# Let's Talk about " Traits"



## N2TORTS (Jan 23, 2012)

I have seen a few folks lately talking about breeding their torts and with that in mind , thought I would help explain and understand 
"Traits".....


Simple Recessive: a trait that must be passed on by both parents for it to show up in the offspring. Animals that carry recessive traits but do not express them are referred to as being "het" (heterozygous) for that trait. 

Polygenic: also known as "line bred" traits. Animals expressing certain desirable characteristics are selectively bred to each other in hopes of reproducing and improving those characteristics.

Co-Dominant: a trait that can be passed on by either one or both parents and be visible in the first generation of offspring. Co-Dominant traits can also yield a "Super" form if inherited from both parents.

Line-Breeding: breeding related animals together to intensify desired traits

Out-Crossing: breeding unrelated animals to introduce new traits or to increase genetic diversity and prevent genetic defects.

Phenotype: the actual, visible appearance of an animal

Genotype: the genetic composition of an animal, regardless of appearance.

Heterozygous: an animal that carries a recessive trait but does not express it

Homozygous: an animal expressing a recessive trait

Happy Tort~N
JD~


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