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Impact of the event effect in genetic evaluation for ranking traits in horses.

Abstract: In genetic evaluation of horses, the genetic trend does not correspond into a phenotypic trend when using ranking as a phenotype due to its uniform distribution, and some other effects might be absorbing that trend. From a founder population, a further four discrete generations of 100 individuals were simulated under random mating. Then, ten additional discrete generations were simulated by selecting the best 10% of the animals. Likewise, an underlying variable with heritability 0.1 or 0.2, affected by an event environmental influence, generation and permanent environment, was simulated to establish the ranking assignment of 10 random participants or according to the competitive level for each event, in 10 or 100 structured or unstructured events. The ranking trait genetic evaluation model was tested to include or exclude the event effect and the permanent environment effect, depending on the scenario. The results showed that the event effect fitted the different competitive level of each event, leading to a 5% to 23% of selection response improvement for structured competitions. Therefore, the event effect should be included in the genetic evaluation models of horses. The permanent environment fitted or simulated did not significantly improve the selection response. The event effect explained the competition genetic level, by compensating the genetic trend obtained by selection.
Publication Date: 2021-09-08 PubMed ID: 34494688DOI: 10.1111/jbg.12645Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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This research discusses the application of a genetic evaluation model to horses, focusing on the effect of particular variables, such as different events and permanent environments. The findings showed that incorporating event effects into the genetic evaluation models could improve selection responses by 5% to 23%.

Simulation of Generations and Variables

  • The researchers simulated a founder population and stuttered the progression to four additional generations, each consisting of 100 individuals. Mate selection was random.
  • After that, they selected the top 10% of animals and simulated another ten discrete generations.
  • An underlying variable with heritability rates of either 0.1 or 0.2, was considered. This variable was influenced by certain factors; an event environmental influence, the generation, and the permanent environment.
  • These factors were used to establish a ranking system. Ten random participants were chosen, or they were selected based upon their competitive level for each structured or unstructured event. The events numbered either 10 or 100.

Event Effect on Genetic Evaluation

  • The researchers tested the ranking trait genetic evaluation model by including or excluding the event effect and the permanent environment effect, depending upon the scenario.
  • It was found that the inclusion of the event effect led to better simulation of the different competitive levels of each event. Subsequently, this improved selection response by between 5% and 23% for structured competitions.
  • Therefore, the researchers concluded that the event effect should be included in the genetic evaluation models of horses.

Permanent Environment Effect on Genetic Evaluation

  • When the permanent environment effect was fitted or simulated in the model, it did not bring any significant improvement to the selection response.
  • However, the event effect explained the competition genetic level, compensating for the genetic trend observed from the selection process.

This suggests the need for further research to clarify the influence of permanent environment effect on the genetic evaluation and compare its impact with that of the event effect.

Cite This Article

APA
Arias KD, Cervantes I, Gutiérrez JP. (2021). Impact of the event effect in genetic evaluation for ranking traits in horses. J Anim Breed Genet, 139(1), 13-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbg.12645

Publication

ISSN: 1439-0388
NlmUniqueID: 100955807
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 139
Issue: 1
Pages: 13-25

Researcher Affiliations

Arias, Katherine Daniela
  • Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Cervantes, Isabel
  • Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Gutiérrez, Juan Pablo
  • Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / genetics
  • Models, Genetic
  • Phenotype
  • Reproduction

References

This article includes 16 references
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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Sánchez-Guerrero MJ, Ripollés-Lobo M, Bartolomé E, Perdomo-González DI, Valera M. The Relevance of the Expected Value of the Proportion of Arabian Genes in Genetic Evaluations for Eventing Competitions. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jun 13;13(12).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13121973pubmed: 37370483google scholar: lookup