Economic evaluation of whole genome selection using meat sheep as a case study

Abstract

A number of scenarios for meat sheep genetic improvement in Australia are evaluated, incorporating various combinations of additional performance recording via an Information Nucleus (IN), and implementation of Whole Genome Selection (WGS). The unsurprising results are obtained that the increment of economic return depends on the increments of accuracy, speed and cost. Perhaps more interestingly, it is clear that implementation of either IN and or WGS will almost certainly both require but also stimulate evolution of industry structure towards a more clearly defined nucleus:multiplier:commercial base model, and will require further evolution of co-investment, from the current mix of stud breeders, collective industry and taxpayer funds, to models likely to involve investment from processors, retailers and potential from genotyping companies.