Gender Pre-Selection In Animals

Abstract

From time immemorial man had tried to exercise his control over the sex ratio and manifold theories & false beliefs had been practiced. A popular theory that as right side of the uterus gives birth to male sex so woman desirous should lie on right side during sexual intercourse was proposed by Greek physicians as early as 5th century BC, another theory stated that right side of testis produce more male young ones & reverse for left. Aristotle explains sex of a child was determined by the partner who acted more vigorously. These false beliefs & practices disappeared with the advent of science as it became obvious that sex of a child or young one is dependant on sex chromosome (In female homogametic i.e. XX & heterogametic i.e. XY in males) and it is the presence or absence of Y chromosome that decides the sex. For last few decades sex or gender pre selection has been a dream project of animal breeders & scientists all over the world as it provides opportunity to improve management flexibility by helping farmers to to get the required number of the desired sex without producing the other(Johnson et al, 1999).