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Expected increases in genetic merit in the UK Aberdeen Angus beef cattle breed from applying optimised selection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

S. Avendaño
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, Scotland, UK
B. Villanueva
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, Scotland, UK
J.A. Woolliams
Affiliation:
Roslin Institute, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9PS, Scotland, UK
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Extract

Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) estimates of breeding values (EBVs) for economically relevant traits have been used for selection decisions in the UK Aberdeen Angus (AA) population since the early nineteen nineties. Selection exclusively based on BLUP-EBVs is expected to give higher gains than less accurate selection but can also lead to increased rates of inbreeding (ΔF). Dynamic rules using BLUP-EBVs to maximise genetic merit while DF is constrained to a pre-defined level are currently available (e.g. Grundy et al 1998). They showed that the use of these rules gives higher gains than standard BLUP selection at the same level of ΔF. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of these procedures for optimising selection decisions in the UK AA population.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2002

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References

Grundy, B., Villanueva, B., and Woolliams, J.A. 1998. Dynamic selection procedures for constrained inbreeding and their consequences for pedigree development. Genet. Res. Camb. 72: 159168.Google Scholar