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From: ambar@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU (Jean Marie Diaz)
Newsgroups: net.singles,net.med,net.bio
Subject: Re: If sodomy, why not incest?
Message-ID: <2621@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU>
Date: Sun, 20-Jul-86 18:55:20 EDT
Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.2621
Posted: Sun Jul 20 18:55:20 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 21-Jul-86 06:44:37 EDT
References: <2588@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU> <892@ucbcad.BERKELEY.EDU>
Reply-To: ambar@mit-eddie.UUCP (Jean Marie Diaz)
Distribution: net
Organization: Madhouse International
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Xref: watmath net.singles:14539 net.med:4245 net.bio:618

In article <892@ucbcad.BERKELEY.EDU> sadoyama@pavepaws.UUCP (Eric J Sadoyama) writes:
>In article <2588@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU> stever@mit-eddie.UUCP (Stephen Robbins) writes:
>>              There are certain genetic considerations between MOTOS
>> incest [....]
>
>I've heard this reasoning many times, but never any proof or evidence
>for it. How is this any different, genetically, from the situation in
>herds, or other animal living groups, where the dominant male mates with
>*all* the females in the group, be they related or not? 

[I'll use horses as my example; I have a reasonable amount of
expertise there.]

It was a long-cherished belief in the horse world that the herd
stallion kicked 2-3 year old males out of the herd, but not females.
More reaearch has proved this wrong--the fillies are removed from the
herd as well, when they near breeding age.  There is a lot less
'incest' in this species than was once thought.

Inbreeding [or 'line-breeding'] is a well-known breeding tool.  It
'fixes' good characteristics in a given genetic line.  What breeders
ALSO must remember is that the bad characteristics are 'fixed' and
purified at the same time!  It's not a very good idea to do this,
unless the animal you are starting with is a truly exceptional
individual.
-- 

					AMBAR
		"I need something to change your mind...."