The use of genomic information to improve selection response while controlling inbreeding in dairy cattle breeding programs

Publication date: 23/12/2019
Extent: 26 pages

Contributions by: C. Maltecca, North Carolina State University, USA; C. Baes, University of Guelph, Canada; and F. Tiezzi, North Carolina State University, USA

Chapter synopsis: This chapter discusses the use of genomic information to improve selection response in dairy cattle breeding programs. It assesses population size and inbreeding, as well as discussing how genetic information can be used to reduce inbreeding. The chapter also provides an understanding of the genetics of inbreeding and how the construction of mating designs can be used to limit inbreeding. The authors also review how alleles can be maintained and discusses how optimum contribution selection (OCS) can be used to maximize selection response while controlling inbreeding. It concludes by providing a case study of using optimum contribution selection and an overview of how genetic information can provide a new way forward in understanding and controlling inbreeding.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2019.0058.05