VBO Classification

High-level classification

VBO breed terms are classified under the general term ‘Vertebrate breed’ (VBO:0400000) and grouped, for example, based on specific animal species (e.g., ‘Horse breed’) or animals of the same genus (‘Cattle breed’) based on community and expert usage and jargon.

VBO high-level classification:

VBO is integrated within the NCBITaxon hierarchy.

Breeds are identified as distinctive entities within a family, genus, species or subspecies. Therefore, in the ontology, breeds are subclasses of family/genus/species represented by NCBITaxon entities. Based on the broad definition of vertebrate breed, “a taxonomic entity representing a population of vertebrate animals that share specific characteristics (such as traits, behavior, genetics) and/or for which cultural or geographical separation has led to the general acceptance of its separate identity,” breeds were created as subclasses of family/genus/species/subspecies, which are represented by the NCBITaxon entities. Hence VBO terms are integrated within the NCBITaxon hierarchy using the is_a relation. One of the advantages is that VBO terms can be autoclassified based on the NCBITaxon hierarchy.

Example: ‘Cattle breed’ (VBO:0400020) is defined as: ‘Vertebrate breed’ and Bos (NCBITaxon:9903). Bos indicus (zebu cattle, NCBITaxon:9915), Bos taurus (cattle, NCBITaxon:9913), Bos indicus × Bos taurus (hybrid cattle, NCBITaxon:30522), and Bos grunniens (yak, NCBITaxon:30521), are all autoclassified as ‘Cattle breed’ via the NCBITaxon hierarchy.

Sub-breeds, strains, variety, etc

Distinguishable sub-breeds, strains, or varieties are also included in VBO and are related to the ontological parent breed using an is_a relation. For example, 'Chihuahua, Long-Haired (Dog)' (VBO:0200339) and 'Chihuahua, Smooth-Haired (Dog)' (VBO:0200340) are subclasses of 'Chihuahua (Dog)' (VBO:0200338).

DAD-IS Breeds reported in a specific country

Breeds defined as having been reported in a specific country by National Coordinators in DAD-IS are either - direct subclasses of their corresponding NCBITaxon (see cattle breeds above: 'Guraghe, Ethiopia (Cattle)', subclass of Bos indicus) - subclasses of other breeds (see cattle breeds above: 'Aberdeen Angus, Brazil (Cattle)', subclass of 'Aberdeen-Angus (Cattle)')