NON GENETIC FACTORS IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION: NON GENETIC FACTORS

There has been inconclusive considerable debate on the influence of non genetic factors on level of production in livestock enterprises. However, a consensus has been reached that for any performance recording of individual animal species there is need to adjust for non genetic factors for accurate ranking of animals. A non exhuastive list of non genetic factors has been implicated and their extent of influence has been studied in different livestock species. The most prominent non genetic factors such as parity, sex, management, nutrition, year of birth, age of dam and litter size have been studied extensively. The level of interaction of different non genetic factors have been a major issue and still need further clarity in different production systems. Hence the quantification of non genetic factors becomes a prerequisite for accurate genetic parameter estimation in livestock breeding. The book gives an insight on the influence of some non genetic factors within different populations and how they impinge on individuals animal performance in different livestock species.