Committee Technical Sessions
Emerging Technologies
Australian Approach for Incorporating Genotypes
in Genetic Evaluation
BOZEMAN, Mont. (June 3, 2011) — The challenge of incorporating genomic information with the pedigree and performance information used to calculate traditional expected progeny difference (EPD) values is not confined to the United States. David Johnston and his Australian colleagues are striving to combine genomic information with phenotypic information to calculate “blended,” or genomically-enhanced, estimated breeding values (EBV). According to Johnston, EBV is “Aussie” for EPD.
Speaking at the 43rd annual Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) symposium, in Bozeman, Mont., Johnston said the beef industry has relatively few sires with highly accurate EBVs. Collection of phenotypic data, through progeny testing is time-consuming and expensive. Training of genomic predictions has relied on the relatively few animals with phenotypes and genotypes. The immediate challenge is to increase the number of animals for which there are both kinds of information. Johnston said accuracy of prediction depends on the amount of information behind it. He believes genomic information has great potential for enhancing the accuracy of genetic prediction for very young sires — bulls for which there is very limited performance data.
According to Johnston, Australian scientists have been genotyping cattle with the 50K chip, looking to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or DNA sequence variations associated with differences or variations for specific traits.
“I think we’re explaining somewhere between 0% and 10% of the genetic variation. It’s different for different traits,” said Johnston.
Using the genomic information to enhance EBVs, Johnston says the greatest benefit occurs for animals whose EBVs were of low accuracy. For a sire already possessing high-accuracy EBVs, there is little change to the numbers or their accuracies.
“This is a rapidly developing area of science,” said Johnston. “But we need more data, more genotypes to arrive at more genomic predictions for more traits.”
Johnston said it’s important, however, to remember that a genomically-enhanced EBV is still an EBV. A producer uses it in the same way, but should be able to make genetic selections with greater accuracy. Genetic improvement can come more quickly.”
“There is a need for clear breeding objectives,” he warned. “Movement in the wrong direction can come more quickly, too.”
To listen to this presentation and to view the PowerPoint that accompanied it, visit the Newsroom at www.BIFconference.com.
BIF’s 43rd Annual Research Symposium and Annual Meeting was hosted June 1-4 on campus at Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont.
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