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title: "2.1.2 Collection of information for breeding value estimation"
canonical: "https://wiki.groenkennisnet.nl/space/TAB/288325997/2.1.2%20Collection%20of%20information%20for%20breeding%20value%20estimation"
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Third, knowing the breeding goal, relevant information should be collected (step 3). Relevant in this respect are traits of animals (called phenotypes) that can help to establish the value of an animal with respect to the breeding goal. When jumping performance is a breeding goal trait in horses, data on jumping are collected. When fertility of pigs is in the breeding goal, litter traits are recorded. Other relevant information is the pedigree of the animals. Animal breeding is all about passing genetic abilities from one generation to the next. When you want to trace or influence this process of passing heritable traits, a registration of the parent-offspring relationships, the pedigree of an animal, is crucial. And nowadays, DNA-analysis is possible and practised in animals and can also be used to trace or influence the passing process of genetic abilities for traits.

**Breeding value estimation and selection criteria**

Fourth, knowing the breeding goal and after recording relevant traits of potential parents, the choice has to be made which animals will indeed be selected as parents (step 4) and which animals are excluded for reproduction. Based on a genetic model, a statistical model including pedigree information, a breeding value for a trait is estimated. Nowadays, when DNA information of animals is available, it can also be used to estimate breeding values. The estimated breeding value indicates the value of the animal with respect to the breeding goal: the lowest ones will have a negative effect on the breeding goal traits and the highest ones will improve breeding goal traits.