Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

What is the breeding scheme called where only unrelated or distantly related animals are mated?

1. Inbreeding

2. Outbreeding

3. Line breeding

4. Crossbreeding

The correct answer is: Outbreeding

The breeding scheme where only unrelated or distantly related animals are mated is known as outbreeding. This practice is employed to increase genetic diversity within a population, which can lead to enhanced vigor, improved health, and greater adaptability among the offspring. Outbreeding is particularly important in laboratory settings to minimize the likelihood of genetic disorders that may arise from an increase in homozygosity, which can occur with inbreeding. In contrast, inbreeding involves mating closely related individuals, which can concentrate desirable traits but also increase the risk of inherited health issues. Line breeding, while similar to inbreeding, specifically focuses on breeding animals that are more distantly related to maintain certain desirable traits within a lineage without producing the same high risk for genetic disorders. Crossbreeding typically refers to the mating of animals from different breeds, often with the goal of combining traits from those breeds, but it does not specifically emphasize the unrelated aspect inherent in outbreeding practices.