A mule is an animal used to carry luggage. It combines the load-carrying nature of donkeys and the fast walking nature of horses. Man has been performing such crosses on plants and animals.
a) Name and define the type of cross involved in the production of mules.
b) Give reasons as to why man has been trying such crosses.
c) Mention the values neglected while doing such crosses.
a) Mule is produced from a hybrid cross. A mule is the offspring which is produced by crossing of male donkey (Jack) with female horse (Mare). And the offspring produced is sterile male or female Mule.
b) Mules are reputed to be more patient, hardy and long-lived than horses and are described as less obstinate and more intelligent than donkeys. Thus, Man has been trying such crosses to get benefitted from the resultant traits economically.
c) These crosses do not give positive results always and often disobey natural order. This also result in genetic mixing which threaten many species with extinction, damaging the gene pools for future breeding.