The Purebred Animal Industry: Popular Animals For Households

Purebred animals destined for the food table are a completely different story; there are many people around the world who breed purebred animals, meaning that they come from one particular breed only, in order to sell them. Purebred animals can be quite expensive, particularly as each breed has characteristics and quirks unique to their own. Their food and medication, as well living conditions, have to be very specific. Here are a few purebred animals that enjoy popularity in households across the world.

Purebred Dogs

There are the mutts and mongrels that are a cross of every imaginable breed, and then there are the purebreds. Beagles, hounds, German shepherds, St. Bernard’s dogs, cocker spaniels and the list goes on. Purebreeds can be displayed in dog shows and win prizes for their grooming and poise while some breeds are valued for their usefulness, such as hounds and Alsatians which are good hunting and tracking dogs. Rearing purebred dogs is a high-end industry, with carefully controlled breeding limited to their particular breeds and the issuance of a pedigree certificate, which assures new owners of the ancestry of a dog. The drawback to purebred dogs is that they are more prone to illnesses and require more grooming and care than crossbreeds or mongrels, whose genetic makeup has altered and adapted to bring out the best features for survival.

Purebred Horses

Purebred horses are used almost exclusively in racing, although some elite riding schools also insist on purebred horses for riding. Breeds like the thoroughbred and Arabian horses are famous for their speeds in the tracks and many Australia horse racing are usually purebred. This is because speed and agility is something that is genetically ingrained in certain horses; if the sire is a famous racer, the chances are high that the offspring will be too, although it isn’t always guaranteed.

These factors play a huge part in the popular racing industry, particular in the breeding of race horses for syndication or personal ownership. They have to trained carefully from the time they are foals, be familiarized with a jockey and cared for properly until they are too old to run anymore. Horses are extremely expensive and many owners no longer own them singly, unless the races are their only business. A horse too is issued a pedigree to certify their ancestry; forging one is illegal in almost every country with horses.

Purebred Cats

Cats are not always issued with a pedigree certificate as their breed can be easily distinguished by their physical features. Most cats are mongrels anyway, with only the most expensive cats being selectively bred. Persian cats, Siamese cats, Manx cats and the Scottish Fold cats are some of the more popular cat breeds among cat-lovers, although unlike dogs, cats have few features that distinguish their breed from others. For true cat lovers however, breed and pedigree rarely matter.