8.1: Ranking the animals: an overview of methods

The challenge in selective breeding is to find the best animals as parents for the next generation. It is impossible to read the real genetic potential of the animals, but we can make an estimate of it. This estimated genetic potential is also called the Estimated Breeding Value (EBV). Obviously, the estimate will be more accurate if there are more or better indications available of the genetic potential. The EBV is expressed relative to the average animal in a population. So it expresses an estimate of how much better than average an animal is.