Genetic analysis of emotional reactivity in sheep: effects of the genotypes of the lambs and of their dams

A total of 1347 weaned lambs from eight genotypes were tested over five consecutive years: Romanov (ROM) and Lacaune (LAC) pure breeds, the two F1 crossbreeds (RL and LR) and the offspring of ewes from these four genotypes sired with Berrichon-du-Cher rams (BCF). The lambs were individually exposed to three challenging tests involving novelty, human contact and social isolation. Ten synthetic variables were used to express social reactivity (i.e., active vs. passive strategy), exploratory activity and reactivity to humans. BCF crossbreds were more active (i.e., high bleats, locomotion and attempts to escape) than purebreds and F1. In contrast, ROM expressed more passive responses (i.e., low bleats and vigilance postures) than LAC and BCF crossbreds. In addition, ROM approached a motionless human less and had longer flight distances to an approaching human than did LAC and BCF crossbreds. When restrained, ROM, and to a lesser extent B×ROM and B×LR, avoided human contact more than did LAC, RL and B×LAC. Most of these differences were explained by direct additive genetic effects while maternal influences or heterosis effects were rarely significant. The highest heritability was for high bleats (h2 = 0.48). Females were more active and avoided human contact more than did males

Simulation analysis to test the influence of model adequacy and data structure on the estimation of genetic parameters for traits with direct and maternal effects

Simulations were used to study the influence of model adequacy and data structure on the estimation of genetic parameters for traits governed by direct and maternal effects. To test model adequacy, several data sets were simulated according to different underlying genetic assumptions and analysed by comparing the correct and incorrect models. Results showed that omission of one of the random effects leads to an incorrect decomposition of the other components. If maternal genetic effects exist but are neglected, direct heritability is overestimated, and sometimes more than double. The bias depends on the value of the genetic correlation between direct and maternal effects. To study the influence of data structure on the estimation of genetic parameters, several populations were simulated, with different degrees of known paternity and different levels of genetic connectedness between flocks. Results showed that the lack of connectedness affects estimates when flocks have different genetic means because no distinction can be made between genetic and environmental differences between flocks. In this case, direct and maternal heritabilities are under-estimated, whereas maternal environmental effects are overestimated. The insufficiency of pedigree leads to biased estimates of genetic parameters

Genetic analysis of milking ability in Lacaune dairy ewes

The milking ability of Lacaune ewes was characterised by derived traits of milk flow patterns, in an INRA experimental farm, from a divergent selection experiment in order to estimate the correlated effects of selection for protein and fat yields. The analysis of selected divergent line effects (involving 34 616 data and 1204 ewes) indicated an indirect improvement of milking traits (+17% for maximum milk flow and -10% for latency time) with a 25% increase in milk yield. Genetic parameters were estimated by multi-trait analysis with an animal model, on 751 primiparous ewes. The heritabilities of the traits expressed on an annual basis were high, especially for maximum flow (0.54) and for latency time (0.55). The heritabilities were intermediate for average flow (0.30), time at maximum flow (0.42) and phase of increasing flow (0.43), and low for the phase of decreasing flow (0.16) and the plateau of high flow (0.07). When considering test-day data, the heritabilities of maximum flow and latency time remained intermediate and stable throughout the lactation. Genetic correlations between milk yield and milking traits were all favourable, but latency time was less milk yield dependent (-0.22) than maximum flow (+0.46). It is concluded that the current dairy ewe selection based on milk solid yield is not antagonistic to milking ability

Segregation of a major gene influencing ovulation in progeny of Lacaune meat sheep

Inheritance of the ovulation rate (OR) in the Lacaune meat breed was studied through records from a small nucleus of 36 hyper-prolific ewes screened on farms on the basis of their natural litter size, and from progeny data of three selected Lacaune sires. These sires were chosen at the AI centre according to their breeding values estimated for the mean and the variability of their daughters' litter size. Non-carrier Lacaune dairy ewes were inseminated to produce 121 F1 daughters and 27 F1 sons. Twelve sons (four from each sire) were used in turn to inseminate non-carrier Lacaune dairy ewes providing 260 BC progeny ewes. F1 and BC progeny were brought from private farms and gathered after weaning on an experimental farm where ovulation rates were recorded in the first and second breeding seasons. With an average of 6.5 records each, the mean OR of hyper-prolific ewes was very high (5.34), and 38.4% of records showed a rate of 6 or more. F1 data showed high repeatability of OR (r = 0.54) within ewe, with significant variability among ewes. High OR (≥ 4) were observed in each family. A segregation analysis provided a significant likelihood ratio and classified the three founders as heterozygous. BC ewes also displayed high repeatability of OR (r = 0.47) and the mean OR varied considerably between families (from 1.24 to 1.78). Seven of the 12 BC families presented high-ovulating ewes (at least one record ≥ 4) and segregation analysis yielded a highly significant likelihood ratio as compared to an empirical test distribution. The high variability of the mean ovulation rate shown by a small group of daughters of BC ewes inseminated by putative carrier F1 rams, and the very high ovulation rate observed for some of these ewe lambs, confirmed the segregation of a major gene with two co-dominant alleles borne by an autosome. The difference between homozygous non-carriers and heterozygous ewes was about one ovulation on the observed scale and 2.2 standard deviations on the underlying scale

Impact of strong selection for the PrP major gene on genetic variability of four French sheep breeds (Open Access publication)

Effective selection on the PrP gene has been implemented since October 2001 in all French sheep breeds. After four years, the ARR "resistant" allele frequency increased by about 35% in young males. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of this strong selection on genetic variability. It is focussed on four French sheep breeds and based on the comparison of two groups of 94 animals within each breed: the first group of animals was born before the selection began, and the second, 3–4 years later. Genetic variability was assessed using genealogical and molecular data (29 microsatellite markers). The expected loss of genetic variability on the PrP gene was confirmed. Moreover, among the five markers located in the PrP region, only the three closest ones were affected. The evolution of the number of alleles, heterozygote deficiency within population, expected heterozygosity and the Reynolds distances agreed with the criteria from pedigree and pointed out that neutral genetic variability was not much affected. This trend depended on breed, i.e. on their initial states (population size, PrP frequencies) and on the selection strategies for improving scrapie resistance while carrying out selection for production traits

Numéro hors série : Eléments de génétique quantitative et application aux populations animales - Sommaire & Avant-propos

Cet ouvrage s’adresse non seulement aux généticiens, mais aussi aux professionnels, aux enseignants et aux étudiants. Il présente le contexte et les acteurs de l’amélioration génétique en France, les bases de la génétique quantitative, les objectifs et les critères de sélection, l’évaluation des reproducteurs, la gestion des populations et, enfin, les apports actuels et futurs des marqueurs génétiques dans l’amélioration des populations animales

Elements de reflexion pour une exploitation/gestion de la variabilite genetique

*INRA/SAGA Toulouse Diffusion du document : INRA/SAGA ToulouseNational audienc

Le point sur la notion de connexion en génétique animale

National audienceThe connectedness was defined through a statistical approach, and under the specific animal breeding situation, A good level of connectedness, ie a balanced distribution of the records across the levels of the genetic and environmental factors, is absolutely necessary for estimating and comparing the factors (herd effect, breeding values...) involved in a linear model of genetic evaluation, A criterion, varying continuously from 0 (complete disconnection) to 1 (perfect connection), was used for measuring the level of connectedness. The estimations provided are only useful when their accuracy is sufficient, thus only if the number of records upon which they rely is large enough. A criterion, used for measuring such accuracy, is also presented. The properties of these criterions were presented in a single theoretical design, Such an approach was also used for illustrating the decrease in the selection scheme efficiency due to a lack of connectedness. In the context of a selection scheme, geographical and environmental factors are known to greatly influence the degree of connectedness, A lack of connectedness is not easy to be detected by the breeder. A specific study of the connectedness and of the reliability of the data is then necessary before performing a genetic evaluation. The main situations encountered in the selection schemes (disconnectedness, insufficient or good connectedness) and their consequences on the breeders' strategy are discussed.La notion de connexion est présentée dans son contexte statistique d’origine, puis définie dans le cadre plus spécifique de la génétique animale. Une connexion satisfaisante, à savoir une répartition suffisamment équilibrée des performances dans les différents niveaux des facteurs de variation génétiques ou environnementaux, est indispensable pour pouvoir estimer et comparer les facteurs (effets "troupeau", valeurs génétiques ...) inclus dans un modèle d’évaluation génétique. Elle est mesurée à l’aide d’un critère dont les valeurs varient de façon continue entre 0 (absence de connexion) et 1 (équilibre optimal). Par ailleurs, si les estimations sont réalisables, elles doivent être suffisamment précises pour pouvoir être exploitées et donc s’appuyer sur un nombre de performances assez important. Un critère est aussi présenté pour mesurer cette précision. Ces deux critères sont utilisés à titre d’exemple dans le cadre d’un dispositif théorique. Une telle approche permet aussi d’illustrer la perte de progrès génétique qu’entraîne l’absence de connexion. Dans le contexte d’un schéma de sélection, les facteurs géographiques et temporels représentent des facteurs de risques quant à l’absence de connexion. Les difficultés de perception par le sélectionneur d’un défaut de connexion sont soulignées. Elles amènent à préconiser des études spécifiques de la connexion et de manière plus générale de la nature et de la représentativité des performances incluses dans une évaluation génétique. Enfin, les principaux cas de figure auxquels peuvent être confrontés les schémas de sélection (connexion absente, insuffisante ou satisfaisante) et la stratégie correspondante du sélectionneur sont discutés