Abstract
In this study, we compared mating allocations in Nordic Red Dairy Cattle using genomic information. We used linear programming to optimize different economic scores within each herd, considering genetic level, semen cost, the economic impact of recessive genetic defects, and genetic relationships. We selected 9,841 genotyped females born in Denmark, Finland, or Sweden in 2019 for mating allocations. We used 2 different pedigree relationship coefficients, the first tracing the pedigree 3 generations back from the parents of the potential mating and the second based on all available pedigree information. We used 3 different genomic relationship coefficients, 1 SNP-by-SNP genomic relationship and 2 based on shared genomic segments. We found high correlations (≥0.83) between the pedigree and genomic relationship measures. The mating results showed that it was possible to reduce the different genetic relationships between parents with minimal effect on genetic level. Including the cost of known recessive genetic defects eliminated expression of genetic defects. It was possible to reduce genomic relationships between parents with pedigree measures, but it was best done with genomic measures. Linear programming maximized the economic score for all herds studied within seconds, which means that it is suitable for implementation in mating software to be used by advisors and farmers.
Highlights
IntroductionSNP markers offer the possibility to reduce genomic relationships between parents when making mating plans
Mating programs are an important support tool for livestock breeders, helping them to identify the best parental matings to maximize genetic level and avoidSNP markers offer the possibility to reduce genomic relationships between parents when making mating plans
It was possible to reduce genomic relationships between parents with pedigree measures, but it was best done with genomic measures
Summary
SNP markers offer the possibility to reduce genomic relationships between parents when making mating plans. Various methods have been proposed for calculation of genomic relationships, including SNP-bySNP relationships as described by, for example, VanRaden (2008). Genomic estimates of relationships can differentiate between animals with the same pedigree relationship that have inherited partly different genetic variants from their parents. Various genomic relationships have been compared previously with pedigree measures using optimum contribution selection (OCS; Sonesson et al, 2012; Henryon et al, 2019; Meuwissen et al, 2020). Using pedigree relationships in OCS, rather than genomic relationships, has been shown to achieve more true genetic gain in the long term (Henryon et al, 2019).
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