%0 Journal Article
%T Persistence of accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values over generations in layer chickens
%A Anna Wolc
%A Jesus Arango
%A Petek Settar
%A Janet E Fulton
%A Neil P O'Sullivan
%A Rudolf Preisinger
%A David Habier
%A Rohan Fernando
%A Dorian J Garrick
%A Jack CM Dekkers
%J Genetics Selection Evolution
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1297-9686-43-23
%X The training data consisted of 16 traits and 777 genotyped animals from two generations of a brown-egg layer breeding line, 295 of which had individual phenotype records, while others had phenotypes on 2,738 non-genotyped relatives, or similar data accumulated over up to five generations. Validation data included phenotyped and genotyped birds from five subsequent generations (on average 306 birds/generation). Birds were genotyped for 23,356 segregating SNP. Animal models using genomic or pedigree relationship matrices and Bayesian model averaging methods were used for training analyses. Accuracy was evaluated as the correlation between EBV and phenotype in validation divided by the square root of trait heritability.Pedigree relationships in outbred populations are reduced by 50% at each meiosis, therefore accuracy is expected to decrease by the square root of 0.5 every generation, as observed for pedigree-based EBV (Estimated Breeding Values). In contrast the GEBV accuracy was more persistent, although the drop in accuracy was substantial in the first generation. Traits that were considered to be influenced by fewer QTL and to have a higher heritability maintained a higher GEBV accuracy over generations. In conclusion, GEBV capture information beyond pedigree relationships, but retraining every generation is recommended for genomic selection in closed breeding populations.Genomic selection is based on the estimation of breeding values using high-density marker data [1] and provides opportunities to enhance genetic improvement programs [2,3]. The resulting marker-based or genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV) exploit associations between markers and QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) through linkage disequilibrium (LD) and linkage, along with the capture of pedigree relationships between animals [4]. In contrast, estimated breeding values (EBV) obtained with the pedigree-based BLUP animal model rely completely on pedigree-based genetic relationships. The accuracy of G
%U http://www.gsejournal.org/content/43/1/23