Characterising the quantity and quality of data used in Merino sheep genetic evaluation systems

Title
Characterising the quantity and quality of data used in Merino sheep genetic evaluation systems
Publication Date
2021
Author(s)
Guy, S Z Y
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5553-1808
Email: sarita.guy@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:sguy6
Brown, D J
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4786-7563
Email: dbrown2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:dbrown2
Abstract
Paper presented by S Z Y Guy
Type of document
Conference Publication
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics (AAABG)
Place of publication
Armidale, Australia
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/37688
Abstract

Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) published by Sheep Genetics Australia have an accuracy estimated with them. While the EBVs, their accuracy, and errors of genetic parameter estimates are all influenced by both data quantity and quality, these calculations do not explicitly take into account all aspects of data quality. To encourage increased genetic gains, Sheep Genetics provides participating breeders with data quantity and quality metrics in a 'RAMping Up Genetic gains' report. This paper demonstrates the considerable variation in these metrics for Merino flocks, and proposes additional descriptors metrics to characterise the quantity and quality of sheep genetic evaluation data. Current results show that there are opportunities to improve the completeness of pedigree and reproduction trait recording. Flocks had on average 46.6 ± 36.1% (mean ± SD) of animals with full pedigree, and 4.1 ± 6.9% of animals within each flock with reproduction trait records. The average proportion of effective progeny was 64.3 ± 19.1%. Flocks had on average 40.2 ± 37.3% of animals in contemporary groups that had variation in birth date recording. Since variation in age within contemporary groups is expected, this highlights potential issues with accurate recording of birth dates. Additional metrics describing lambing date distributions and deviations from the expected dates were derived, and emphasise potential issues of birth date accuracy, with some flocks recording birth dates on a non-random proportion of days of the week. Feedback on the quantity and quality of their current data should help ram breeders target improvements on their recording program. However, the optimum or reasonable level of quantity and quality to maximise genetic gains is currently undefined.

Link
Citation
Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics, v.24, p. 139-142
ISSN
1328-3227
Start page
139
End page
142

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