Breed registry
From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.
A breed registry, also known as a stud book, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young. The terms "stud book" and "register" are also used to refer to lists of animals "standing at stud", that is, those animals actively breeding, as opposed to every known specimen of that breed.
In a closed stud book, the parents must also be registered in this or another registry for the breed that the organization maintaining the registry will accept (such as that in another country). This ensures that an animal's lineage is known as far back as the beginning of the registry and that the animal is a purebred member of the breed.
In an open stud book, animals can be registered without their parents having been previously registered. This allows breeders to strengthen breeds by including individuals who conform to the breed standard but are from unknown origins.
In some registries, breeders may apply for permission to crossbreed other breeds into the line to emphasize certain traits, to keep the breed from extinction or to alleviate problems caused in the breed by inbreeding from a limited set of animals.
