The fastest way to significantly change the composition of a population is through admixture,
an evolutionary mechanism. In animal breeding history, genetic admixture has provided
both short-term and long-term advantages by utilizing the phenomenon of complementarity and
heterosis in several traits and genetic diversity, respectively. The traditional method of admixture
analysis by pedigree records has now been replaced greatly by genome-wide marker data that enables
more precise estimations. Among these markers, SNPs have been the popular choice since
they are cost-effective, not so laborious, and automation of genotyping is easy. Certain markers
can suggest the possibility of a population's origin from a sample of DNA where the source individual
is unknown or unwilling to disclose their lineage, which are called Ancestry-Informative
Markers (AIMs). Revealing admixture level at the locus-specific level is termed as local ancestry
and can be exploited to identify signs of recent selective response and can account for genetic
drift. Considering the importance of genetic admixture and local ancestry, in this mini-review,
both concepts are illustrated, encompassing basics, their estimation/identification methods, tools/-
software used and their applications.