What term refers to the process of selecting animals for reproduction based on desirable traits?

The process of selecting animals for reproduction based on desirable traits is known as selective breeding. This method allows breeders to choose parent animals that exhibit specific characteristics, such as size, growth rate, temperament, or disease resistance, in order to produce offspring that ideally inherit these advantageous traits. Selective breeding significantly enhances the quality of livestock over generations, enabling producers to improve their herds or flocks in ways that can enhance productivity and efficiency in animal agriculture.

Other terms like genetic selection may seem similar, but they encompass a broader range of methodologies that might not specifically involve the direct selection of breeding pairs based on traits. Artificial insemination refers to a reproductive technology used to increase genetic diversity and enhance breeding opportunities but doesn’t in itself imply selection for traits. Crossbreeding is a method used to introduce new traits or combine desirable traits from different breeds, but it does not specifically describe the process of selecting individual animals based on traits. Hence, selective breeding is the most accurate term for the described process.