All Free Veterinary Science MCQs with Answers

Every Veterinary Science question in the bank, across all chapters, each with the correct answer and a written explanation. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

758 questions · page 1 of 38

  • A. Additive genetic variance
  • B. Dominance genetic variance
  • C. Permanent environmental variance
  • D. Temporary environmental variance

Explanation: Narrow-sense heritability is additive genetic variance divided by phenotypic variance.

Correct answer: Additive genetic variance
  • A. Identical by mutation
  • B. Identical by descent
  • C. Different in origin
  • D. Dominant in expression

Explanation: The inbreeding coefficient is the probability that the two alleles inherited by an individual are identical by descent.

Correct answer: Identical by descent
  • A. Performance of the older parent breed
  • B. Performance of the poorer parent breed
  • C. Average performance of its parent breeds
  • D. Average performance of unrelated purebreds

Explanation: Heterosis, or hybrid vigour, is commonly calculated by comparing crossbred performance with the average of the two parental breed…

Correct answer: Average performance of its parent breeds
  • A. Pedigree recording
  • B. Mass selection
  • C. Phenotypic grading
  • D. Progeny testing

Explanation: Progeny testing evaluates a sire by studying the performance of many offspring produced with different dams.

Correct answer: Progeny testing
  • A. 25 percent
  • B. 50 percent
  • C. 75 percent
  • D. 100 percent

Explanation: A carrier by carrier mating has expected genotypes of 25 percent affected homozygotes, 50 percent carriers, and 25 percent normal…

Correct answer: 25 percent
  • A. 0.5 units
  • B. 1 unit
  • C. 4 units
  • D. 16 units

Explanation: The response is calculated as R = h² × S. Therefore, R = 0.25 × 4 = 1 unit, assuming the heritability and selection differential are…

Correct answer: 1 unit
  • A. 54
  • B. 60
  • C. 64
  • D. 78

Explanation: Domestic cattle have a diploid chromosome number of 60, arranged in 30 pairs.

Correct answer: 60
  • A. Only sex-linked variance
  • B. Only mutation variance
  • C. Only temporary environment
  • D. Additive genetic variance

Explanation: Repeatability includes additive genetic effects and permanent environmental effects that continue to influence repeated records.

Correct answer: Additive genetic variance
  • A. Males are ZZ and females are ZW
  • B. Males are ZW and females are ZZ
  • C. Males are XX and females are XY
  • D. Males are XY and females are XX

Explanation: Birds generally have ZZ males and ZW females. Thus, the female is the heterogametic sex because her eggs carry either a Z or a W chromosome.

Correct answer: Males are ZZ and females are ZW
  • A. 21 percent
  • B. 30 percent
  • C. 42 percent
  • D. 49 percent

Explanation: The recessive phenotype frequency is q² = 0.09, so q = 0.3 and p = 0.7. The carrier frequency is 2pq = 2 × 0.7 × 0.3 = 0.42, or 42 percent.

Correct answer: 42 percent
  • A. Epistatic gene effect
  • B. Dominance gene effect
  • C. Additive gene effect
  • D. Environmental effect

Explanation: Additive gene effects are the average effects of individual alleles and are transmitted predictably to progeny.

Correct answer: Additive gene effect
  • A. Extra chromosome copies
  • B. New alleles by mutation
  • C. Different alleles at each locus
  • D. Identical alleles by descent

Explanation: Related parents are more likely to carry copies of the same ancestral allele.

Correct answer: Identical alleles by descent
  • A. Daughters
  • B. Parents
  • C. Siblings
  • D. Mating partners

Explanation: A dairy sire is commonly evaluated through the milk production of many daughters because daughters inherit half of their genes from him.

Correct answer: Daughters
  • A. Heritability
  • B. Repeatability
  • C. Genetic correlation
  • D. Phenotypic variance

Explanation: Repeatability is the correlation between repeated records of the same trait in an individual.

Correct answer: Repeatability
  • A. Complete dominance
  • B. Independent assortment
  • C. Genetic linkage
  • D. Random mutation

Explanation: Genes positioned close together on one chromosome tend to be inherited together, a phenomenon called genetic linkage.

Correct answer: Genetic linkage
  • A. Three quarters dominant and one quarter recessive
  • B. Half recessive and half dominant
  • C. All phenotypically recessive
  • D. All phenotypically dominant

Explanation: The bull produces dominant and recessive gametes, while the homozygous dominant cow produces only dominant gametes.

Correct answer: All phenotypically dominant
  • A. Crossbreeding
  • B. Close breeding
  • C. Pure breeding
  • D. Random mating

Explanation: Crossbreeding combines desirable characteristics from different breeds and can produce heterosis in the crossbred progeny.

Correct answer: Crossbreeding
  • A. All animals breed equally
  • B. The sex ratio is unequal
  • C. Mating is completely random
  • D. Generations overlap equally

Explanation: An unequal number of breeding males and females reduces the effective population size because fewer individuals contribute genes equally…

Correct answer: The sex ratio is unequal
  • A. Both sexes equally
  • B. Female offspring
  • C. Male offspring
  • D. Only maternal offspring

Explanation: Males receive their single X chromosome from their mother, so sons who inherit the recessive allele are affected.

Correct answer: Male offspring
  • A. Generation interval
  • B. Phenotypic record
  • C. Selection differential
  • D. Estimated breeding value

Explanation: Estimated breeding value predicts the additive genetic merit that an animal can transmit to its offspring.

Correct answer: Estimated breeding value