Valutazione morfologica lineare e miglioramento genetico nelle razze Pezzata Rossa Italiana e Bruna Italiana

Animal selection can be dated back to a distant past, although only recently, i.e., approximatively in the XVIII century, a modern approach based on transcription of records and genealogical information has started, together with the beginning of the modern breeds, selected mainly based on their phenotypic characteristics, i.e., shapes, colors, aptitudes, and flair that best suited human needs. In the contemporary age, thanks to new knowledge in the field of biology and genetics, the mass selection methods have been replaced by the breeding values, which let to genetic improvement of breeds, making them more and more specialized and productive. Selection for morphological traits was initially developed to cope animals with an “ideal type”, but due to the lack of a possible use in animal breeding, morphological evaluation moved toward the principle of recording linear type traits that could be easily used in breeding evaluation of animals, becoming an effective tool in selection. This theses analyses the morphological evaluation of both Simmental and Brow Swiss breeds is analyzed, together with the analysis of traits are use in the genetic improvement of these breeds.