Resilience, tolerance, robustness and genotype x environment interaction in Merino sheep breeding

Title
Resilience, tolerance, robustness and genotype x environment interaction in Merino sheep breeding
Publication Date
2014
Author(s)
Dominik, Sonja
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1942-8539
Email: sdomini2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:sdomini2
Swan, Andrew
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8048-3169
Email: aswan@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:aswan
Editor
Editor(s): Susanne Hermesch and Sonja Dominik
Type of document
Book Chapter
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
University of New England, Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit
Place of publication
Armidale, Australia
Edition
1
UNE publication id
une:17227
Abstract
The concepts of environmental resilience, robustness and tolerance in domestic livestock species are discussed in general and illustrated using specific examples from the Australian Merino industry. It is discussed how these concepts relate to the more commonly known notion of genotype x environment (GxE) interaction. The Merino sheep breed consists of genetic strains that have been selected for suitability to specific environments and has reached a high level of pecification for quality wool production. At the same time Merino sheep produce across a wide range of climatic environments and next to wool contribute substantially to Australia's prime lamb production. By gathering scientific and anecdotal evidence, it is explored if the Merino sheep breed is resilient, robust or tolerant to environmental fluctuations, including the environmental differences that are generated by the stud and commercial sector. It is outlined how GxE interaction is currently considered in MERINOSELECT, the national genetic evaluation system for Merino sheep, and future opportunities to consider environmental resilience, robustness or tolerance in livestock breeding programs.
Link
Citation
Breeding Focus 2014 - Improving Resilience, p. 115-127
ISBN
9781921597664
9781921597657
Start page
115
End page
127

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