scholarly journals 277 Phenotypic and genetic differences in Rambouillet lines divergently selected for reproductive rate over 50 years

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 206-206
Author(s):  
Tom Murphy ◽  
Jennifer M Thomson ◽  
James Berardinelli ◽  
Brent Roeder

Abstract A long-term selection experiment was conducted in a Rambouillet flock from 1969 to 2017. The high (HL) and low lines (LL) were divergently selected based on a maternal reproductive index, and an unselected control line (CL) was also maintained. Adult ewe traits considered were NLB, greasy fleece weight (GFW), and body weight after fall weaning of their lambs (BW). Results indicated that NLB was greatest for HL (1.67 ± 0.01), intermediate for CL (1.48 ± 0.02), and least for LL (1.28 ± 0.01; P < 0.001). Ewe GFW was greatest for LL (3.9 ± 0.02 kg; P ≤ 0.01) but not different between HL (3.82 ± 0.02 kg) and CL (3.88 ± 0.02 kg; P = 0.08); whereas, BW was least for HL (61.7 ± 0.19 kg; P ≤ 0.01) and not different between LL (62.9 ± 0.21 kg) and CL (62.6 ± 0.25 kg; P = 0.58). Heritability was estimated to be low for NLB (0.13 ± 0.02) and moderate for GFW (0.55 ± 0.03) and BW (0.46 ± 0.04). Genetic correlations were estimated to be near zero between NLB and GFW (-0.07 ± 0.08) and NLB and BW (0.12 ± 0.08) and low between GFW and BW (0.29 ± 0.06). Trends for NLB predicted breeding value differed among all 3 lines (P < 0.01) and was positive for HL (0.012 ± 0.0002 lambs/birth year), negative for LL (-0.005 ± 0.0002), and small but positive for CL (0.002 ± 0.0002). Inbreeding rates were positive in all lines but greatest for HL (0.45 ± 0.005 %/birth year), intermediate in LL (0.37 ± 0.006), and lowest in CL (0.28 ± 0.006). Results indicated long-term phenotypic selection for reproductive rate was effective and not genetically antagonistic with wool production or mature BW.

1997 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUTZ BÜNGER ◽  
WILLIAM G. HILL

To assess the role of genetic changes in sensitivity to leptin hormone in contributing to responses to long-term selection for fatness, leptin was administered to a long-term fat selected (F) and a control line (C) of mice. These lines differ almost three fold in their percentage of fat (fat%) at about 15 weeks of age. Treated (T) animals received twice-daily intraperitoneal injections of 5 mg/kg leptin from 91 to 105 days of age; untreated (U) animals received equivolume injections of phosphate-buffered saline. Treated compared with untreated animals in both lines had significantly (P<0·05) lower mean body weight, food intake and fatness at the end of test (fat%: CT 3%, CU 7·4%, FT 14·9%, FU21·1%). The differences in response between the lines [(CT−CU)−(FT−FU)] were all non-significant (P>0·05), however. There was a very wide range of fatness (estimated from dry matter content) among FT animals (3–29%), much higher than in FU (15–31%), CT (0·7–6·4%) and CU (2–15%) animals. While sensitivity to leptin remains in the fat line, response appears to vary among animals at the dose level used.


1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUTZ BÜNGER ◽  
ULLA RENNE ◽  
GERHARD DIETL ◽  
SIEGFRIED KUHLA

Based on the outbred mouse strain Fzt: Du, which has been obtained by systematic crossing of four inbred and four outbred lines, a long-term selection experiment was carried out for total protein amount (PA) in the carcass, starting in 1975. An unselected control line (CO) was kept under the same management but without continuous protein analysis. The protein amount of male carcasses at 42 days of age (P42) increased from 2·9 g in generation 0 to 5·2 g at generation 70, representing 97% of a theoretical selection limit. The total selection response amounts to 2·3 g, which is about 80% above the initial value and corresponds to 9σp or 12σA . The estimated realized heritability of protein amount decreased from 0·56 to 0·03 at generation 70, which was due to an increase in phenotypic variance from 0·065 to 0·24 g2 and a reduction in genetic variance from 0·04 to 0·01 g2. Half the selection response was obtained after about 18 to 23 generations, a half-life of 0·25 to 0·3 Ne. The maximum selection response was 0·094 g/generation and the response was 0·01 g/generation at generation 70. The measurements of body weights at 0, 10, 21, 42 and 63 days throughout the experiment showed a strong correlated effect for all weights. The PA mice are one of the heaviest lines of mice ever reported, and do not differ significantly in their body composition from control mice at 42 days. The direct selection response was due primarily to increased general growth. Body weight and protein amount are phenotypically and genetically highly correlated (rp=0·82, rA≈1); however, selection for body weight led to fatter animals, whereas selection for protein opposed increased fatness (at least until selection age). This may be of general importance in animal breeding. The comparatively high selection response in this experiment seems due to the heterogeneity of the base population, the relatively high effective population size, and the duration of the experiment.


1970 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 837 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Jackson ◽  
JW James

Data from two-tooth rams and ewes representing seven Australian Merino studs were analysed to provide estimates of between-stud genetic variances and between-stud genetic correlations for 20 wool and body traits. The estimates were used to compare two methods of choosing foundation animals for a new stud: selection within one stud or selection within each of several studs. Where only one trait was considered in selection, and provided that accurate estimates of stud mean breeding values were available, selection from a single stud was superior, although there were some differences between traits in the degree of superiority. Where more than one trait was considered the conclusion depended on the relative magnitudes and signs of the between and within-stud genetic and phenotypic correlations. In the particular case of selection for high clean fleece weight and fine fibre diameter, a strong unfavourable between-stud genetic correlation shifted the emphasis more toward selection from several studs, but selection from a single stud was still superior when accurate estimates of stud mean breeding values for clean fleece weight were available. When response to subsequent selection, as well as immediate gain in choice of founders, was considered, the conclusions were reversed. For a single trait, selection from several studs was always superior in the long term (three or more generations), and also in the short term when accurate estimates of stud mean breeding values were not available.


1985 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 239-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. I. McKAY ◽  
A. D. GRAHAM ◽  
R. J. PARKER

Carcass analysis of mice selected for large 6-wk body weight (BW6) or long 6-wk tail length (TL6) is reported. There was no evidence of excessive fat deposition in the selected lines when compared to a randomly bred control line. Key words: Mice, carcass composition, selection, fat


1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. D. Cameron ◽  
M. K. Curran

AbstractResponses to divergent selection for lean growth rate with ad-libitum feeding (LGA), for lean food conversion (LFC) and for daily food intake (DFI) in Landrace pigs were studied. Selection was practised for four generations with a generation interval ofl year. A total of 2642 pigs were performance tested in the high, low and control lines, with an average of 37 boars and 39 gilts performance tested per selection line in each generation. The average within-line inbreeding coefficient at generation four was equal to 0·04. There was one control line for the DFI and LFC selection groups and another control line for the LGA selection group. Animals were performance tested in individual pens with mean starting and finishing weights of 30 kg and 85 kg respectively with ad-libitum feeding. The selection criteria had phenotypic s.d. of 32, 29 and 274 units, for LGA, LFC and DFI, respectively, and results are presented in phenotypic s.d.Cumulative selection differentials (CSD) were 5·1, 4·5 and 5·5 phenotypic s.d. for LGA, LFC and DFI, respectively. Direct responses to selection were 1·4,1·1 and 0·9 (s.e. 0·20) for LGA, LFC and DFI. In each of the three selection groups, the CSD and direct responses to selection were symmetric about the control lines. The correlated response in LFC (1·1, s.e. 0·19) with selection on LGA was equal to the direct response in LFC. In contrast, the direct response in LGA was greater than the correlated response (0·7, s.e. 0·18) with selection on LFC. There was a negative correlated response in DFI (-0·6, s.e. 0·18) with selection on LFC, but the response with selection on LGA was not significant (0·2, s.e. 0·16).Heritabilities for LGA, LFC and DFI ivere 0·25, 0·25 and 0·18 (s.e. 0·03), when estimated by residual maximum likelihood, with common environmental effects of 0·12 (s.e. 0·02). Genetic correlations for LFC with LGA and DFI were respectively positive (0·87, s.e. 0·02) and negative (-0·36, s.e. 0·09), while the genetic correlation between DFI and LGA was not statistically different from zero, 0·13 (s.e. 0·10). Selection on components of efficient lean growth has identified LGA as an effective selection objective for improving both LGA and LFC, without a reduction in DFI.


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