the sheep industry and genomics: current opportunities, future potential ben hayes
TRANSCRIPT
The sheep industry and genomics:
Current opportunities, future potential
Ben Hayes
• Question: Is anything 100 times cheaper now than in 2006?
No. ~ 3 times cheaper (if you’re lucky)
No. ~ 20 times cheaper
The technology
• 50,000 DNA markers on a chip• ~ 100 x cheaper than 6 years ago
Hard to measure, late in life
• Lean meat yield, number of lambs weaned
• Genomic breeding values: Pedigree “borrows” information
from relatives “Borrow” information from
animals with similar DNA profile
• For young rams, like having some progeny with records!
Recipe for success?
• The lesson from Dairy, beef, sheep• Require large “reference” populations
– Key traits measured (html)– DNA profiles evaluated with chip – Larger -> more accuracy
• Sheep CRC Information nucleus ideal! > 12,000 progeny
Accuracy of selection results in gain
6
Accuracy = 35%
Accuracy of selection results in gain
7
Accuracy = 35%
Top 10 GEBV
8
Accuracy = 70%
Top 10 GEBV
Doubling accuracy is doubling gain!
Accuracies of genomic breeding values
Trait Terminal Merino Beef
Post weaning wt 0.35 0.56 0.35
Intra muscular fat 0.38 0.19
Tenderness 0.34 0.19 0.33
Iron 0.26 0.24
Omega-3 0.17 0.23
Adult fleece weight 0.66
Adult fibre diameter 0.76
Accuracies of genomic breeding values
Trait Terminal Merino Beef
Post weaning wt 0.35 0.56 0.35
Intra muscular fat 0.38 0.19
Tenderness 0.34 0.19 0.33
Iron 0.26 0.24
Omega-3 0.17 0.23
Adult fleece weight 0.66
Adult fibre diameter 0.76
Accuracies of genomic breeding values
Trait Terminal Merino Beef
Post weaning wt 0.35 0.56 0.35
Intra muscular fat 0.38 0.19
Tenderness 0.34 0.19 0.33
Iron 0.26 0.24
Omega-3 0.17 0.23
Adult fleece weight 0.66
Adult fibre diameter 0.76
Accuracies of genomic breeding values
Trait Beef Dairy
Milk production 0.78
Fertility 0.35 0.60
Feed conversion 0.42 0.42
Longevity 0.64
Without genomics • $2 ewe / yr
With current genomics extra 10%• $2.20 ewe / yr
After 7 years of Sheep CRC extra 30%• $2.60 ewe / yr
Even greater in Merinos
Economic benefit?
o Young sire programs More accurate selection of young rams
o Juvenile in vitro embyro transfer (JIVET) Choose ewe lambs with genomic ASBVs!
o Halve generation interval
o Towards 100% increased gain ($4/ewe/yr)?
Reduce generation interval?
Conclusions Rapid cost reduction DNA technology Accurate genomic breeding values
Other traits on the way Number of lambs weaned, Omega-3
Synergies young sire programs, JIVET Towards doubling rate of gain?