Genetic Progress Research Articles

Developing a liquid capture chip to accelerate the genetic progress of cattle

AbstractLarge‐scale genotyping at a low cost is crucial for molecular breeding of livestock. In this study, the Cattle110K capture chip was developed, based on the genotyping by target sequencing system. The chip panel included 112,180 single necleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), from potential functional regions screened by genome‐wide associated study, BayesB, expression quantitative trait loci‐mapping, ATAC‐seq, and reported functional markers. All the SNPs on the panel were distributed evenly on the cattle genome, with more than 99% of the markers having a minor allele frequency greater than 0.05. Assessment results indicated that a total of 1.2 M high‐quality SNPs were identified in the 110 K regions, averaging approximately 10 SNPs per target sequence. The genotype consistency for the repetitive samples using the Cattle110K liquid chip was 99.21% while the concordance between the Illumina BovineHD BeadChip and this chip averaged 98.17%. A significant association signal for slaughter weight and carcass length was identified on 37.3–41.5 Mb of chromosome 6, pinpointing the NCAPG‐LCORL locus. This locus has previously been associated with meat and carcass traits in cattle. Additionally, novel candidate regions were identified around 3.4 Mb of chromosome 13 and 73.5 Mb of chromosome 8, significantly correlated with hip height and marbling score, respectively. We compared the accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values between the Illumina BovineHD BeadChip and this chip. The results demonstrated that the Cattle110K capture chip had a comparable ability in genomic prediction to the Illumina BovineHD BeadChip. Advances in using the cost‐effective liquid capture chip are expected to accelerate the genetic progress of cattle in the coming years.

Investigating growth associated genomic short tandem repeats (STRs) in a resource population generated through molecular breeding of RIR chicken

The long-term selection based on phenotypes causes loss of variation in performance traits and slows down the genetic progress per generation in the population; genomic selection could restore the variability along with faster genetic progress. Genomic short tandem repeats (STRs) in a resource population of RIR chicken were explored investigating randomly selected 114 pedigreed chicks. Alleles separated through 3.4% MetaPhor agarose gel electrophoresis at ten STR loci, and data recorded on growth traits were analyzed. Twenty-six alleles were resolved with frequencies of 0.1140–0.7632 and > 38.60% for the most frequent alleles at ten STR loci. The most frequent genotypes appeared with frequency >21.93% at different loci. Polymorphic information contents ranged from 0.2961 (LEI0079) to 0.6716 (LEI0071). Effective number of alleles ranged from 1.5662 (LEI0079) to 3.5836 (LEI0071). Mean FIS statistics revealed overall 21.78% heterozygosity deficit. Average heterozygosity ranged from 0.3630 (LEI0079) to 0.7241 (LEI0071). Chi-square and G-square test showed the population in Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium at nine loci. Chick weight was significantly influenced by the factor of sire, and body weight traits by sex and hatch factors of the birds coded with STR-genotypes. ADL0328-BB genotype had the highest chick weight. LEI0068-BC and LEI0071-CC genotypes showed maximum 28-weeks body weight. MCW0010-AA genotype had the potential bearing of the highest body weight records at 16, 32, 36 and 40 weeks of age. MCW0058-CC genotype revealed the same at 24 and 28 weeks of age. The study impacts on marker assisted selection program for genetic improvement of growth traits in poultry.

Semen sexing and its impact on fertility and genetic gain in cattle.

Semen sexing is among one of the most remarkable inventions of the past few decades in the field of reproductive biotechnology. The urge to produce offspring of a desired sex has remained since traditional times. Researchers have tried many methods for accurate semen sexing, but only the flow cytometry method has proved to be effective for commercial utilization. However, there were always concerns about the effects of sexed semen, especially on fertility and the rate of genetic gain. Some concerns were genuine because of factors such as low semen dosage in sexed semen straws and damage to sperm during the sorting process. Various researchers have conducted numerous studies to find out the effect of sexed semen on fertility and, in this article, we reflect on their findings. Initially, there were comparatively much lower conception rates (∼70% of conventional semen) but, with refinement in technology, this gap is bridging and the use of sexed semen will increase over time. Concerning genetic gain with use of sexed semen, a positive effect on rate of genetic progress with the use of sexed semen has been observed based on various simulation studies, although there has been a mild increase in inbreeding.

Genetic variation in bovine LAP3 and SIRT1 genes associated with fertility traits in dairy cattle.

The genetic progress of fertility and reproduction traits in dairy cattle has been constrained by the low heritability of these traits. Identifying candidate genes and variants associated with fertility and reproduction could enhance the accuracy of genetic selection and expedite breeding process of dairy cattle with low-heritability traits. While the bovine LAP3 and SIRT1 genes exhibit well-documented associations with milk production traits in dairy cattle, their effect on cow fertility have not yet been explored. Eleven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), comprising five in the promoter (rs717156555: C > G, rs720373055: T > C, rs516876447: A > G, rs461857269: C > T and rs720349928: G > A), two in 5'UTR (rs722359733: C > T and rs462932574: T > G), two in intron 12 (rs110932626: A > G and rs43702363: C > T), and one in 3'UTR of exon 13 (rs41255599: C > T) in LAP3 and one in SIRT1 (rs718329990:T > C) genes, have previously been reported to be associated with various traits of milk production and clinical mastitis in Sahiwal and Karan Fries dairy cattle. In this study, the analysis primarily aimed to assess the impact of SNPs within LAP3 and SIRT1 genes on fertility traits in Sahiwal and Karan Fries cattle. Association studies were conducted using mixed linear models, involving 125 Sahiwal and 138 Karan Fries animals in each breed. The analysis utilized a designated PCR-RFLP panel. In the promoter region of the LAP3 gene, all variants demonstrated significant (P < 0.05) associations with AFC, except for rs722359733: C > T. However, specific variants with the LAP3 gene's promoter region, namely rs722359733: C > T, rs110932626: A > G, rs43702363: C > T, and rs41255599: C > T, showed significant associations with CI and DO in Sahiwal and Karan Fries cows, respectively. The SNP rs718329990: T > C in the promoter region of SIRT1 gene exhibited a significant association with CI and DO in Sahiwal cattle. Haplotype-based association analysis revealed significant associations between haplotype combinations and AFC, CI and DO in the studied dairy cattle population. Animals with H2H3 and H2H4 haplotype combination exhibited higher AFC, CI and DO than other combinations. These results affirm the involvement of the LAP3 and SIRT1 genes in female fertility traits, indicating that polymorphisms within these genes are linked to the studied traits. Overall, the significant SNPs and haplotypes identified in this study could have the potential to enhance herd profitability and ensure long-term sustainability on dairy farms by enabling the selection of animals with early age first calving and enhance reproductive performance in the dairy cattle breeding program.

Genomic selection in dairy cattle: impact and contribution to the improvement of bovine fertility

Genomic selection has revolutionized the dairy cattle breeding industry, with ripple effects that have greatly impacted dairy herd management. Rate of genetic progress has increased markedly, especially in Holstein and Jersey breeds, for production, health, and fertility traits. Genomic testing of young bulls and heifers provides greater accuracy of selection decisions involving traditional fertility traits, such as daughter pregnancy rate, while creating the opportunity to improve novel traits, such as fetal loss. Cameras, wearable sensors, and other precision livestock farming technologies will allow selection for traits such as estrus duration and intensity that require high frequency phenotyping. At the same time, synergies between genomic testing and advanced reproductive technologies have led to rapid and widespread adoption of sexed semen, coupled with mating of females whose offspring are not needed as herd replacements to beef sires. This strategy produces added-value crossbred calves for the beef supply chain, while allowing genetically inferior mature cows that are still producing at a high level to remain in the herd for additional lactations.

Unveiling the Ovarian Cell Characteristics and Molecular Mechanism of Prolificacy in Goats via Single-Nucleus Transcriptomics Data Analysis.

Increases in litter size, which are influenced by ovulation, are responsible for between 74% and 96% of the economic value of genetic progress, which influences selection. For the selection and breeding of highly prolific goats, genetic mechanisms underlying variations in litter size should be elucidated. Here, we used single-nucleus RNA sequencing to analyze 44,605 single nuclei from the ovaries of polytocous and monotocous goats during the follicular phase. Utilizing known reference marker genes, we identified 10 ovarian cell types characterized by distinct gene expression profiles, transcription factor networks, and reciprocal interaction signatures. An in-depth analysis of the granulosa cells revealed three subtypes exhibiting distinct gene expression patterns and dynamic regulatory mechanisms. Further investigation of cell-type-specific prolificacy-associated transcriptional changes elucidated that "downregulation of apoptosis", "increased anabolism", and "upstream responsiveness to hormonal stimulation" are associated with prolificacy. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the cell-type-specific mechanisms and regulatory networks in the goat ovary, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying goat prolificacy. These findings establish a vital foundation for furthering understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing folliculogenesis and for improving the litter size in goats via molecular design breeding.

Connectedness rating among commercial pig breeding herds in Korea.

This study aims to estimate the connectedness rating (CR) of Korean swine breeding herds. Using 104,380 performance and 83,200 reproduction records from three swine breeds (Yorkshire, Landrace and Duroc), the CR was estimated for two traits: average daily gain (ADG) and number born alive (NBA) in eight breeding herds in the Republic of Korea (hereafter, Korea). The average CR for ADG in the Yorkshire breed ranges from 1.32% to 28.5% depending on the farm. The average CR for NBA in the Yorkshire herd ranges from 0% to 12.79%. A total of 60% of Yorkshire and Duroc herds satisfied the preconditions suggested for genetic evaluation among the herds. The precondition for the genetic evaluation of CR for ADG, as a productive trait, was higher than 3% and that of NBA, as a reproductive trait, was higher than 1.5%. The ADG in the Yorkshire herds showed the highest average CR. However, the average CR of ADG in the Landrace herds was lower than the criterion of the precondition. The prediction error variance of the difference (PEVD) was employed to assess the validation of the CR, as PEVDs exhibit fluctuations that are coupled with the CR across the herds. A certain degree of connectedness is essential to estimate breeding value comparisons between pig herds. This study suggests that it is possible to evaluate the genetic performance together for ADG and NBA in the Yorkshire herds since the preconditions were satisfied for these four herds. It is also possible to perform a joint genetic analysis of the ADG records of all Duroc herds since the preconditions were also satisfied. This study provides new insight into understanding the genetic connectedness of Korean pig breeding herds. CR could be utilized to accelerate the genetic progress of Korean pig breeding herds.

Genetic association between fat-to-protein ratio and traits of economic interest in early lactation Holstein cows in Brazil.

The aims of this study were to estimate the genetic parameters for fat-to-protein ratio (F:P) within the first 90days of lactation and to examine their genetic associations with daily milk yield (MY), somatic cell score (SCS), and calving interval between the first and second calving (IFSC) and between the second and third calving (ISTC) during the first three lactations of Holstein cows. We utilized 200,626 production-related data officially recorded from 77,436 cows milked two or three times a day from 2012 to 2022, sourced from the Holstein Cattle Breeders Association of Paraná State, Brazil. The (co)variance components were estimated using animal models, adopting the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method with single-trait analysis (for heritability and repeatability) and two-trait analysis (for genetic and phenotypic correlations), per lactation. Regardless of lactation number, heritability estimates were relatively low, ranging from 0.08 ± 0.005 to 0.10 ± 0.003 for F:P; 0.08 ± 0.01 to 0.18 ± 0.005 for MY; 0.04 ± 0.01 to 0.07 ± 0.004 for SCS; and 0.03 ± 0.01 for both IFSC and ISTC. Repeatability estimates within the same lactation were low for F:P (ranging from 0.17 ± 0.002 to 0.19 ± 0.03), high for MY (between 0.50 ± 0.003 and 0.53 ± 0.002), and moderate to high for SCS (between 0.39 ± 0.003 and 0.44 ± 0.004). Genetic correlations between F:P and MY ranged from -0.26 ± 0.03 to -0.15 ± 0.02; F:P and SCS, from -0.06 ± 0.03 to -0.03 ± 0.08; F:P and IFSC, 0.31 ± 0.01; F:P and ISTC, 0.20 ± 0.01; MY and IFSC, 0.24 ± 0.05; and MY and ISTC, 0.13 ± 0.08. The fat-to-protein ratio during early lactation showed low genetic variability, regardless of lactation number. Furthermore, it was genetically correlated with MY, IFSC, and ISTC, although there is an antagonistic and unfavorable correlation between traits that can limit genetic progress.

Practical Approach to Diagnosis and Management of IL-1-Mediated Autoinflammatory Diseases (CAPS, TRAPS, MKD, and DIRA).

Systemic autoinflammatory diseases (SAIDs) are a group of rare genetic and nongenetic immune dysregulatory disorders associated with high morbidity and mortality if left untreated. Therefore, early diagnosis and initiation of targeted treatment is vital in SAID patients to control the disease activity and prevent long-term immune-mediated damage. A specific group of genetically defined SAIDs is associated with increased inflammasome-mediated production of active interleukin (IL)-1. Even though progress in immunobiology and genetics has brought forth diagnostic tools and novel treatments that have been described in the literature extensively, many challenges remain in the clinical setting. Some challenges that health care providers may face on a day-to-day basis include the requirement of a multidisciplinary approach due to the complexity of these diseases, limited evidence-based treatment options, and barriers to access available therapies. Primarily, IL-1 inhibitors anakinra, canakinumab, and rilonacept are used to control the inflammation in these patients, with the goal of achieving sustainable remission. Recently published provisional points to consider from the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) and American College of Rheumatology (ACR) provide diagnosis, management, and monitoring recommendations for four IL-1-mediated autoinflammatory diseases: cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS), tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS), mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD), and deficiency of the IL-1 receptor antagonist (DIRA). The goal of this paper is to aid health care professionals by providing a practical approach to diagnosis and management of these four IL-1 mediated SAIDs on the basis of the recent EULAR/ACR recommendations.

Modeling missing pedigree with metafounders and validating single-step genomic predictions in a small dairy cattle population with a great influence of foreign genetics

Genetic improvement in small countries rely heavily on foreign genetics. In an importing country such as Uruguay, consideration of unknown parent groups (UPG) for foreign sires is essential. However, the use of UPG in genomic model evaluations may lead to bias in genomic estimated breeding values. The objective of this study was to study different models including UPG or Metafounders (MF) in the Uruguayan Holstein evaluation and to analyze bias, dispersion, and accuracy of (G)EBV predictions in BLUP and ssGBLUP. Gamma matrix (Γ) was estimated either by using base allele population frequencies obtained by bounded linear regression (MFbounded), or by using 2 values to design Γ, i.e., a single value for the diagonal and a different value for the off-diagonal (MFrobust). Both Γ estimators performed well in terms of GEBV predictions, but MFbounded was the best option. There is, however, some bias whose origin was not completely understood. UPG or MF seem to model correctly genetic progress for unknown parents except for the very first groups (earlier time period). As for validation bulls, bias was observed across all models, whereas for validation cows it was only observed with UPG in BLUP. Overdispersion was found in all models, but it was mostly detected in validation bulls. Ratio of accuracies indicated that ssGBLUP gave better predictions than BLUP.

Inbreeding depression and runs of homozygosity islands in Asturiana de los Valles cattle breed after 30 years of selection.

Inbreeding depression results in a decrease in the average phenotypic values of affected traits. It has been traditionally estimated from pedigree-based inbreeding coefficients. However, with the development of single-nucleotide polymorphism arrays, novel methods were developed for calculating the inbreeding coefficient, and consequently, inbreeding depression. The aim of the study was to analyse inbreeding depression in 6 growth and 2 reproductive traits in the Asturiana de los Valles cattle breed using both genealogical and molecular information. The pedigree group comprised 225,848 records and an average equivalent number of complete generations of 2.3. The molecular data comprised genotypes of 2693 animals using the Affymetrix medium-density chip. Using the pedigree information, three different inbreeding coefficients were estimated for the genotyped animals: the full pedigree coefficient (FPED ), and the recent and ancient inbreeding coefficients based on the information of the last three generations (FPED<3G ) and until the last three generations (FPED>3G ), respectively. Using the molecular data, seven inbreeding coefficients were calculated. Four of them were estimated based on runs of homozygosity (ROH), considering (1) the total length (FROH ), (2) segments shorter than 4 megabases (FROH<4 ), (3) between 4 and 17 megabases (FROH4-17 ), and (4) longer than 17 Mb (FROH>17 ). Additionally, the three inbreeding coefficients implemented in the Plink software (FHAT1-3 ) were estimated. Inbreeding depression was estimated using linear mixed-effects model with inbreeding coefficients used as covariates. All analysed traits (birth weight, preweaning average daily gain, weaning weight adjusted at 180 days, carcass weight, calving ease, age at first calving, calving interval) showed a statistically significant non-zero effect of inbreeding depression estimated from the pedigree group, except for the Postweaning Average Daily Gain trait. When inbreeding coefficients were based on the genomic group, statistically significant inbreeding depression was observed for two traits, Preweaning Average Daily Gain and Weaning Weight based on FROH , FROH>17 , and FHAT3 inbreeding coefficients. Nevertheless, similar to inbreeding depression estimated based on pedigree information, estimates of inbreeding depression based on genomic information had no relevant economic impact. Despite this, from a long-term perspective, genotyped data could be included to maximize genetic progress in genetic programs following an optimal genetic contribution strategy and to consider individual inbreeding load instead global inbreeding. ROH islands were identified on chromosomes 2, 3, 8, 10, and 16. Such regions contain several candidate genes for growth development, intramuscular fat, body weight and lipid metabolism that are related to production traits selected in Asturiana de los Valles breed.

Unveiling maturation biomarker dynamics: A comprehensive review on In Vitro embryo production in cattle

In vitro embryo production (IVEP) is a revolutionary reproductive biotechnology in bovine species which enables rapid genetic gain and conservation of genetic resources. IVEP has numerous applications in field of animal breeding, conservation and research, making it a powerful tool for enhancing reproductive efficiency and genetic progress in livestock industry. The process involves manipulating gametes, including oocytes and sperm, in a laboratory setting. Success of IVEP largely relies on optimization of each step, including gamete quality, sperm preparation techniques, fertilization conditions and culture medium. Advancements in culture media formulations by additions of growth factors, antioxidants along with co-culture systems and advanced imaging techniques have improved efficiency and success rates. In this article, the authors have reviewed the importance as well as biomarkers associated with in vitro maturation for a more successful outcome of IVEP in bovines.

Productive and reproductive characteristics of Tarentaise cattle in the southern mediterranean regio

The Tarentaise breed in Tunisia is gaining prominence, yet comprehensive field studies on it are limited. This research aimed to delineate the breed's unique production and reproductive characteristics in Tunisia, assess non-genetic influences on milk production, and evaluate genetic progress under current management. Analyzing 345 lactations from two herds, we identified the main sources of variation in milk traits. Average milk yield, fat percent, protein percent and days in milk were 3022 kg ± 1532 kg, 3.52 ± 0.51, 3.50 ± 0.59, and 214.69 d ± 111 d, respectively. The average daily milk production was 14 kg ± 6 kg. Key findings revealed significant advantages in winter calvings and highlighted that some cows peak in performance by their sixth lactation, suggesting untapped potential. There was more than 700 kg between cows that calved in January and if the same cow calved in summer season, in favor of winter calvings. Alarmingly, both herds showed a reliance on sires with negative milk breeding values, potentially hampering genetic milk traits. Introducing tailored adjustment factors for the Tarentaise breed, our study underscores the need for optimized management to harness its full milk-producing prowess in Tunisia.

Genome-wide association study for stayability at different calvings in Nellore beef cattle

BackgroundingStayability, which may be defined as the probability of a cow remaining in the herd until a reference age or at a specific number of calvings, is usually measured late in the animal’s life. Thus, if used as selection criteria, it will increase the generation interval and consequently might decrease the annual genetic gain. Measuring stayability at an earlier age could be a reasonable strategy to avoid this problem. In this sense, a better understanding of the genetic architecture of this trait at different ages and/or at different calvings is important. This study was conducted to identify possible regions with major effects on stayability measured considering different numbers of calvings in Nellore cattle as well as pathways that can be involved in its expression throughout the female’s productive life.ResultsThe top 10 most important SNP windows explained, on average, 17.60% of the genetic additive variance for stayability, varying between 13.70% (at the eighth calving) and 21% (at the fifth calving). These SNP windows were located on 17 chromosomes (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 27, and 28), and they harbored a total of 176 annotated genes. The functional analyses of these genes, in general, indicate that the expression of stayability from the second to the sixth calving is mainly affected by genetic factors related to reproductive performance, and nervous and immune systems. At the seventh and eighth calvings, genes and pathways related to animal health, such as density bone and cancer, might be more relevant.ConclusionOur results indicate that part of the target genomic regions in selecting for stayability at earlier ages (from the 2th to the 6th calving) would be different than selecting for this trait at later ages (7th and 8th calvings). While the expression of stayability at earlier ages appeared to be more influenced by genetic factors linked to reproductive performance together with an overall health/immunity, at later ages genetic factors related to an overall animal health gain relevance. These results support that selecting for stayability at earlier ages (perhaps at the second calving) could be applied, having practical implications in breeding programs since it could drastically reduce the generation interval, accelerating the genetic progress.

Simulation of dual-purpose chicken breeding programs implementing gene editing

BackgroundIn spite of being controversial and raising ethical concerns, the application of gene editing is more likely to be accepted when it contributes to improving animal welfare. One of the animal welfare and ethical issues in chicken breeding is chick culling, the killing of the male layer chicks after hatching due to the poor fattening performance. Although establishing dual-purpose chicken lines could solve this problem, unfavorable genetic correlations between egg and meat production traits hindered their competitiveness. Although it is also controversial in ethical terms, gene editing may accelerate genetic progress in dual-purpose chicken and alleviate the ethical concerns from chick culling.ResultsThe simulation compared the utility improvement in dual-purpose use under two breeding schemes: one consisting in the improvement of the laying hens, and the second in the improvement of a synthetic line obtained from a layer broiler cross. In each breeding scheme, the breeding programs were simulated with and without gene editing. Polygenic breeding values and 500 simulated quantitative trait loci (QTL) with different levels of pleiotropy caused negative correlations between egg production, meat production, and overall health. The results of the simulation demonstrated that genetic gain could be accelerated by at most 81% for several generations if gene editing was used. The actual increase in genetic gain depended on the number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) being edited per animal. The rate of genetic improvement became equal in scenarios with and without gene editing after 20 generations. This is because the remaining segregating QTL had small effects and their edition would have negative overall health effects from potential off-target edits. Although gene editing can improve genetic gain in quantitative traits, it can only be recommended as long as QTL with reasonable effect sizes are segregating and detectable.ConclusionsThis simulation demonstrates the potential of gene editing to accelerate the simultaneous improvement of negatively correlated traits. When the risk of negative consequences from gene editing persists, the number of SNPs to be edited should be chosen carefully to obtain the optimal genetic gain.

Genetic gains in early maturing maize hybrids developed by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Southern Africa during 2000-2018.

Genetic gain estimation in a breeding program provides an opportunity to monitor breeding efficiency and genetic progress over a specific period. The present study was conducted to (i) assess the genetic gains in grain yield of the early maturing maize hybrids developed by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) Southern African breeding program during the period 2000-2018 and (ii) identify key agronomic traits contributing to the yield gains under various management conditions. Seventy-two early maturing hybrids developed by CIMMYT and three commercial checks were assessed under stress and non-stress conditions across 68 environments in seven eastern and southern African countries through the regional on-station trials. Genetic gain was estimated as the slope of the regression of grain yield and other traits against the year of first testing of the hybrid in the regional trial. The results showed highly significant (p< 0.01) annual grain yield gains of 118, 63, 46, and 61 kg ha-1 year-1 under optimum, low N, managed drought, and random stress conditions, respectively. The gains in grain yield realized in this study under both stress and non-stress conditions were associated with improvements in certain agronomic traits and resistance to major maize diseases. The findings of this study clearly demonstrate the significant progress made in developing productive and multiple stress-tolerant maize hybrids together with other desirable agronomic attributes in CIMMYT's hybrid breeding program.

Perspective: science and the future of livestock industries.

Since the 1990s, livestock industries have been forced to respond to major pressures from society, particularly with respect to methane emissions and animal welfare. These challenges are exacerbated by the inevitability of global heating and the effects it will have on livestock productivity. The same challenges also led to questions about the value of animal-sourced foods for feeding the world. The industries and the research communities supporting them are meeting those challenges. For example, we can now envisage solutions to the ruminant methane problem and those solutions will also improve the efficiency of meat and milk production. Animal welfare is a complex mix of health, nutrition and management. With respect to health, the 'One Health' concept is offering better perspectives, and major diseases, such as helminth infection, compounded by resistance against medication, are being resolved through genetic selection. With respect to nutrition and stress, 'fetal programming' and the epigenetic mechanisms involved offer novel possibilities for improving productivity. Stress needs to be minimized, including stress caused by extreme weather events, and solutions are emerging through technology that reveals when animals are stressed, and through an understanding of the genes that control susceptibility to stress. Indeed, discoveries in the molecular biology of physiological processes will greatly accelerate genetic progress by contributing to genomic solutions. Overall, the global context is clear - animal-sourced food is an important contributor to the future of humanity, but the responses of livestock industries must involve local actions that are relevant to geographical and socio-economic constraints.

Genetic improvement of duration of fertility in chickens and its commercial application for extending insemination intervals

The growth rate of chickens has made remarkable progress in recent decades through continuous breeding efforts. However, this advancement has also led to a decline in fertility among commercially bred chickens. Therefore, it is crucial to understand and improve factors that influence fertility to ensure the continued success of the industry. Here, we conduct a 3-generation selection experiment within 2 purebred female lines, with the aim of increasing the duration of fertility (DF). Duration of fertility refers to the length of time hens remain capable of producing fertilized eggs and is a crucial factor that directly impacts chick output. The results showed that significant genetic progress was achieved in embryo survival rates and the fertility duration day during both the peak and late laying periods. Moreover, after 3 generations of selective breeding, the disparities in embryo survival and chick health rates from setting eggs between 8-d and 5-d insemination intervals in the grandparent stock were significantly reduced. The rates decreased from 1.83% and 2.39 to 0.72% and 0.33%, respectively. Surprisingly, the hatching performances of hens with an 8-d interval were comparable to those hens that had not undergone genetic selection for DF and had a 5-d interval. We further discussed the possibility of extending the insemination interval to 8 d in parent stock for commercial practices. The parental populations exhibited remarkable performance in terms of percentages of embryo survival and healthy chicks from the setting eggs, with rates exceeding 94 and 90%, respectively. Thus, it can be inferred that an extended insemination interval is feasible by genetic selection for DF. These findings will provide valuable insights into the efficacy of genetic selection in enhancing DF and its practical application in commercial breeding programs.

GENETIC ADVANCEMENT IN BREAD WHEAT VARIETIES RELEASED FOR THE BAJÍO REGION (MEXICO) UNDER NORMAL AND RESTRICTED IRRIGATION

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) provides approximately 20 % of the proteins and calories consumed globally. Genetic advancement in yield is crucial to satisfy the demand of the growing world population. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic progress in agronomic traits of varieties released in El Bajío (Mexico) between 1975 and 2016 under normal and restricted irrigation. The hypothesis was: with the breeding of wheat varieties for over 40 years for the region of El Bajío, advances have been made in grain yield. The genotypes planted were Salamanca S75, Cortazar S94, Bárcenas S2002, Urbina S2007, Alondra F2014 and Cisne F2016 during the 2016-17 and 2020-21 agricultural cycles in three irrigation schedules, two at 0 and 55 days after planting, three at 0-45 and 75 and four at 0-45-75 and 100 days after planting. Phenology, yield and its components were measured, and the treatment design followed a randomized complete block design with arrangements in subdivided plots and three replications. Using the weighted phenotypic model and its graphical representation through the SREG biplot, it was determined that recently released varieties outperformed the grain yield of older varieties in all three irrigation schedules. The varieties released between 1975 and 2016 displayed no changes in days to heading and maturity, since only early genotypes were advanced in the selection process. For grain yield, a genetic progress was obtained of 26.3, 41.6 and 37.6 kg ha-1 year-1 for the two, three and four irrigation schedules, respectively, which was related to an increase (p ≤ 0.01) in aerial biomass and a higher number of spikes and grains per unit area.

Possibility of genome editing for melon breeding.

Genome editing technologies are promising for conventional mutagenesis breeding, which takes a long time to remove unnecessary mutations through backcrossing and create new lines because they directly modify the target genes of elite strains. In particular, this technology has advantages for traits caused by the loss of function. Many efforts have been made to utilize this technique to introduce valuable features into crops, including maize, soybeans, and tomatoes. Several genome-edited crops have already been commercialized in the US and Japan. Melons are an important vegetable crop worldwide, produced and used in various areas. Therefore, many breeding efforts have been made to improve its fruit quality, resistance to plant diseases, and stress tolerance. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis was performed, and various genes related to important traits were identified. Recently, several studies have shown that the CRISPR/Cas9 system can be applied to melons, resulting in its possible utilization as a breeding technique. Focusing on two productivity-related traits, disease resistance, and fruit quality, this review introduces the progress in genetics, examples of melon breeding through genome editing, improvements required for breeding applications, and the possibilities of genome editing in melon breeding.