Since various breeding programs have begun withholding their own top sires in the early phase of their career from the general population, this type of genetic protectionism has come under scrutiny. Particularly for private breeders it is a challenge not being able to use hot sires of sons. Their breeding possibilities and competitiveness becomes limited. Even we as a magazine have criticized it often enough. But what do the breeding companies themselves say? How do they evaluate the implications on their breeding programs? How does it influence breeding progress, inbreeding or genetic relationships between populations?