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Understanding Breed Characteristics

This quiz tests your knowledge of breed-specific characteristics, traits, and the importance of maintaining breed standards in animals and plants.

#breeds #animal genetics #plant varieties #purebred #hybrids #breed traits

1 Breed specific characteristics also known as breed traits are inherited, and purebred animals pass such traits from ________ to generation.

2 ________ breeds are more commonly known as varieties, or cultivars, and crosses between plant cultivars (or species) are referred to as hybrids.

3 When bred together, animals of the same breed pass on these uniform traits to their offspring, and this ability—known as "________"—is a definitive requirement for a breed.

4 The population within the same breed consists of a sufficient number of animals to maintain the breed within the specified parameters without the necessity of forced ________.

5 At the same time, avoiding animals carrying characteristics, not typical and/or undesirable for the breed, known as faults or ________ defects.

💡 Interesting Facts

  • the Orloff breed of chicken is named for a Russian count, but in fact originated in Persia.
  • the Narragansett Turkey is a breed of domestic turkey unique to North America and named after Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island.
  • the Pomeranian Goose was developed by Northern German farmers centuries ago, but only officially recognized as a breed in 1912.
  • the Russian Spaniel is the youngest breed of Russian gundog and was first standardised in 1951.
  • the Silver Appleyard is one of the best egglayers amongst large breeds of duck.
  • the Nankin bantam breed of chicken is classified as critically endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
  • the Java (pictured), first mentioned in print in 1835, is the second oldest breed of chicken in the United States.
  • ancient herds of White Park, a rare breed of horned cattle, have been preserved in Great Britain from the Middle Ages.
  • after the standardisation of the German Shepherd Dog, other herding dogs in Germany became known as Old German Shepherd Dogs which is now the name given to a rare modern breed (pictured).
  • the Poitou Ass (pictured) is a rare breed of donkey with a shaggy coat.
  • the Choctaw Hog is a "critically rare" breed of pig found in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
  • the Iowa Blue breed of chicken is not actually blue according to poultry standards.
  • Bob Beck led the effort to capture and breed the remaining wild Guam Rails, Micronesian Kingfishers and other endangered Guamanian native birds in captivity.
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