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progeny testing
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progeny testing

breeding
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Quick Summary

Progeny testing is a method used in animal breeding, particularly in the beef and dairy cattle industries, to evaluate and select animals for reproduction. It assesses the worth of a sire or dam by examining the performance of their offspring.12

This process is most valuable when high accuracy is needed for selecting sires for widespread use in artificial insemination. In dairy breeding, for example, top cows are chosen as "bull mothers," and the best progeny-tested bulls are selected to sire the next generation of bulls. The accuracy of these evaluations can be quite high, with some sires producing thousands of daughters before being replaced by a superior one. This systematic selection has led to consistent genetic gains in milk production over the years.1

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. animal breeding - Progeny testing
  2. progeny test

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