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The genetic correlation between parasite resistance and sheep production traits across a range of environments using random regression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

G. E. Pollott*
Affiliation:
Imperial College London, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Wye Campus, Ashford, Kent, TN25 5AH UK
J. C. Greeff
Affiliation:
Great Southern Agricultural Research Institute, 10 Dore Street, Katanning, WA 6317 Australia
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Extract

Breeding for increased intestinal worm resistance using faecal egg count (FEC) as an indicator trait has been implemented in several sheep industries. The research on which this development is based has been carried out on resource flocks with only limited information on how the same genotype performs under a wide range of conditions. Pollott and Greeff (2004a), using industry Merino data from Australia, have reported genetic correlations between FEC and sheep production traits to be zero. The only exceptions were fat depth (FAT), eye-muscle depth (EMD) which were moderately negatively correlated. Whilst investigating the genotype by environment interactions in this dataset Pollott and Greeff (2004b) described the way in which the heritability of FEC and production traits varied in a wide range of flock environments. This paper reports how the genetic correlations between FEC and production traits vary across a range of FEC environments.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2004

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References

Kolomodin, R., Strandberg, E., Madsen, P., Jensen, J. and Jorjani, H. 2001. Genotype by environment interaction in Nordic dairy cattle studies using reaction norms.Google Scholar
Pollott, G. E. and Greeff, J. C. 2004a. Genetic relationships between faecal egg count and production traits in commercial Merino sheep flocks. (Submitted)Google Scholar
Pollott, G. E. and Greeff, J. C. 2004b. Genotype by environment interactions of parasite resistance and production traits in Merino sheep estimated using reaction norm models. (Submitted)Google Scholar