4 ms·
Why do we have near-equal numbers of male, female babies, unlike other animals?
- 082349872349872 2y agoIf it implies humans are unusual, this is poor framing: AIUI all the domesticated species (h sap included) have 1:1 ratios. For dairy farmers in particular, this means almost all male calves are byproducts, to be monetised somehow. "I'll be here all week. Try the veal." Lagniappe: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6680155/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6680155/
- tuatoru 2y agoModern humans have control over this with centrifuged, sex-selected semen for cows. Boy (sans testicles) beef, girl milk.
- 082349872349872 2y agoTIL! Although my neighbour still does live cover, the local semen vendor not only provides this service (~90% selected), but even has an app to calculate if the extra expense could be worth it for your dairy op: https://www.swissgenetics.com/en/selexyon-profitabiliy-calculator https://www.swissgenetics.com/en/selexyon-profitabiliy-calcu... (they seem to suggest a mixed strategy could be optimal: just enough sexed straws to guarantee full replacement of the dairy herd, and normal straws for the remainder)
- tuatoru 2y agoAccording to genome studies, only about 1 man in 17 had great-great-grandchildren, back in the day. 1. https://sciencealert.com/neolithic-y-chromosome-bottleneck-warring-patrilineal-clans https://sciencealert.com/neolithic-y-chromosome-bottleneck-w...
- beardyw 2y agoAnd We Finally [we think we] Know Why