Selection & improving breeds
Why does one farmer's herd get better every year while his neighbour's stays the same? The answer is selection — choosing the best animals and plants to be the parents of the next generation. In this lesson we learn what artificial selection (selective breeding) is and how it differs from natural selection, follow the step-by-step selection cycle, see how it improves yield, disease resistance, hardiness and appearance with real Namibian examples like the Bonsmara and drought-tolerant mahangu, and then meet a newer, more debated tool — genetic engineering — and weigh its benefits against its worries.
By the end you should be able to (NSSCO Agricultural Science 5.2):
- Discuss the role of artificial selection in the production of improved varieties of livestock and crops of economic importance
- Describe how breeding can improve yield, disease resistance, hardiness and appearance in livestock and crops
- Discuss the possible consequences of using genetic engineering in livestock and crop breeding (modification)
Miss Olivia and Mike talk through the whole topic — with the figure and working drawn live.