Valuing Phenotypes in the Genomics Era
The project aimed to assist in funding leading breeders to attend an industry workshop that was hosted to address the challenges of the probable decline of performance recording as genotyping adoption increases.
| Project start date: | 22 October 2017 |
| Project end date: | 30 October 2018 |
| Publication date: | 23 February 2023 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | National |
Summary
This project will host an industry workshop to discuss and address the challenges of genetic evaluation for the extensive livestock industries through the increase in adoption of genomics. It will also fund leading breeders to attend and contribute.
Objectives
The project aims to assist in funding leading breeders to attend an industry workshop that will be hosted to address the challenges of the probable decline of performance recording as genotyping adoption increases.
Attendees will participate in identifying potential strategies to ensure genetic progress in industry as genomics becomes more prevalant.
The proceedings of the workshop will become an aid for industry stakeholders when considering options for providing genetic evaluation and improvement in services that ensure genetic gain is maintained or improved in industry.
Benefits to industry
The increase in adoption of genotyping will potentially decrease the amount of performance recording in the cattle and sheep industries. This will result in a decline in animals that can be utilised as a reference population (animals with phenotype and genotype recorded), which is essential for the utilisation of genomic information. Therefore, accuracy of selection and rate of genetic progress will decline in industry. This is estimated to be a decline of selection accuracy of 5% per year, which generates an NPV cost to industry of $125m over 15years.
