Poultry

Application of Genomic Selection Using an Evenly Spaced Low-density Marker Panel in Broiler Chickens

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Abstract

In this study, a commercial broiler chicken line was used to verify the feasibility and accuracy of genomic selection using an evenly spaced low-density marker panel. Body weight and hen house production (the cumulative egg production over the laying period, up to 22 weeks or until culled) were used as example traits. The training population included 2,302 birds, of which 1,259 were genotyped using a high-density marker panel with 36,455 markers across the genome, and the other 1,043 birds were genotyped with a low-density marker panel with 384 markers. The validation population included 3,720 birds genotyped with the lowdensity marker panel. A rule-based method combined with a Gibbs sampler was used to impute missing genotypes for the birds genotyped at low-density. Several methods were employed to predict genomic estimated breeding values for validation birds. Results showed that accuracy of genomic prediction was 7–8% higher compared to estimated breeding values from pedigree for body weight, and 4% higher for hen house production. We conclude that genomic selection can be implemented with low-density marker panels combined with imputation.

Keywords: ASL R2807

How to Cite:

Wang, C., Habier, D., Wolc, A., Garrick, D. J., Fernando, R. L., Lamont, S. J., Dekkers, J. C., Kranis, A. & Watson, K. A., (2013) “Application of Genomic Selection Using an Evenly Spaced Low-density Marker Panel in Broiler Chickens”, Iowa State University Animal Industry Report 10(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/ans_air-180814-1250