Journal of Animal Science, Vol 75, Issue 4 934-940, Copyright © 1997 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Maximizing the response of selection with a predefined rate of inbreeding

T. H. Meuwissen
DLO-Institute of Animal Science and Health, Lelystad, The Netherlands.

A method was derived that maximizes the genetic level of selected animals while constraining their average coancestry to a predefined value. The average coancestry of the selected parents equals the inbreeding level in the next generation, so that rates of inbreeding were controlled. When this method was applied for several generations of selection, stable rates of genetic gain were attained, which indicates that the method could control the short- and long-term effects of selection on inbreeding. At equal rates of inbreeding, genetic gains were 21 to 60% greater than that with selection for BLUP-EBV, because of increased selection differentials. The difference was larger when the desirable rate of inbreeding was smallest. Selection with a constraint on inbreeding required only EBV of, and relationships between, the selection candidates and is therefore easy to apply in practice. The optimal solution is expressed in genetic contributions of selection candidates to the next generation, which is equivalent to numbers of offspring per candidate. These optimal numbers of offspring may be difficult to attain because of female reproductive limitations. The optimal method could be adapted to situations with additional reproductive constraints. The method can also be used to constrain the variance of response by restricting the average prediction error variance of the selected animals.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Fernandez, M. A. Toro, and A. Caballero Management of Subdivided Populations in Conservation Programs: Development of a Novel Dynamic System Genetics, May 1, 2008; 179(1): 683 - 692. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Hinrichs, M. Wetten, and T. H. E. Meuwissen An algorithm to compute optimal genetic contributions in selection programs with large numbers of candidates J Anim Sci, December 1, 2006; 84(12): 3212 - 3218. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. A. Oliehoek, J. J. Windig, J. A. M. van Arendonk, and P. Bijma Estimating Relatedness Between Individuals in General Populations With a Focus on Their Use in Conservation Programs Genetics, May 1, 2006; 173(1): 483 - 496. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Lstiburek, T. J. Mullin, T. F. C. Mackay, D. Huber, and B. Li Positive Assortative Mating With Family Size as a Function of Predicted Parental Breeding Values Genetics, November 1, 2005; 171(3): 1311 - 1320. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Bennewitz and T. H. E. Meuwissen Estimation of Extinction Probabilities of Five German Cattle Breeds by Population Viability Analysis J Dairy Sci, August 1, 2005; 88(8): 2949 - 2961. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. C. Sorensen, M. K. Sorensen, and P. Berg Inbreeding in Danish Dairy Cattle Breeds J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2005; 88(5): 1865 - 1872. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. F. Kearney, E. Wall, B. Villanueva, and M. P. Coffey Inbreeding Trends and Application of Optimized Selection in the UK Holstein Population J Dairy Sci, October 1, 2004; 87(10): 3503 - 3509. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Villanueva, J. C. M. Dekkers, J. A. Woolliams, and P. Settar Maximizing genetic gain over multiple generations with quantitative trait locus selection and control of inbreeding J Anim Sci, May 1, 2004; 82(5): 1305 - 1314. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Sanchez and J. A. Woolliams Impact of Nonrandom Mating on Genetic Variance and Gene Flow in Populations With Mass Selection Genetics, January 1, 2004; 166(1): 527 - 535. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Avendano, B. Villanueva, and J. A. Woolliams Expected increases in genetic merit from using optimized contributions in two livestock populations of beef cattle and sheep J Anim Sci, December 1, 2003; 81(12): 2964 - 2975. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. A. Weigeland and S. W. Lin Controlling Inbreeding by Constraining the Average Relationship Between Parents of Young Bulls Entering AI Progeny Test Programs J Dairy Sci, September 1, 2002; 85(9): 2376 - 2383. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Bijma and J. A. Woolliams Prediction of Rates of Inbreeding in Populations Selected on Best Linear Unbiased Prediction of Breeding Value Genetics, September 1, 2000; 156(1): 361 - 373. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. A. Woolliams, P. Bijma, and B. Villanueva Expected Genetic Contributions and Their Impact on Gene Flow and Genetic Gain Genetics, October 1, 1999; 153(2): 1009 - 1020. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Sanchez, M. A. Toro, and C. García Improving the Efficiency of Artificial Selection: More Selection Pressure With Less Inbreeding Genetics, March 1, 1999; 151(3): 1103 - 1114. [Abstract] [Full Text]