The concept of pedigree refers to the genealogy of animals. In other words, the pedigree of an animal consists of the fact that through breeding techniques and genetic manipulations the purity of a breed of animals is achieved. All this implies that an animal with a pedigree is one that has not undergone any type of genetic alteration in terms of its breed and, therefore, this animal will retain all the genuine traits and characteristics of its breed.
On the other hand, the pedigree is understood as the specific document in which the data that corroborate and guarantee the authenticity of the animal in terms of breed are reflected.
A clarification on the spelling of the term
In relation to the term we can find two different and equally valid spellings, pedigree and pedigree. The first comes from English and which in turn incorporated it from French, specifically from the expression “pied de grue” (crane leg). This is because English farmers used to mark their animals with three straight stripes, a symbol similar to the legs of a crane. The original expression in French was not easy for the English to pronounce, so they adapted this Gallicism to the English language. The pedigree voice is nothing more than the hispanicization of the English word.
The pedigree market
The interest in obtaining a good pedigree in certain animal breeds may be due to various reasons. For a farmer or a shepherd it is very important that their animals have the highest possible racial quality, a circumstance that will translate into greater productivity and greater economic benefit.
Due to the high cost of producing animals with pedigree, their market value is highly valued among fans or breeders who are professionally dedicated to it. For this reason, some specimens of certain species can have a high cost, as in the case of competition horses, stallions, animal contests…
Although the pedigree is a legitimate attempt to preserve and improve the purity of a breed, it should not be forgotten that some animal breeds with pedigrees are not exempt from physical problems, as is the case with some breeds of dogs that have respiratory problems. , allergic or mobility as a result of an artificial crossbreeding (bulldogs, boxers…).
Photos: iStock – ultramarinfoto / cynoclub
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