Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. The term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly in livestock breeding, where breeders may use inbreeding when trying to establish a new and desirable trait in the stock and for producing distinct families within a breed. Inbreeding is a technique used in selective breeding, but breeders need to watch for undesirable characteristics in offspring, which can then be eliminated through further selective breeding or culling. Inbreeding also helps to ascertain the type of gene action affecting a trait.
The term "inbred" can also be used to describe something that is deeply ingrained in ones nature as if implanted by heredity. For example, someone may have an inbred love of freedom or an inbred desire to do good in the world. In agriculture, an inbred can refer to a plant or animal produced by inbreeding.
The coefficient of inbreeding is a measure of inbreeding of an individual, which is the probability that both alleles in one locus are derived from the same allele in an ancestor.
