10.4 Breeding limitations

Some breeding associations have regulations with respect to the mating intensity of the breeding males. Aim of these regulations is to control the genetic contributions of the males to the future generations, and thus the rate of inbreeding. To realize this they strive for equal contributions of each selected male. In general these breeding limitations are not appreciated by the breeders because their interest mainly lays in the short term result: they want to use the superior male for breeding or they want to earn money from selling matings. Those personal interests generally outweigh the long term interest of the entire population. People tend to believe the regulations are good to have, as long as they don’t influence their interest. Why should they restrict themselves where others were allowed to breed with that male? Why should they not be allowed to make money of selling breeding to earn back some of the costs they made for getting that approved male? You can imagine that this especially is an issue for species where males are privately owned, such as in dogs, horses, or sheep. In dairy cattle the males are owned by a limited number of AI service stations and they can sell semen from other males instead.