Final answer:
The use of estimated breeding values (EBVs) in breeding programs is crucial for making informed selections of breeding animals, improving desired traits, and maintaining genetic diversity in a population. so, option B is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The significance of using estimated breeding values (EBVs) in breeding programs is that they enable more informed and accurate selection of breeding animals to improve desired traits. EBVs are a prediction of a potential breeding animal's genetic merit for a given trait, which is important as it relates to the genetic contribution that an animal will pass on to its offspring. Using EBVs allows breeders to make selections that can enhance traits such as milk production in dairy cattle or growth rates in beef cattle, thus improving the overall productivity and efficiency of the animals. By selecting for positive genetic traits and trying to minimize the negative ones, breeders contribute to the long-term health, viability, and genetic variance of a population.
Inbreeding is avoided in breeding programs because it can lead to inbreeding depression, where the pairing of closely related individuals results in a higher chance of offspring inheriting deleterious recessive alleles, which can decrease overall fitness, cause abnormalities, and increase susceptibility to diseases. Conversely, maintaining genetic variance within a population by selecting breeding animals with desired EBVs ensures genetic diversity and the capability of the population to adapt to changing environmental conditions.