Optimum linear indices for non-linear profit functions

1993 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Pasternak ◽  
J. I. Weller

AbstractAn iterative method is presented, based on the method of Moav and Hill (1966) to derive the optimum linear selection index for any number of traits with linear or non-linear profit functions. For non-linear profit functions the index weights will be functions of the trait means prior to selection and the selection intensity. Using the equations developed, the optimum selection index for three dairy cattle milk production traits was computed. Convergence was obtained after three to four iterations, and was robust to the starting values used for iteration. The ratio of expected genetic gains were only marginally different for selection intensities of 1 and 4 standard deviation units. Differences were greater for the index coefficients. All alternative indices tested gave lower gains in profit than the optimum index. For linear profit functions this index reduces to the standard linear index, and for two uncorrelated traits this index reduces to the index of Moav and Hill (1966).

2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 108-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Zink ◽  
J. Lassen ◽  
M. Štípková

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for female fertility and production traits in first-parity Czech Holstein cows and to quantify the effect of using this information on the accuracy of a selection index in seven different scenarios. In order to estimate genetic (co)variance components, the DMU software running an AI-REML algorithm was used. The analyses were made using a series of bivariate animal models. The pedigree included 164 125 animals and it was set up using a pruned animal model design. The present study included the following female fertility traits for the first lactations: calving to the first insemination (CF), days open (DO), calving from the first to the last insemination (FL), and milk production traits: milk production (MLK), kg of fat (FAT), and kg of protein (PROT). The heritability for all the investigated fertility traits was low and close to 0. Moderate heritabilities for production traits ranging from 0.20 (MLK) to 0.23 (PROT) were estimated. The strongest unfavourable correlation was found between PROT and DO (0.49). Other estimated correlations between fertility traits and production traits were moderate, ranging from 0.26 to 0.41. The results of this study evidence that cows with the poorest genetic potential for reproductive performance are those having high genetic potential for milk production and milk components. The results also show that the number of days from calving to new pregnancy depends on the production level. Seven investigated scenarios using selection index theory show a clear trend for increasing accuracy when more fertility traits were added as well as when higher numbers of daughters with information on reproduction traits per sire were available.  


1977 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Frankham

SUMMARYAn experimental evaluation of Robertson's (1970) theory concerning optimum intensities of selection for selection of varying durations has been carried out using published results from a long term selection study in Drosophila. Agreement of predicted rankings of treatments with expectations was excellent for low values of t/T (generations/total number scored) but poor for larger values of t/T. This was due to the 20% selection intensity treatments responding worse than expected and the 40% treatments relatively better than expected. Several possible reasons for the discrepancies exist but the most likely explanation is considered to be the greater reduction in effective population size due to selection in treatments with more intense selection.


1995 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. M. Dekkers ◽  
P. V. Birke ◽  
J. P. Gibson

AbstractA method to obtain linear selection indexes that maximize objectives that involve average profit in one or more generations within a planning horizon based on non-linear profit functions, was derived through application of optimal control theory. The method involves simultaneous optimization of indexes for each generation in the planning horizon. Optimum linear indexes were found to be conform indexes derived from selection index theory, with economic values equal to a weighted sum of partial derivatives of the profit function at the trait means which result in each generation of the planning horizon. Numerical procedures to derive optimum indexes are presented. Methods and properties of alternative strategies for selection witli non-linear profit functions are illustrated for selection on egg weight and rate of lay in poultry. In the example, the additional benefit of selection indexes that maximize cumulative net present value of profit over a planning horizon of10 years was small relative to use of traditional selection procedures. Optimal indexes were also derived with a derivative-free non-linear programming optimizer, with identical results. The latter method also allows incorporation of additional constraints.Possible extensions of the optimal control methodology to address other problems related to optimization of selection over multiple generations are discussed.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 ◽  
pp. 126-126
Author(s):  
A. Abdolmohammadi ◽  
M. Moradi Shahrebabak ◽  
S. R. M. Ashtiani

Improvement of longevity by direct selection of sires based on theirs daughters’ longevity measures is impractical because of a low heritability and generation intervals prolonged by waiting until all cows complete their productive life. As an alternative to direct evaluation of sires for longevity is indirect prediction from genetically correlated production traits measures in the first lactation. The objectives this study were 1) to estimate genetic parameters of longevity and production traits 2) to examine relationships between longevity and first lactation milk production traits and 3) to determine selection index for sires’ longevity based on production traits.


Author(s):  
J.P. Gibson

The goal of livestock genetic improvement is maximun increase in the economic efficiency of production (economic merit). When several traits contribute to economic merit, optimum genetic improvement can often be achieved by use of a discriminant function of available information (known as a selection index) which maximises expected genetic progress in the aggregate genotype, economic merit. This approach assumes that economic merit is a linear function of genetically controlled outputs. Although this may not always be true, since genetic responses are usually relatively small (0.005 to 0.020 of the mean per year) any non-linear effects are second-order and can generally be ignored. Economic optimization procedures which match production environments to genotypes would generate effectively non-linear functions, such non-linearity will generally be small. Thus the selection index approach can be applied, provided that functions describing economic merit are based on previously optimized production environments.


1992 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Kanis ◽  
A. G. de Vries

AbstractOptimum selection directions for averagead libitumfood intake capacity (FIC) in growing pigs were derived by means of a biological growth model based on the linear/plateau relationship between protein deposition and food intake. Breeding goal traits were minimum fat to protein deposition ratio (R), maximum protein deposition rate (Pdmax) and FIC. The selection index included FIC, daily weight gain (DG), backfat thickness and proportion of lean meat in the carcass of a full-sib.Selection indexes were developed for three alternative levels of FIC. If FIC was too low to realize Pdmax, the economic weight of FIC was positive and optimal selection emphasis should be mainly on FIC, resulting in a rapid increase of DG. If FIC was higher than necessary to realize Pdmax, the economic weight of FIC was negative, and short-term selection resulted in increase of carcass leanness but decrease of FIC and DG. If FIC was just sufficient to realize Pdmax, selection should be for R and Pdmax. In this third alternative, the gain in FIC should follow the gain in R and Pdmaxin an optimal way and selection should best be carried out with a desired gains index, which results in improvement of DG and carcass leanness.It was shown that, in cases where FIC was higher than necessary to realize Pdmax, selection with a desired gainsindex should be preferred because this was more profitable in the long term. From the model calculations, it followed that future profit from selection of growing pigs for production traits is likely to decline because of the necessity to increase FIC.


Author(s):  
Rahman Hussein AL-Qasimi ◽  
Shatha Mohammed Abbas ◽  
Allawi L.D. AL-Khauzai

The study was carried out on 19 ewes of local Awassi sheep and 12ewes local Arabi sheep in the Al-kafeel sheep station Karbala, to determine the effect of breed and some non-genetic factors such as (sex of the lamb, type of birth, age and weight of ewes at birth) on daily and total milk production and lactation period and some of milk components (fat, protein and lactose). The results showed that a significant effect (P <0.05) of the breed on milk production traits where Awassi sheep recorded the highest mean (0.91 kg , 101.63 kg , 104.86 day) compared to the Arabi sheep she was means (0.77 kg , 88.15 kg , 99.15 day) respectively. As well as in proportions of milk components with mean( 5.1 , 4.90 , 5.51) % respectively compared to the Arabi sheep (4.70 . 4.20 . 4.89) ewes with male lambs also exceeded superior ewes with female lambs in daily and total milk production and the lactation period the sex of the lamb did not affect the proportions of milk components the weight of the ewes had a significant effect (P <0.05) in milk production attributes with superior weight of ewes on lower ewes and did not affect the proportions of milk ingredients except for lactose. The type of birth and the age of the ewes did not have a significant effect in all the studied traits except for the superiority (P<0.05) of young ewes on age ewes in the fat percentage of milk.


2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 430-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Li ◽  
Aixin Liang ◽  
Zipeng Li ◽  
Chao Du ◽  
Guohua Hua ◽  
...  

This Research Communication describes the association between genetic variation within the prolactin (PRL) gene and the milk production traits of Italian Mediterranean river buffalo (Bufala mediterranea Italiana). High resolution melting (HRM) techniques were developed for genotyping 465 buffaloes. The association of genetic polymorphism with milk production traits was performed and subsequently the effects of parity and calving season were evaluated. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified at exons 2 and 5 and at introns 1 and 2. All the SNPs were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, and statistical analysis showed that the polymorphism of intron1 was significantly (P < 0·05) associated with milk yield, milk protein content and peak milk yield. The average contribution of the intron1 genotype (r2intron1) to total phenotypic variance in milk production traits was 0·09, and the TT genotype showed lower values than CC and CT genotypes. A nonsynonymous SNP was identified in exon 2, which resulted in an amino acid change from arginine to cysteine. Moreover, the polymorphism of exon 2 was associated significantly with milk fat content (P < 0·05), and the buffaloes with TT genotype showed higher total fat content than the buffaloes with CT genotype. These findings provide evidence that polymorphisms of the buffalo PRL gene are associated with milk production traits and PRL can be used as a candidate gene for marker-assisted selection in Italian Mediterranean river buffalo breeding.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Brian Christensen ◽  
Elias D. Zachariae ◽  
Nina A. Poulsen ◽  
Albert J. Buitenhuis ◽  
Lotte B. Larsen ◽  
...  

Abstract Our objective was to determine the content of the bioactive protein osteopontin (OPN) in bovine milk and identify factors influencing its concentration. OPN is expressed in many tissues and body fluids, with by far the highest concentrations in milk. OPN plays a role in immunological and developmental processes and it has been associated with several milk production traits and lactation persistency in cows. In the present study, we report the development of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for measurement of OPN in bovine milk. The method was used to determine the concentration of OPN in milk from 661 individual Danish Holstein cows. The median OPN level was determined to 21.9 mg/l with a pronounced level of individual variation ranging from 0.4 mg/l to 67.8 mg/l. Breeding for increased OPN in cow's milk is of significant interest, however, the heritability of OPN in milk was found to be relatively low, with an estimated value of 0.19 in the current dataset. The variation explained by the herd was also found to be low suggesting that OPN levels are not affected by farm management or feeding. Interestingly, the concentration of OPN was found to increase with days in milk and to decrease with parity.


Genetics ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-530
Author(s):  
J P Hanrahan ◽  
E J Eisen ◽  
J E Legates

ABSTRACT The effects of population size and selection intensity on the mean response was examined after 14 generations of within full-sib family selection for postweaning gain in mice. Population sizes of 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 pair matings were each evaluated at selection intensities of 100% (control), 50% and 25% in a replicated experiment. Selection response per generation increased as selection intensity increased. Selection response and realized heritability tended to increase with increasing population size. Replicate variability in realized heritability was large at population sizes of 1, 2 and 4 pairs. Genetic drift was implicated as the primary factor causing the reduced response and lowered repeatability at the smaller population sizes. Lines with intended effective population sizes of 62 yielded larger selection responses per unit selection differential than lines with effective population sizes of 30 or less.


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