Optimal contribution selection applied to the Norwegian and the North-Swedish cold-blooded trotter – a feasibility study.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine how to apply optimal contribution selection (OCS) in the Norwegian and the North-Swedish cold-blooded trotter and give practical recommendations for the future. OCS was implemented using the software Gencont with overlapping generations and selected a few, but young sires, as these turn over the generations faster and thus is less related to the mare candidates. In addition, a number of Swedish sires were selected as they were less related to the selection candidates. We concluded that implementing OCS is feasible to select sires (there is no selection on mares), and we recommend the number of available sire candidates to be continuously updated because of amongst others deaths and geldings. In addition, only considering sire candidates with phenotype above average within a year class would allow selection candidates from many year classes to be included and circumvent current limitation on number of selection candidates in Gencont (approx. 3000). The results showed that mare candidates can well be those being mated the previous year. OCS will, dynamically, recruit young stallions and manage the culling or renewal of annual breeding permits for stallions that had been previously approved. For the annual mating proportion per sire, a constraint in accordance with the maximum that a sire can mate naturally is recommended.
© 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Publication Date: 2012-05-12 PubMed ID: 23679942DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2012.01005.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This study focuses on exploring the application of optimal contribution selection (OCS) in the selection of stallions for breeding in the Norwegian and North-Swedish cold-blooded trotter horses. The main finding is that OCS can be effectively used to select younger sires (male parents) to avoid inbreeding.
Objective of the Study
- The primary goal of the researchers was to investigate how OCS could best be utilized for the Norwegian and the North-Swedish cold-blooded trotter horses. They aimed to provide practical recommendations for future selection of suitable sires (male parents) for breeding.
Procedure and Techniques
- The researchers used a software called Gencont to apply OCS. This allowed for overlapping generations, and prioritized selecting a few, young sires since they speed up the generation turnover and therefore, are less related to the female candidates (mares).
- A selection of Swedish sires was also taken into account, considering that they were less related to the mare candidates being studied.
Conclusions and Recommendations
- According to the results, the implementation of OCS seems feasible in the selection of suitable sires for breeding. The study advises that the number of sire candidates should be consistently updated to reflect changes such as deaths and geldings.
- The researchers suggest that only sire candidates with above-average phenotypes within a year should be considered for selection. This would allow candidates from multiple years to be included, solving the current limitation on the number of candidates that can be handled by Gencont, which is around 3000.
- It was also indicated that mate candidates could well be horses that were mated the previous year, as they would still be viable options.
- The study concludes that OCS can automatically recruit young stallions and manage the culling or renewal of annual breeding permits for previously approved stallions.
- Lastly, a cap is recommended on the annual mating proportion for each sire, to coincide with the maximum number of times a sire can naturally mate.
Cite This Article
APA
Olsen HF, Meuwissen T, Klemetsdal G.
(2012).
Optimal contribution selection applied to the Norwegian and the North-Swedish cold-blooded trotter – a feasibility study.
J Anim Breed Genet, 130(3), 170-177.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0388.2012.01005.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway. hanne.fjerdingby@umb.no
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Breeding / methods
- Feasibility Studies
- Horses
- Inbreeding
- Norway
- Sexual Behavior, Animal
- Software
- Sweden
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Hendrickson EHS, Lykkjen S, Dolvik NI, Olstad K. Prevalence of osteochondral lesions in the fetlock and hock joints of Standardbred horses that survived bacterial infection before 6 months of age. BMC Vet Res 2018 Dec 10;14(1):390.
- Haadem CS, Nødtvedt A, Farstad W, Thomassen R. A retrospective cohort study on fertility in the Norwegian Coldblooded trotter after artificial insemination with cooled, shipped versus fresh extended semen. Acta Vet Scand 2015 Nov 14;57:77.
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