Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

A genetic analysis of meat compositions in Japanese Black cattle: Genetic parameters and sex influence
In this study, we estimated genetic parameters for 51 meat components, including free amino acids, peptides, sugars and fatty acid compositions, and two carcase traits in 1,354 heifers and 1,797 steers of Japanese Black cattle. Heritability estimates were generally equivalent to or moderately greater than those in previous studies of this breed. Genetic correlations between free amino acids, peptides and sugars and carcase traits were often negative, suggesting a trade‐off between traits. Using two‐trait animal models that treat records from the two sexes as different traits, we estimated sex‐specific heritabilities ...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - April 1, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: A. Onogi, S. Sasaki, M. Kobayashi, A. Ogino, T. Nozaki, K. Kurogi, T. Yasumori, K. Togashi, H. Iwata Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Selection of core animals in the Algorithm for Proven and Young using a simulation model
Summary The Algorithm for Proven and Young (APY) enables the implementation of single‐step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) in large, genotyped populations by separating genotyped animals into core and non‐core subsets and creating a computationally efficient inverse for the genomic relationship matrix (G). As APY became the choice for large‐scale genomic evaluations in BLUP‐based methods, a common question is how to choose the animals in the core subset. We compared several core definitions to answer this question. Simulations comprised a moderately heritable trait for 95,010 animals and 50,000 genotypes for animals across ...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - April 1, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: H.L. Bradford, I. Pocrni ć, B.O. Fragomeni, D.A.L. Lourenco, I. Misztal Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Genetic relationships among female fertility disorders, female fertility traits and productivity of Holstein dairy cows in the early lactation period
Summary Fertility health disorders from the early lactation period including retained placenta (REPLA), metritis (MET), corpus luteum persistence (CLP), anoestria/acyclia (AOEAC) and ovarial cysts (OC), as well as overall disease categories (disorders during the postpartal period (DPP), ovary infertility (OINF), overall trait definition “fertility disorders” (FD)), were used to estimate genetic (co)variance components with female fertility and test‐day traits. The disease data set comprised 25,142 Holstein cows from parities 1, 2 and 3 resulting in 43,584 lactations. For disease traits, we used the binary trait defin...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - April 1, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: E. Gernand, S. K önig Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Purebreeding of Red Maasai and crossbreeding with Dorper sheep in different environments in Kenya
Summary The aim of this article was to study opportunities for improvement of the indigenous and threatened Red Maasai sheep (RM) in Kenya, by comparing purebreeding with crossbreeding with Dorper sheep (D) as a terminal breed, in two different environments (Env. A and a harsher Env. B), assuming different levels of genotype‐by‐environment interaction (G × E). Breeding goals differed between environments and breeds. Four scenarios of nucleus breeding schemes were stochastically simulated, with the nucleus in Env. A. Overall, results showed an increase in carcass weight produced per ewe by more than 10% over 15 year...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - March 27, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: E. Zonabend K önig, E. Strandberg, J.M.K. Ojango, T. Mirkena, A.M. Okeyo, J. Philipsson Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Estimation of genetic parameters for functional longevity in the South African Holstein cattle using a piecewise Weibull proportional hazards model
Summary Non‐genetic factors influencing functional longevity and the heritability of the trait were estimated in South African Holsteins using a piecewise Weibull proportional hazards model. Data consisted of records of 161,222 of daughters of 2,051 sires calving between 1995 and 2013. The reference model included fixed time‐independent age at first calving and time‐dependent interactions involving lactation number, region, season and age of calving, within‐herd class of milk production, fat and protein content, class of annual variation in herd size and the random herd–year effect. Random sire and maternal grand...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - March 14, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: V.E. Imbayarwo ‐Chikosi, V. Ducrocq, C.B. Banga, T.E. Halimani, J.B. Wyk, A. Maiwashe, K. Dzama Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Animal Breeding learning from machine learning
(Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics)
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - March 13, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: M. P érez‐Enciso Tags: Editorial Source Type: research

Genome ‐wide association study of cell‐mediated immune response in chicken
In this study, a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) was carried out to identify genomic regions associated with CMI in chicken using chicken 60k high‐density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. Genomic relationships were taken into account to adjust for population structure. In order to account for multiple testing, chromosome‐wise false discovery rate was controlled at 5% and 10% levels. Moreover, a comparison of the power of fixed and mixed linear models based on genomic inflation factor was carried out. Mixed linear model (MLM) had better inflation rate, and therefore the results from MLM were used for s...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - March 9, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: V. Raeesi, A. Ehsani, R.V. Torshizi, M. Sargolzaei, A.A. Masoudi, R. Dideban Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Genetic parameters for fur quality graded on live animals and dried pelts of American mink (Neovison vison)
In this study, we evaluated traits assessed during live grading and pelt traits examined on dried skins to determine correlation between live and pelt traits. Grading traits and body weight were measured during live animal grading for 9,539 Brown American mink, and pelt quality traits and skin size were evaluated on 8,385 dried mink skins after pelting. Data were sampled from 2 yearly production cycles. Genetic parameters were estimated using the REML method implemented in the DMU package. Heritabilities and proportions of litter variance were calculated from estimated variance components for all traits, and genetic and p...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - March 9, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: J.P. Thirstrup, J. Jensen, M.S. Lund Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Founder representation and effective population size in old versus young breeds —genetic diversity of Finnish and Nordic Spitz
Summary Finnish Spitz is 130‐year‐old breed and has been highly popular in Finland throughout its history. Nordic Spitz is very similar to Finnish Spitz by origin and use, but is a relatively recent breed with much smaller population size. To see how breed age and breeding history have influenced the current population, we performed comprehensive population genetic analysis using pedigree data of 28,119 Finnish and 9,009 Nordic Spitzes combined with genomewide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from 135 Finnish and 110 Nordic Spitzes. We found that the Finnish Spitz has undergone repeated male bottlenecks result...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - January 31, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: M. Kumpulainen, H. Anderson, T. Svevar, I. Kangasvuo, J. Donner, J. Pohjoism äki Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Genomic and single ‐step evaluations of carcass traits of young bulls in dual‐purpose cattle
Summary Genetic evaluations for carcass traits of young bulls in Normande and Montbeliarde breeds are currently being developed in France. In order to determine a suitable genomic evaluation for three carcass traits of young bulls, genomic breeding values were estimated for young candidates to selection using different approaches. Records of 111,789 Normande and 118,183 Montbeliarde were used. Average progeny pre‐adjusted performances (DYD) were calculated for sires. Evaluation approaches were compared based on an assessment of their accuracy (correlation between DYD and estimated breeding values [EBVs]) and bias (regres...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - January 31, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: I. Crou é, V. Ducrocq Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Genetic trends for fertility, udder health and protein yield in Swedish red cattle estimated with different models
Summary The aim of this study was to estimate and compare genetic trends in Swedish Red cattle using a full multiple‐trait (MT) model and trait‐group‐wise models for female fertility, udder health and protein yield. Field data for maiden heifers from 1989 and cows with a first and second lactation between 1990 and 2007 were included. (Co)variance components were estimated prior to prediction of breeding values. The estimated genetic trends were clearly favourable for protein yield and udder conformation, and in most cases neutral to favourable for clinical mastitis and calving to first insemination. In maiden heifers...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - January 31, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: S. Eriksson, K. Johansson, H. Hansen Axelsson, W.F. Fikse Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

The legacy of Columbus in American horse populations assessed by microsatellite markers
In this study, 25 autosomal microsatellites were genotyped in 50 horse breeds representing Criollo populations from 12 American countries (27 breeds), breeds from the Iberian Peninsula (19), one breed each from France and Morocco and two cosmopolitan horse breeds (Thoroughbred and Arabian). The genetic relationships among breeds identified five clusters: Celtic; Iberian; North American with Thoroughbred influence; most Colombian breeds; and nearly all other Criollo breeds. The group of “all other Criollo breeds” had the closest genetic relationship with breeds originating from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically with t...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - January 31, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: O. Cort és, S. Dunner, L.T. Gama, A.M. Martínez, J.V. Delgado, C. Ginja, L.M. Jiménez, J. Jordana, C. Luis, M.M. Oom, D.P. Sponenberg, P. Zaragoza, , J.L. Vega‐Pla Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Performance of genomic selection under a single ‐step approach in autochthonous Spanish beef cattle populations
This study evaluated different strategies for implementing a single‐step genomic selection programme in two autochthonous Spanish beef cattle populations (Pirenaica—Pi and Rubia Gallega—RG). The strategies were compared in terms of accuracy attained under different scenarios by simulating genomic data over the known genealogy. Several genotyping approaches were tested, as well as, other factors like marker density, effective population size, mutation rate and heritability of the trait. The results obtained showed gains in accuracy with respect to pedigree BLUP evaluation in all cases. The greatest benefit was obtaine...
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - January 31, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: E. ‐F. Mouresan, J. Altarriba, C. Moreno, S. Munilla, A. González‐Rodríguez, L. Varona Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Daniel Gianola's contributions to animal breeding and quantitative genetics, a vuelo de p ájaro
(Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics)
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - January 30, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: D. Sorensen, G. Campos Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research

Effective breeding programmes down under
(Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics)
Source: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics - January 9, 2017 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: J. Werf, R. Banks Tags: EDITORIAL Source Type: research