Breed

Breed

A breed is a specific group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species, and arrived at through selective breeding. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted definition of the term. A breed is therefore not an objective or biologically verifiable classification, but instead a term of art amongst groups of breeders who share a consensus around what qualities make some members of a given species members of a nameable subset. The term is distinguished from landrace, which refers to a naturally occurring regional variety of domestic (and sometimes feral) animal through uncontrolled breeding.

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Famous quotes containing the word breed:

    This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
    This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
    This other Eden, demi-paradise,
    This fortress built by nature for herself
    Against infection and the hand of war,
    This happy breed of men, this little world,
    This precious stone set in the silver sea,
    Which serves it in the office of a wall,
    Or as a moat defensive to a house
    Against the envy of less happier lands;
    This blessèd plot, this earth, this realm, this England.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    But as to women, who can penetrate
    The real sufferings of their she condition?
    Man’s very sympathy with their estate
    Has much of selfishness and more suspicion.
    Their love, their virtue, beauty, education,
    But form good housekeepers, to breed a nation.
    George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)

    The last of all the Romans, fare thee well.
    It is impossible that ever Rome
    Should breed thy fellow.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)