Purebred

Last updated

Purebreds are like cultivars of an animal species achieved through the process of selective breeding. When the lineage of a purebred animal is recorded, that animal is said to be pedigreed. Purebreds breed true-to-type which means the progeny of like-to-like purebred parents will carry the same phenotype, or observable characteristics of the parents. A group of like purebreds is called a pure-breeding line or strain.

Contents

True breeding

In the world of selective animal breeding, to "breed true" means that specimens of an animal breed will breed true-to-type when mated like-to-like; that is, that the progeny of any two individuals of the same breed will show fairly consistent, replicable and predictable characteristics, or traits with sufficiently high heritability. [1] [2] A puppy from two purebred dogs of the same breed, for example, will exhibit the traits of its parents, and not the traits of all breeds in the subject breed's ancestry.

Breeding from too small a gene pool, especially direct inbreeding, can lead to the passing on of undesirable characteristics or even a collapse of a breed population due to inbreeding depression. Therefore, there is a question, and often heated controversy, as to when or if a breed may need to allow "outside" stock in for the purpose of improving the overall health and vigor of the breed.

Because pure-breeding creates a limited gene pool, purebred animal breeds are also susceptible to a wide range of congenital health problems. [3] This problem is especially prevalent in competitive dog breeding and dog show circles due to the singular emphasis on aesthetics rather than health or function. Such problems also occur within certain segments of the horse industry for similar reasons. The problem is further compounded when breeders practice inbreeding. [4] The opposite effect to that of the restricted gene pool caused by pure-breeding is known as hybrid vigor, which generally results in healthier animals. [3]

Pedigrees

A purebred Arabian horse. LaMirage body07.jpg
A purebred Arabian horse.

A pedigreed animal is one that has its ancestry recorded. Often this is tracked by a major registry. The number of generations required varies from breed to breed, but all pedigreed animals have papers from the registering body that attest to their ancestry.

The word "pedigree" appeared in the English language in 1410 as "pee de Grewe", "pedegrewe" or "pedegru", each of those words being borrowed to the Middle French "pié de grue", meaning "crane foot". This comes from a visual analogy between the trace of the bird's foot and the three lines used in the English official registers to show the ramifications of a genealogical tree. [5]

Sometimes the word purebred is used synonymously with pedigreed, but purebred refers to the animal having a known ancestry, and pedigree refers to the written record of breeding. Not all purebred animals have their lineage in written form. For example, until the 20th century, the Bedouin people of the Arabian Peninsula only recorded the ancestry of their Arabian horses via an oral tradition, supported by the swearing of religiously based oaths as to the asil or "pure" breeding of the animal. Conversely, some animals may have a recorded pedigree or even a registry, but not be considered "purebred". Today the modern Anglo-Arabian horse, a cross of Thoroughbred and Arabian bloodlines, is considered such a case.

By type

Dogs

Pure-breed Zwergschnauzer Bram Zwergschnauzer.JPG
Pure-breed Zwergschnauzer

A purebred dog is a dog of a modern breed of dog, with written documentation showing the individual purebred dog's descent from its breeds' foundation stock [ dubious discuss ]. In dogs, the term breed is used two ways: loosely, to refer to dog types or landraces of dog (also called natural breeds or ancient breeds); or more precisely, to refer to modern breeds of dog, which are documented so as to be known to be descended from specific ancestors, that closely resemble others of their breed in appearance, movement, way of working and other characters; and that reproduce with offspring closely resembling each other and their parents. [6] Purebred dogs are breeds in the second sense.

New breeds of dog are constantly being created, and there are many websites for new breed associations and breed clubs offering legitimate registrations for new or rare breeds. When dogs of a new breed are "visibly similar in most characteristics" and have reliable documented descent from a "known and designated foundation stock", [6] then they can then be considered members of a breed, and, if an individual dog is documented and registered, it can be called purebred.

Cats

Purebred chocolate Persian show cat with "Grand Champion" title. Chocolate Persian.jpg
Purebred chocolate Persian show cat with "Grand Champion" title.

A cat whose ancestry is formally registered is called a pedigreed or purebred cat. Technically, a purebred cat is one whose ancestry contains only individuals of the same breed. A pedigreed cat is one whose ancestry is recorded with a cat registry, but may have ancestors of different breeds. Landraces are not cat breeds, but a selective group of representative cats can be used as foundation stock to create a new cat breed (examples of breeds created in this way are the Maine Coon, European Shorthair and Siberian).

Because of common crossbreeding in populated areas, most cats are simply identified as belonging to the unregistered non-pedigree cats of mixed or unknown ancestry, referred to as domestic long-haired and domestic short-haired cat, depending on their fur length. [7] Other commonly used terms are random-bred cat, domestic cat, house(hold) cat or moggie/moggy (UK English). [8] Out of the hundreds of millions of cats worldwide, almost none have any purebred ancestors, nor belong to a specific breed, because purebred cats are a human invention of the last 150 years and selectively bred from foundation stock by breeders in closed off lineages.

Approximately 3–4% of the cats in the US are purchased from breeders. [9] [10] Not all breeders sell registered pedigree cats. [11] In France, approximately 4% of cats are pedigreed. [lower-alpha 1] Worldwide the number of pedigreed cats is somewhat lower, and is estimated at approximately 1–2%. [lower-alpha 2]

By definition all cats belonging to a specific breed are pedigreed cats with a known and formally registered ancestry with one of the cat registries, also known as the cat’s “paperwork” or pedigree. [16] [11] The list of cat breeds is quite large: most cat registries actually recognize between 30 and 75 [17] breeds of cats, and several more are in development, with one or more new breeds being recognized each year on average, having distinct features (phenotype) and lineage. Nowadays, there exist over 100 cat breeds and varieties recognized by at least one of the official cat registries. [7] The purpose of the registry of cat breeds is to develop and maintain a healthy breed by controlling inbreeding and the spread of hereditary diseases, and regulating the well-being of the cats. [18] [19] [20] Owners and breeders compete in cat shows to see whose animal bears the closest resemblance (best conformance) to an idealized definition, based on breed type and the breed standard for each breed. [21]

Modern breeders created cat breeds, which are actually feline hybrids between a wild cat species and the domestic cat species ( Felis catus ). A famous example of such a hybrid cat breed is the Savannah cat ( Felis catus × Leptailurus serval ), which is produced by crossing wild servals with domestic cats. [7]

Some natural, ancient breeds of cat that have a distinct phenotype were formerly considered or speculated to be subspecies of wild cats or domestic cats (Felis catus), or hybrids between them. Later genetic research shows that only one wild cat species was domesticated; the north African and southwest Asian wild cat ( Felis silvestris lybica ). [22] All domestic (non-hybrid) cats and cat breeds fall under the domestic cat (Felis catus), and are no longer considered separate (sub)species. [23] The domestication of the Felis silvestris lybica started around 9.000 years ago in the Near East and Egypt region, [22] while the selective breeding of purebred/pedigreed cat breeds only started 150 years ago.

Horses

A Frisian horse (stallion), a breed which earliest known reference is from AD 50 (reign of Roman Emperor Nero) and is pedigree registered since 1879 Friesian Stallion.jpg
A Frisian horse (stallion), a breed which earliest known reference is from AD 50 (reign of Roman Emperor Nero) and is pedigree registered since 1879

Written and oral histories of various animals or pedigrees of certain types of horse have been kept throughout history, though breed registry stud books trace back to about the 13th century, at least in Europe, when pedigrees were tracked in writing, and the practice of declaring a type of horse to be a breed or a purebred became more widespread.

Certain horse breeds, such as the Andalusian horse and the Arabian horse, are claimed by aficionados of the respective breeds to be ancient, near-pure descendants from an ancient wild prototype, though mapping of the horse genome as well as the mtDNA and y-DNA of various breeds has largely disproved such claims.

Livestock

Most domesticated farm animals among others can also have true-breeding breeds and breed registries, particularly cattle, water buffaloes, sheep, goats, donkeys, guinea pigs, chickens, fancy pigeons, domestic ducks, rabbits, and pigs. While animals bred strictly for market sale are not always purebreds, or if purebred may not be registered, most livestock producers value the presence of purebred genetic stock for the consistency of traits such animals provide. It is common for a farm's male breeding stock in particular to be of purebred, pedigreed lines.

In cattle, some breeders associations make a difference between "purebred" and "full blood". Full blood cattle are fully pedigreed animals, where every ancestor is registered in the herdbook and shows the typical characteristics of the breed. Purebred are those animals that have been bred-up to purebred status as a result of using full blood animals to cross with an animal of another breed.

Artificial breeding via artificial insemination or embryo transfer is often used in sheep and cattle breeding to quickly expand, or improve purebred herds. Embryo transfer techniques allow top quality female livestock to have a greater influence on the genetic advancement of a herd or flock in much the same way that artificial insemination has allowed greater use of superior sires. [25]

Notes

  1. All purebred cats born in France after 1999 should be registered with LOOF. LOOF registry data from 2003-2022 is publicly available and shows that 646774 cats were registered in that time period. [12] In 2022, France had a cat population of 14.9 million according to Statista. [13] Discarding the import and export of French purebred cats and cats born before 2003 (due to lack of data), this means 646774 out of 14.9 million or 4.3% of the French cats is registered/pedigreed. As most cat registries don't have their data public, are an international registry, or not forced by national laws, this is one of the few sources that gives a valid indication on cat registry numbers. Most self-reported data on cat breeds is influenced by the fact that rescues/owners label for example all solid blue cats as Russian Blue cats. [14]
  2. Based on the approximately 4% of the known pedigreed cats in France, and the popularity of pedigreed cats in France compared to all other countries worldwide. The cat fancy is well established in France since the end of the 19th-century. The popularity of pedigree cats in France is also seen in the amount of different breeds registered with LOOF, [12] and the numbers of France born and living pedigree cats compared to other countries in the PawPeds-database. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horse breed</span> Selectively bred populations of domesticated horses

A horse breed is a selectively bred population of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a broader sense to define landrace animals of a common phenotype located within a limited geographic region, or even feral "breeds" that are naturally selected. Depending on definition, hundreds of "breeds" exist today, developed for many different uses. Horse breeds are loosely divided into three categories based on general temperament: spirited "hot bloods" with speed and endurance; "cold bloods," such as draft horses and some ponies, suitable for slow, heavy work; and "warmbloods," developed from crosses between hot bloods and cold bloods, often focusing on creating breeds for specific riding purposes, particularly in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siamese cat</span> Breed of cat

The Siamese cat is one of the first distinctly recognised breeds of Asian cat. Derived from the Wichianmat landrace, one of several varieties of cats native to Thailand, the original Siamese became one of the most popular breeds in Europe and North America in the 19th century. Siamese cats have a distinctive colourpoint coat, resulting from a temperature-sensitive type of albinism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dog breed</span> Group of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs

A dog breed is a particular type of dog that was purposefully bred by humans to perform specific tasks, such as herding, hunting, and guarding. Dogs are the most variable mammal on Earth, with artificial selection producing upward of 360 globally recognized breeds. These breeds possess distinct traits related to morphology, which include body size, skull shape, tail phenotype, fur type, body shape, and coat colour. However, there is only one species of dog. Their behavioral traits include guarding, herding, and hunting, and personality traits such as hyper-social behavior, boldness, and aggression. Most breeds were derived from small numbers of founders within the last 200 years. As a result of their adaptability to many environments and breedability for human needs, today dogs are the most abundant carnivore species and are dispersed around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dog breeding</span> Mating selected dogs for specific qualities

Dog breeding is the practice of mating selected dogs with the intention of maintaining or producing specific qualities and characteristics. When dogs reproduce without such human intervention, their offspring's characteristics are determined by natural selection, while "dog breeding" refers specifically to the artificial selection of dogs, in which dogs are intentionally bred by their owners. Breeding relies on the science of genetics, hence a breeder who is knowledgeable on canine genetics, health, and the intended purpose of the dogs attempts to breed suitable dogs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mongrel</span> Dog with mixed breeds

A mongrel, mutt, or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed, including those that result from intentional breeding. Although the term mixed-breed dog is sometimes preferred, many mongrels have no known purebred ancestors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siberian cat</span> Variety of cat

The Siberian is a centuries-old landrace of domestic cat in Russia, and recently developed as a formal breed with standards promulgated the world over since the late-1980s. Since 2006, the breed is recognised for registry and championship status with all major cat registries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dog crossbreed</span> Dog type

Dog crossbreeds, sometimes called designer dogs, are dogs which have been intentionally bred from two or more recognized dog breeds. They are not dogs with no purebred ancestors, but are not otherwise recognised as breeds in their own right, and do not necessarily breed true.

A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. Crossbreeding, sometimes called "designer crossbreeding", is the process of breeding such an organism. While crossbreeding is used to maintain health and viability of organisms, irresponsible crossbreeding can also produce organisms of inferior quality or dilute a purebred gene pool to the point of extinction of a given breed of organism.

Breed clubs are associations or clubs with activities centered on a single, specific breed of a particular species of domesticated animal. The purpose of the association will vary with the species of animal and the goals and needs of the members of the association. Breed associations or clubs may vary in their goals, activities and nomenclature from country to country, even for the same breed. Most domesticated animals, whether they are agricultural animals such as cattle, llamas, poultry, sheep and pigs, or companion animals such as pigeons, horses, cats and dogs, have breed clubs associated with the breed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pixie-bob</span> Breed of cat

The Pixie-bob is a breed of domestic cat claimed to be the progeny of naturally occurring bobcat hybrids. However, DNA testing has failed to detect bobcat marker genes, and Pixie-bobs are considered wholly domestic for the purposes of ownership, cat fancy registration, and import and export. They were, however, selected and bred to look like American bobcats.

A breed registry, also known as a herdbook, studbook or register, in animal husbandry, the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders while they are young. The terms studbook and register are also used to refer to lists of male animals "standing at stud", that is, those animals actively breeding, as opposed to every known specimen of that breed. Such registries usually issue certificates for each recorded animal, called a pedigree, pedigreed animal documentation, or most commonly, an animal's "papers". Registration papers may consist of a simple certificate or a listing of ancestors in the animal's background, sometimes with a chart showing the lineage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haflinger</span> A breed of horse developed in Austria and northern Italy

The Haflinger, also known as the Avelignese, is a breed of horse developed in Austria and northern Italy during the late 19th century. Haflinger horses are relatively small, are always chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, have distinctive gaits described as energetic but smooth, and are well-muscled yet elegant. The breed traces its ancestry to the Middle Ages; several theories for its origin exist. Haflingers, developed for use in mountainous terrain, are known for their hardiness. Their current conformation and appearance are the result of infusions of bloodlines from Arabian and various European breeds into the original native Tyrolean ponies. The foundation sire, 249 Folie, was born in 1874; by 1904, the first breeders' cooperative was formed. All Haflingers can trace their lineage back to Folie through one of seven bloodlines. World Wars I and II, as well as the Great Depression, had a detrimental effect on the breed, and lower-quality animals were used at times to save the breed from extinction. During World War II, breeders focused on horses that were shorter and more draft-like, favored by the military for use as packhorses. The emphasis after the war shifted toward animals of increased refinement and height.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felid hybrids</span> Hybrid carnivore

A felid hybrid is any of a number of hybrids between various species of the cat family, Felidae. This article deals with hybrids between the species of the subfamily Felinae.

Animal breeding is a branch of animal science that addresses the evaluation of the genetic value of livestock. Selecting for breeding animals with superior EBV in growth rate, egg, meat, milk, or wool production, or with other desirable traits has revolutionized livestock production throughout the entire world. The scientific theory of animal breeding incorporates population genetics, quantitative genetics, statistics, and recently molecular genetics and is based on the pioneering work of Sewall Wright, Jay Lush, and Charles Henderson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stud farm</span> Establishment for selective breeding of livestock

A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word "stud" comes from the Old English stod meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding". Historically, documentation of the breedings that occur on a stud farm leads to the development of a stud book. Male animals made available for breeding to outside female animals are said to be "standing at stud", or at "stud service", referencing the relatively high probability that they are kept at a stud farm.

A cat registry or cat breed registry, also known as a cat fancier organization, cattery federation, or cat breeders' association, is an organization that registers domestic cats of many breeds, for exhibition and for breeding lineage tracking purposes. A cat registry stores the pedigrees (genealogies) of cats, cattery names, and other details of cats; studbooks, breed descriptions, and the formal breed standards ; lists of judges qualified to judge at shows run by or affiliated with that registry, and sometimes other information. A cat registry is not the same as a breed club or breed society. Cat registries each have their own rules and usually also organize or license (sanction) cat shows. The show procedures vary widely, and awards won in one registry are not normally recognized by another. Some registries only serve breeders, while others are oriented toward pet owners and provide individual as well as cattery memberships, while yet others are federations only deal with breed clubs or even other registries as intermediaries between the organization and breeders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thai cat</span> Breed of cat

The Thai or Wichien Maat is a newly renamed but old cat breed, related to but different from the Western, modern-style Siamese cat. This natural breed is descended from the cats of Thailand, and, among various groups of breeders in different times and places, has also been called the Old-Style Siamese, Traditional Siamese, Classic Siamese; Wichien Maat ; and the Applehead, a nickname that originated in the 1950s. According to The International Cat Association: "The Thai is the breed dedicated to preserving the native pointed cat of Thailand in as close to its original form as possible."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Part-Arabian</span> Breed of horse

A part-Arabian, partbred Arabian or, less precisely, half-Arabian, is a horse with documented amounts of Arabian horse breeding but not a purebred. Because the Arabian is deemed to be a breed of purebred horse dating back many centuries, the modern breed registries recognized by the World Arabian Horse Organization generally have tightly closed stud books which exclude a horse from registration if it is found to contain any outside blood. However, Arabian breeding has also been used for centuries to add useful traits to countless other horse breeds. In the modern era, crossbreeding has been popular to combine the best traits of two different breeds, such as color, size, or ability to specialize in a particular equestrian discipline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domestication of the cat</span> Evolutionary origins of domesticated cats

The domestic cat originated from Near-Eastern and Egyptian populations of the African wildcat, Felis sylvestris lybica. The family Felidae, to which all living feline species belong, is theorized to have arisen about ten to eleven million years ago and is divided into eight major phylogenetic lineages. The Felis lineage in particular is the lineage to which the domestic cat belongs. Several investigations have shown that all domestic varieties of cats come from a single species of the Felis lineage, Felis catus. Variations of this lineage are found all over the world, and until recently scientists have had a hard time pinning down exactly which region gave rise to modern domestic cat breeds. Scientists believed that it was not just one incident that led to the domesticated cat but multiple independent incidents at different places that led to these breeds. More complications arose from the fact that wildcat populations as a whole are very widespread and very similar to one another. These variations of wildcats can and will interbreed freely with one another when in close contact, further blurring the lines between taxa. Recent DNA studies, advancement in genetic technologies, and a better understanding of DNA and genetics as a whole has helped make discoveries in the evolutionary history of the domestic cat. Archaeological evidence has documented earlier dates of domestication than formerly believed.

References

  1. "Selective Breeding - an overview". ScienceDirect Topics. 1 January 2016. doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-100099-1.00002-9 . Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  2. Rieger, R.; Michaelis, A.; Green, M.M. (1968). A glossary of genetics and cytogenetics: Classical and molecular . New York: Springer-Verlag. ISBN   9780387076683.
  3. 1 2 Hurricane Hound. Dog-town. National Geographic Channel.
  4. Pedigree Dogs Exposed (TV documentary). BBC.
  5. "History of dog pedigree in Europe". BraqueDuBourbonnais.info.
  6. 1 2 Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged. Springfield, Massachusetts: G&C Merriam Company. 1967. p. 274. A breed is a group of domestic animals related through common ancestors and visibly similar in most characteristics, having been differentiated from others by human influence; a distinctive group of domesticated animals differentiated from the wild type under the influence of man, the sum of the progeny of a known and designated foundation stock without admixture of other blood.
  7. 1 2 3 Baggaley, Ann; Goddard, Jolyon; John, Katie (2014). The Cat Encyclopedia. London: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN   9781409347903. OCLC   879716720.
  8. "All About Mixed Breed Cats: What Mix Is Yours? | ASPCA Pet Health Insurance". ASPCAPetInsurance.com. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  9. "Pet Statistics". ASPCA. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  10. "Pets by the numbers - HumanePro by The Humane Society of the United States". humanepro.org. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  11. 1 2 "What are Papers and Do I Need Them For My Pedigree Kitten?". Registered Pets. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  12. 1 2 "LOOF - Races/annee". loof.asso.fr. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  13. "Cat population in France 2010-2022". Statista. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  14. "Cat Fanciers: What Breeds Are Making Waves in The Cat World? - Pet Age". 10 July 2023. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  15. "Databases". Pawpeds.com. PawPeds. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  16. "Finding the Purr-fect Pedigreed Kitten". CFA.org. The Cat Fanciers' Association . Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  17. The International Cat Association (31 July 2018). "Browse All Breeds". TICA.org. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  18. "WCF Breeding and Registration rules for all member clubs". WCF.info. World Cat Federation . Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  19. "GCCF Registers affect showing and breeding". GCCFCats.org. Governing Council of the Cat Fancy.
  20. "Disqualifiers and General Faults". WorldCatCongress.org. World Cat Congress . Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  21. World Cat Federation (WCF). "Definitions in the Standard". WCF.info. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  22. 1 2 Ottoni, Claudio; Van Neer, Wim; De Cupere, Bea; Daligault, Julien; Guimaraes, Silvia; Peters, Joris; Spassov, Nikolai; Prendergast, Mary E.; Boivin, Nicole; Morales-Muñiz, Arturo; Bălăşescu, Adrian; Becker, Cornelia; Benecke, Norbert; Boroneant, Adina; Buitenhuis, Hijlke (19 June 2017). "The palaeogenetics of cat dispersal in the ancient world". Nature Ecology & Evolution. 1 (7): 0139. Bibcode:2017NatEE...1..139O. doi:10.1038/s41559-017-0139. ISSN   2397-334X. S2CID   44041769.
  23. "Opinion 2027 (Case 3010)". Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature . 60 (Part 1). International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature. "Opinions" section. 31 March 2003. Archived from the original on 19 December 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2011. The majority of wild progenitors and their domestic derivatives share the same name, but in the 17 cases considered...[including Felis silvestris] the wild and domestic forms have been separately named and this has created confusion.
  24. "The Frisian horse". The Frisian Horse Studbook. Royal Association via KFPS.nl.
  25. Embryo Transfer in Cattle Retrieved on 21 October 2008 Archived 14 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine