Genetic parameters and trends for production and reproduction traits in Thai Landrace sows

Data from Thai Landrace sows were used to estimate the genetic parameters and trends for production and reproduction traits, over the first four parities. The reproduction traits investigated were age at first conception (AFC), total number of piglets born per litter (TB) and weaning to first service interval (WSI). The reproduction data was gathered from 9194 litters born between 1993 and 2005. The production measures were average daily gain (ADG) and backfat thickness (BF). These were recorded from 4163 boars and 15 171 gilts. Analyses were carried out using a multivariate animal model inputting average information restricted maximum likelihood procedures. Heritability estimates on the reproduction traits for AFC was 0.21, for TB in the first four parities it ranged from 0.02 to 0.11 and for WSI over the first three parities it ranged from 0.16 to 0.18. Heritability estimates for production traits were: 0.31 (ADG) and 0.45 (BF). AFC was genetically correlated favorably with TB (− 0.48) and WSI (0.35) in the first parity. Genetic trends were 4.71 g, − 0.23 mm and 0.23 days per year for ADG, BF and AFC respectively. There was no genetic progress for the other traits. It was concluded that selection for low AFC will increase TB and decrease WSI. The results further revealed that the ongoing selection being used improved growth rate and reduced backfat thickness. However, there was no genetic improvement in TB.     

四川省外种猪ESR基因对繁殖及生长性状的影响

试验以四川省外种母猪的 3个品种 (大约克、长白、杜洛克 )为研究对象 ,采用PCR -RFLps的方法测其ESR基因的PvuⅡ多态性 ,分析了该产仔数及生长性状之间的关系。结果表明 :初产胎次中 ,ESR基因型间总产仔数 (TNB)和产活仔数 (NBA)差异极显著 (P <0 0 1 ) ,BB和AA纯合子间TNB和NBA分别相差 5 97和 3 72头 ,基因加性效应分别应为每个B基因 2 98和 1 86头。对于经产胎次 ,总产仔数在AA ,AB基因与BB基因型的差异达到极显著水平 (P <0 0 1 ) ,产活仔数在AA基因型与BB基因型间差异显著 (P <0 0 5 ) ,TNB和NBA母猪每窝BB纯合子比AA纯合子分别多 3 6 8和 2 89头 ,基因的加性效应为每个B基因分别为 1 83和 1 4 4头。头胎和经产胎次ESR基因型在初生窝重、2 0日龄头数和窝重、30或 4 5日龄头数和窝重以及 70日龄窝重之间的差异不显著 (P >0 0 5 ) ;但是以上 6个性状在ESR基因的 3种基因型间存在BB >AB >AA的趋势     

Estimates of genetic parameters for growth traits in Kermani sheep

Birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), 6-month weight (W6), 9-month weight (W9) and yearling weight (YW) of Kermani lambs were used to estimate genetic parameters. The data were collected from Shahrbabak Sheep Breeding Research Station in Iran during the period of 1993-1998. The fixed effects in the model were lambing year, sex, type of birth and age of dam. Number of days between birth date and the date of obtaining measurement of each record was used as a covariate. Estimates of (co)variance components and genetic parameters were obtained by restricted maximum likelihood, using single and two-trait animal models. Based on the most appropriate fitted model, direct and maternal heritabilities of BW, WW, W6, W9 and YW were estimated to be 0.10 +/- 0.06 and 0.27 +/- 0.04, 0.22 +/- 0.09 and 0.19 +/- 0.05, 0.09 +/- 0.06 and 0.25 +/- 0.04, 0.13 +/- 0.08 and 0.18 +/- 0.05, and 0.14 +/- 0.08 and 0.14 +/- 0.06 respectively. Direct and maternal genetic correlations between the lamb weights varied between 0.66 and 0.99, and 0.11 and 0.99. The results showed that the maternal influence on lamb weights decreased with age at measurement. Ignoring maternal effects in the model caused overestimation of direct heritability. Maternal effects are significant sources of variation for growth traits and ignoring maternal effects in the model would cause inaccurate genetic evaluation of lambs.     

Stochastic simulation of Manchega sheep breed selection scheme. Impact of artificial insemination, progeny testing system and nucleus size on genetic progress and inbreeding

Manchega is a local Spanish sheep breed located in the region of Castilla la Mancha, Actually there are 0.8 million of milked ewes. The selection scheme of Manchega breed (ESROM) started in 1988, involving a selection nucleus composed by 103,887 ewes distributed in 106 flocks. Results obtained from the ESROM has been moderate in comparison with other similar European schemes. By this and other reasons, to develop a specific tool to study the ESROM system seems to be necessary.

The objectives of this work were to develop a genetic simulation model based on the ESROM real system and to study the effects on genetic progress and inbreeding level achieved from different rates of AI used, the progeny test system and the selection nucleus size.

An additive infinitesimal model was assumed for the trait 120 days Total Milk Yield (TMY). Five alternatives selection criteria (two per each group of animals to be selected), differentiated on their selection intensities, were associated to the selection of lambs for future artificial insemination rams, natural mating rams and ewes. All selection decisions were based on periodical genetic evaluations (BLUP), using an animal model with repeated measures. 60 specific cases were studied, each one with 20 replicates.

An average true genetic progress per year ranging from 1.04% to 2.10% in AI rams and 0.59% to 2.11% in ewes were observed. Results of phenotypic progress varied from 0.44% to 1.83% per year. True inbreeding levels of ewes at year 17 were between 0.218% and 1.879%.

The model used had the expected behavior. In general, the studied selection scheme had its better results (maximum genetic progress), when AI rate was equal or greater than 50%, a greater number of new rams were tested per year (75 and 44) and a selection nucleus size equal or greater than 9000 ewes (30 flocks). Selection intensity of natural mating rams had a great impact on the genetic progress, especially when the use of AI was low. The greater the nucleus size, the higher the genetic progress, but an operative scheme from around 9000 initial ewes could be established.

Results observed demonstrate the existence of some critical areas, which could be verified on the real system in order to improve their effectiveness. In this framework, the ESROM could develop two complementary strategies: to improve the selection system of Natural Mating Rams (selecting only sons of AI rams) and/or to increase the levels of AI until 50%.     

Genetic parameters for birth weight,growth, and litter size in Nordic sheep breeds

Abstract

In this study, genetic parameters were estimated for the Danish populations of Danish Marsk, Finnish Landrace, Gotland Pelt and Spel for birth weight (BW), average daily gain until two months (DG2) and litter size (LS). A multivariate animal model was used for estimation of genetic parameters, including fixed effects, both direct and maternal additive genetic effects, common litter effects and permanent environmental effects. Mean birth weight and DG2 ranged from, respectively, 3.39 kg and 262 g to 4.61kg and 286 g. Litter size ranged from 1.60 to 2.07. Direct heritability for BW ranged from 0.12 to 0.24, and maternal heritability for BW was about 0.23 for all breeds. Direct heritability of DG2 ranged from 0.19 to 0.33. The heritability for LS was between 0.08 and 0.13. The significant genetic correlations between the direct and maternal effect on both BW and DG2 were negative. The genetic correlations between the growth traits and LS were not uniform.     

抑制素免疫对羊生殖的影响

抑制素是一种主要由动物性腺（睾丸的支持细胞和卵巢的颗粒细胞）分泌的一种异二聚体糖蛋白激素,由两个二硫键连接两个不同的亚单位（α和β）构成。抑制素对垂体ＦＳＨ的分泌和／或合成具有选择性地抑制作用。抑制素免疫中和技术能特异性地刺激ＦＳＨ分泌,进而促进配子生成,提高动物繁殖力。西方把抑制素免疫对羊排卵率、产羔数、初情期、超数排卵和公羊繁殖性能的影响作一综述。     

Relationship between inbreeding and milk production traits in two Italian dairy sheep breeds

The effects of inbreeding in livestock species breeds have been well documented and they have a negative impact on profitability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of inbreeding in Sarda (SAR, n = 785) and Valle del Belice (VdB, n = 473) dairy sheep breeds and their impact on milk production traits. Two inbreeding coefficients (F) were estimated: using pedigree (F_PED), or runs of homozygosity (ROH; F_ROH) at different minimum ROH lengths and different ROH classes. After the quality control, 38,779 single nucleotide polymorphisms remained for further analyses. A mixed-linear model was used to evaluate the impact of inbreeding coefficients on production traits within each breed. VdB showed higher inbreeding coefficients compared to SAR, with both breeds showing lower estimates as the minimum ROH length increased. Significant inbreeding depression was found only for milk yield, with a loss of around 7 g/day (for SAR) and 9 g/day (VdB) for a 1% increase of F_ROH. The present study confirms how the use of genomic information can be used to manage intra-breed diversity and to calculate the effects of inbreeding on phenotypic traits.     

Whole-genome re-sequencing association study on yearling wool traits in Chinese fine-wool sheep

To investigate single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci associated with yearling wool traits of fine-wool sheep for optimizing marker-assisted selection and dissection of the genetic architecture of wool traits, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) based on the fixed and random model circulating probability unification (FarmCPU) for yearling staple length (YSL), yearling mean fiber diameter (YFD), yearling greasy fleece weight (YGFW), and yearling clean fleece rate (YCFR) by using the whole-genome re-sequenced data (totaling 577 sheep) from the following four fine-wool sheep breeds in China: Alpine Merino sheep (AMS), Chinese Merino sheep (CMS), Qinghai fine-wool sheep (QHS), and Aohan fine-wool sheep (AHS). A total of 16 SNPs were detected above the genome-wise significant threshold (P = 5.45E-09), and 79 SNPs were located above the suggestive significance threshold (P = 5.00E-07) from the GWAS results. For YFD and YGFW traits, 7 and 9 SNPs reached the genome-wise significance thresholds, whereas 10 and 12 SNPs reached the suggestive significance threshold, respectively. For YSL and YCFR traits, none of the SNPs reached the genome-wise significance thresholds, whereas 57 SNPs exceeded the suggestive significance threshold. We recorded 14 genes located at the region of ±50-kb near the genome-wise significant SNPs and 59 genes located at the region of ±50-kb near the suggestive significant SNPs. Meanwhile, we used the Average Information Restricted Maximum likelihood algorithm (AI-REML) in the “HIBLUP” package to estimate the heritability and variance components of the four desired yearling wool traits. The estimated heritability values (h²) of YSL, YFD, YGFW, and YCFR were 0.6208, 0.7460, 0.6758, and 0.5559, respectively. We noted that the genetic parameters in this study can be used for fine-wool sheep breeding. The newly detected significant SNPs and the newly identified candidate genes in this study would enhance our understanding of yearling wool formation, and significant SNPs can be applied to genome selection in fine-wool sheep breeding.     

Comparison of different models for estimation of genetic parameters of early growth traits in the Mehraban sheep.

Genetic parameters for birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW) and pre-weaning daily gain (PWDG) in Iranian Mehraban sheep were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedure. Six different animal models were fitted, differentiated by including or excluding maternal effects, with and without covariance between maternal and direct genetic effects. The estimates for direct heritability ranged from 0.26 to 0.53, 0.18 to 0.32 and 0.15 to 0.33 for BW, WW and PWDG respectively. The estimates were substantially higher when maternal effects, either genetic or environmental, were ignored in the model. The results of this study show that full models with maternal genetic and environmental effects gave the most accurate estimates for early growth traits.     

Beneficial impacts of bee pollen in animal production,reproduction and health

Bee pollen (BP) is one of the most useful therapeutic products favoured by natural medicine scientists because of its possible nutritional and medical applications. It exhibits many impacts such as antimicrobial, immunostimulating, antioxidants and hepatoprotective. Furthermore, BP has some useful therapeutic features in numerous pathological situations such as its impact to normalize wound healing. Based on previous literatures, the level of BP supplement in livestock and poultry ranged from 0.1 to 20 g/kg diet. This variation depends on the species, physiological status, age and purpose of addition; so far generally, it accepted to use the level with no side effects. It has been observed that BP enhanced growth performance, immunity responses and blood variables and had hypoglycaemic activity by reducing the lipid in the blood and carcass. Also, BP contains more nutrients, which stimulate faster differentiation and proliferation of the cells of immune system of birds. Therefore, the present review recommends that BP supplementation (up to 20 g/kg diet) had possible beneficial impacts, antioxidants and protective activities on most of the production, productive and health patterns of livestock.     

复合蛋白对肉羊生产性能和血清生化指标的影响

采用单因素随机设计的方法,选择4月龄左右的小尾寒羊30只,按体重大小随机分为3组,研究分有复合蛋白0％、4％和8％的日粮对内羊生产性能、齐分消化率、血清指标厦经济效益的影响结果表明：在肉羊饲料中举加复合蛋白不仅可以改善机体的生化代谢和基础代谢,而且能降低饲养成本,提高经济效益。     

凉山半细毛羊育成期生长发育的研究

凉山半细毛羊 4月龄公、母羔体重在 2 6kg以上 ,哺乳期内生长迅速 ,一月龄日增重接近 30 0g ,哺乳期内近 2 0 0g。随着年龄增长 ,生长速度逐渐变慢 ,5～ 1 2月龄公、母羔日增重分别降至 80 8g和 5 7 9g。1 5岁时公、母羊体重分别达到 60 4kg和 46 1kg。 2 5岁成年母羊体重 5 4 5kg。     

Genetic parameters for feed efficiency traits and their relationships with growth and carcass traits in Duroc pigs

Genetic parameters for feed efficiency traits of 380 boars and growth and carcass traits of 1642 pigs (380 boars, 868 gilts and 394 barrows) in seven generations of Duroc population were estimated. Feed efficiency traits included the feed conversion ratio (FCR), and nutritional (RFI(nut)), phenotypic (RFI(phe)) and genetic (RFI(gen)) residual feed intake. Growth and carcass traits were the age to reach 105-kg body weight (A105), loin eye muscle area (EMA), backfat (BF), intra-muscular fat (IMF) and meat tenderness. The mean values for RFI(phe) and RFI(gen) were close to zero and for RFI(nut) was negative. All the measures of feed efficiency were moderately heritable (h(2) = 0.31, 0.38, 0.40 and 0.27 for RFI(nut), RFI(phe), RFI(gen) and FCR respectively). The heritabilities for all growth and carcass traits were moderate (ranged from 0.37 to 0.45), except for BF, which was high (0.72). The genetic correlations of RFI(phe) and RFI(gen) with A105 were positive and high. Measures of RFI were correlated negatively with EMA. BF was more strongly correlated with measures of RFI (r(g) > or = 0.73) than with FCR (r(g) = 0.52). Selection for daily gain, EMA, BF and IMF caused favourable genetic changes in feed efficiency traits. Results of this study indicate that selection against either RFI(phe) or RFI(gen) would give a similar correlated response in carcass traits.     

The impact of installation of automatic milking system on production and reproduction traits of dairy cows

The objective of the research was the evaluation of change in the traditional milking system using automatic milking system in the scope of the selected reproduction features of dairy cows of the Polish Holstein–Friesian breed. Animal material consisted of 2,818 cows used on nine farms equipped with the automatic milking system Astronaut A4 made by Lely. The cows were controlled in the scope of services per conception, service period, length of pregnancy, calving interval and calving to conception period, milk yield, protein and fat content obtained in lactations of 305 days. The selected traits were observed between 2005 and 2015. In this period, the milking system was changed from the conventional to automated one. The collected data material was statistically processed, using the multifactorial analysis of variance. The period between the first calving and the second effective insemination was reduced by 11.8 days, and the period between the second calving and the third effective insemination was shortened by 4 days after the installation of the automatic milking system. The increase in milk yield by 466 kg during 305‐day lactation was observed among primiparous cows. The percentage of protein and fat content in the researched groups decreased; moreover, the fall of intergroup variability was noticeable, which may be a sign of the levelling of the yield within the herd.     

谷胱甘肽对肉羊生长性能、屠宰性能及肉品质的影响

选择东北细毛羊×德国肉用美利奴的杂交一代肉羊12只,分成对照组、试验Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组,每组4只,研究谷胱甘肽对肉羊生长性能、屠宰性能及肉品质的影响。试验期60 d。结果表明:与对照组相比,谷胱甘肽显著提高了肉羊的日增重(P<0.05),试验Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组分别提高了14.6%和11.4%;降低了肉羊的料重比(P<0.05),试验Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组分别降低了11.0%和8.1%。试验Ⅰ组的净肉率和GR值显著高于对照组(P<0.05),Ⅱ组的宰前活重显著高于对照组(P<0.05);试验Ⅰ组肉的剪切力显著低于对照组(P<0.05);试验Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组的滴水损失显著低于对照组(P<0.05),而熟肉率显著高于对照组(P<0.05),且两试验组间差异不显著(P>0.05);各试验组宰后45 min内肉的pH没有显著差异(P>0.05),但试验Ⅰ组24 h的pH极显著地高于其他2组(P<0.01)。     

Estimates of (co)variance components for productive and composite reproductive traits in Iranian Cashmere goats

The objective of this study was to estimate variance and covariance components, in Iranian Cashmere goats, for birth weight (BWT) and weaning weight (WWT) performances of kids and total weight of kids weaned (TWW) per doe joined at first (TWW1), second (TWW2) and third (TWW3) parities by REML procedures using univariate and multivariate animal models. The analysis was based on 2313 records of kids and 940 records of does. Through ignoring or including maternal additive genetic or maternal permanent environmental effects, four different models were fitted for BWT and WWT performances. For TWW performances only two models (without or with service sire effect) were used. Models were compared using likelihood ratio test. Direct additive genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects had significant influence on BWT and WWT performances. These effects accounted for 9.4% and 15.6%, and 13.9% and 6.7% of phenotypic variation, respectively. No significant effect of service sire was observed on TWW. The estimates of heritabilities were 0.072, 0.109 and 0.082 for TWW1, TWW2 and TWW3, respectively. Direct genetic correlations among all performances were positive and low (for BWT with TWW) to high (for BWT with WWT and WWT with TWW). The corresponding estimates for phenotypic and residual correlations were moderate and lower than genetic correlations. The high genetic correlation among WWT and TWW suggests that direct selection on TWW1 or indirect selection on WWT would increase total weight of kids weaned per doe joined.     

Genetic study on pelt quality traits in the Gotland sheep breed

Abstract

Genetic parameters were estimated for pelt quality traits of the Gotland sheep breed using data from the Swedish Sheep Recording Scheme and multiple-trait animal models. Data on detailed pelt quality traits were available for 51,455 lambs born from 1991 to 2003. For 4,771 lambs there also was information about a subjectively measured overall score for pelt quality. Sex of lamb, age of ewe, litter size, age of lamb, and interactions between these had significant effects on pelt quality. Heritabilities were moderately high (0.20 to 0.48) and genetic correlations between the traits were low to highly positive (?0.18 to 0.95). Breeding for an increased overall score will in the short term improve score for quality of hair, score for curl, and score for nuance of colour. Size of curl and score for thickness of fleece may also increase and this is not always advantageous as these are traits with optimum values.     

Analysis of PrP genotypes in relation to reproductive and production traits in Chios sheep

The study describes the changes with time in gene and genotype frequencies of a closed Chios herd. Genomic DNA was isolated and purified from peripheral blood leucocytes using standard procedures. The identification of the allelic variants present in the DNA samples, was performed in a simple multiplex PCR reaction and melting curve analysis of the PrP gene. Only ARR/ARR female genotypes were kept for breeding, and only males of the same genotype were used following year 2 of the study. As a result of planned individual matings and selection, the susceptible ARQ/ARQ genotype was eliminated from the flock in 4 years. The gene frequency of the R allele from a low 0.056 at year 1 reached a high 0.911 at year 6 of the study. Data from first lactation ewes of known genotypes were used to examine possible associations between PrP genotypes and ewe reproductive (litter size at birth and at weaning) and production traits (litter weight at birth and at weaning and 60-day milk yield after weaning). No effects of the sire genotype (ARR/ARR and ARR/ARQ) were found for any of the traits studied. The ewe genotype was associated with performance for reproductive traits but not with total weight of lamb output at birth or at weaning. ARR/ARR ewes had a higher litter size at birth (2.09) compared to ARQ/ARQ ewes (1.79) and higher litter size at weaning (1.84) compared to ARR/ARQ ewes (1.59). 60-day milk yield after weaning was not influenced by genotype (114.8, 105.8 and 114.8 kg for ARR/ARR, ARR/ARQ and ARQ/ARQ genotypes, respectively). Birth weight and 98-day weight were not influenced by the lamb genotype. ARQ/ARQ lambs were slightly heavier (P < 0.05) than ARR/ARR lambs at weaning as a result of faster pre-weaning growth. Post weaning growth was similar for the homozygous genotypes.     

高原藏猪在亚热带环境生长发育和繁殖特性的比较研究

通过常规方法,对引入到广州地区的藏猪G1代进行了生长发育和繁殖指标的测定,包括G1代藏猪不同月龄的体重、体尺(体高、体长、胸围)值.测定母猪每胎产仔猪数、初生头重、离乳数和离乳率等.结果表明:藏猪繁殖力的各项指标高于原产地放牧藏猪猪群,而低于舍饲的藏猪猪群;雌雄藏猪体重相比较,除了1月龄有极显著性差异(P<0.01)和2月龄有显著差异(P<0.05)外,其余月龄雌雄之间均无差异;体尺值随月龄增长逐渐增加,不同性别之间,除6月龄体高雄性高于雌性外(P<0.05),其余月龄不同性别藏猪均无差异(P>0.05).说明经过2年的风土驯化,藏猪基本适应了亚热带气候环境,能够正常生长繁殖,并且保持了生长缓慢、小体型的特点,非常适合用于动物实验研究.     

An imputation‐based genome‐wide association study on traits related to male reproduction in a White Duroc × Erhualian F2 population

Boar reproductive traits are economically important for the pig industry. Here we conducted a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) for 13 reproductive traits measured on 205 F₂ boars at day 300 using 60 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data imputed from a reference panel of 1200 pigs in a White Duroc × Erhualian F₂ intercross population. We identified 10 significant loci for seven traits on eight pig chromosomes (SSC). Two loci surpassed the genome‐wide significance level, including one for epididymal weight around 60.25 Mb on SSC7 and one for semen temperature around 43.69 Mb on SSC4. Four of the 10 significant loci that we identified were consistent with previously reported quantitative trait loci for boar reproduction traits. We highlighted several interesting candidate genes at these loci, including APN, TEP1, PARP2, SPINK1 and PDE1C. To evaluate the imputation accuracy, we further genotyped nine GWAS top SNPs using PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism or Sanger sequencing. We found an average of 91.44% of genotype concordance, 95.36% of allelic concordance and 0.85 of r² correlation between imputed and real genotype data. This indicates that our GWAS mapping results based on imputed SNP data are reliable, providing insights into the genetic basis of boar reproductive traits.