This book offers a clear, practice-oriented pathway through modern animal breeding—bridging classical quantitative genetics with contemporary genomic tools. Beginning with the history of animal breeding and the characterization of India’s major livestock and poultry breeds, it builds core fluency in economic traits, karyotyping, data correction/standardization, and variance components. Readers learn how to estimate heritability and repeatability, interpret genetic and phenotypic correlations, and design effective selection programs—from individual and family selection to pedigree, sib, and progeny testing—culminating in robust sire evaluation.

Advanced chapters introduce marker-assisted selection, gene introgression, genomic selection, and GWAS, showing how DNA-based insights accelerate accuracy and genetic gain. Mating systems are treated comprehensively: inbreeding (with coefficients, consequences, and controlled uses), outbreeding and its forms, heterosis, and selection for combining ability. The text then scales to nucleus breeding systems (open/closed), integrated breeding strategies for livestock and poultry, and targeted improvement for disease resistance and fitness traits. Practical sections on breed characterization/registration, development of new strains, national/state policies and programs, conservation methods, and the emerging landscape of sexed semen round out an India-centric, ICAR-aligned resource for UG/PG students, breeders, and extension professionals.

Key Features 

• Worked examples and formulas for estimates

• Field-ready selection and mating templates

• Genomics and GWAS simplified for practitioners

• India’s breeds, policies, and conservation programs highlighted

Dr. Ashis Kumar Ghosh is a Professor in the Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. With over three decades of teaching, research, and extension experience, he is an expert in livestock genetic evaluation, breeding strategies, and molecular genetics. Dr. Ghosh earned his M.V.Sc. in Animal Genetics and Breeding from ICAR-IVRI, Izatnagar, where he received a Junior Research Fellowship, and his Ph.D. from DUVASU, Mathura. He began his career as a Veterinary Officer with the Government of Bihar and later served as Assistant Professor at Central Agricultural University, Aizawl. In 2003, he joined GBPUAT, Pantnagar, as Associate Professor and has been serving as Professor since 2009. Dr. Ghosh has guided numerous postgraduate and doctoral students and led research projects on field progeny testing in Frieswal cattle and genetic improvement of goats in Uttarakhand and also worked on characterization of several livestock breeds of Uttarakhand. He has published over 87 research papers in reputed national and international journals, along with book chapters, review papers, and popular articles, and has edited one book. Dr. Ghosh has organized a training programme of 25 days for 20 Farmers of Uttarakhand under Skill Development on “Dairy Farmer-Entrepreneur” Sponsored by Agricultural Skill Council of India as Training Coordinator and Master Trainer. His contributions to curriculum development under ICAR guidelines and service on the Broad Subject Matter Area Committee highlight his academic leadership. A recipient of several national awards for research excellence and a life member of multiple professional societies, Dr. Ghosh’s work bridges scientific innovation with field application. His expertise and experience uniquely qualify him to author this textbook on Principles of Animal Breeding.

Dr. R.S. Barwal is a Professor in the Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. With over 26 years of experience in teaching, research and extension in animal sciences—particularly in animal breeding—Dr. Barwal has made significant contributions to the broader field of animal science, and more specifically, to animal breeding. He holds Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Animal Breeding from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar and was awarded Senior Research Fellowship during his Ph.D. degree programme. Dr. Barwal has guided several postgraduate and doctoral students and actively engaged in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. He has served as Co-Principal Investigator on several research projects. Dr. Barwal has published numerous research articles, review papers, book chapters, and popular articles in reputed national and international journals. He is also the co-author of three edited books, three booklets, and laboratory manuals. He has co-organized two national-level symposia as Co-organizing Secretary. Notably, Dr. Barwal conducted the first baseline surveys of two goat breeds in Uttarakhand state. One of these breeds, the Chaugarkha goat, has been officially recognized as a distinct breed, while the other, the Udaipuri goat, is expected to receive recognition shortly. He has served the Society for Conservation of Domestic Animal Biodiversity twice as Executive Member (Joint Secretary). In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the management and conservation of Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) and his dedication to the Society for Conservation of Domestic Animal Biodiversity, Dr. Barwal was honoured as a Fellow of the Society in February 2020.

1 History of Animal Breeding

2 Livestock Breeds: Description of important breeds of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, pig horse, donkey, camel, poultry, dog and cat.

3 Economic characters of livestock

4 Data correction and standardization of records in dairy animals

5 Study on karyotype of farm animal species

6 Heritability: Concept and methods of estimation, heritability of economic characters of livestock and poultry

7 Repeatability: Concept and methods of estimation, repeatability of economic characters of livestock and poultry

8 Genetic and Phenotypic correlations

9 Selection: Types of selection, response to selection and factors affecting it.

Bases of selection: Individual, family, sib, pedigree, progeny and combined, indirect selection. Methods of selection

10 Sire evaluation

11 Introduction to Marker Assisted Selection (MAS)

12 Introduction to Gene Introgression

13 Introduction to Genomic Selection

14 Overview of Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS)          

15 Classification of mating systems and Inbreeding: Inbreeding coefficient and coefficient of relationship. Genetic and phenotypic consequences of inbreeding. Inbreeding depression, application of inbreeding.

16 Out Breeding: Outbreeding and its different forms. Genetic and phenotypic consequences of outbreeding, application of outbreeding

17 Heterosis or Hybrid Vigour

18 Selection for combining ability

19 Nucleus breeding system: Open and closed nucleus breeding system

20 Breeding strategies for improvement of Livestock and poultry

21 Breeding for disease resistance and fitness traits in livestock

22 Breed characterization and registration

23 Development of new breeds or strains

24 Current livestock breeding policies and programmes in the state and country

25 Methods of conservation- livestock conservation programmes

26 Sexed semen: an overview

References