visits should be
organized to state of the art farms of Government and
industry to cover all the livestock species in order to
sensitize students for efficient phenomic data recording. A
skill development course should be designed at Post
Graduate level using specialized techniques of AGB for
fulfilling the gap of manpower in industry.
Keywords: Teaching, animal genetics, deficiencies, solutions
Year: 2019
Volume: 79
Issue: 1, Supplement
Article DOI: 10.31742/IJGPB.79S.1.29
Print ISSN: 0019-5200
Online ISSN: 0975-6906
G. K. Gaur*, N. R. Sahoo, Sheikh Firdous Ahmad and D. R. Pruthviraj info_circle
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