Efficiency of selective breeding based on a phenotypic index

Abstract

This article discusses the efficiency of selective breeding based on ‘phenotypic index’ which is defined as the deviation of the phenotypic value of the trait from its expected value predicted with the help of one or more auxiliary traits. The conditions under which the efficiency of such a procedure is greater than one have been theoretically studied. The practical relevance of this technique has also been demonstrated by applying it to breeding data on cattle.