SELECTING FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Transcription

1 SELECTING FOR SUSTAINABILITY presented by Michael Bruce

2 Introduction What is selective breeding and why so important? What are the key elements of a selective breeding? programme When should it be used? What are the Options? Stories of Success? Our work to date?

3 What is selective breeding and why so important? Allows the control of animal stocks and selection of beneficial traits for industry Beef - body conformation and yield Dairy - milk yields and composition Racehorses - speed & stamina Avoids the most common mistake of too few breeders and high incidence of relatedness in off-spring Removes the reliance on unpredictable wild broodstock

4 When is it appropriate to begin? Immediately Essential part of opportunity assessment Integral part to business planning and operation Designed to evolve as your company grows and develops to ensure sustainability financially, environmentally and socially.

5 What are the key elements of selective breeding? Preliminary Goal Develop a thorough understanding of target species Genetic variation across geographical ranges Information on performance characteristics Knowledge of biology (specifically reproduction) Knowledge of life history traits (e.g. survival) Goal to begin with appropriate levels of variability in founder broodstock

6 Options OPTION 1 Walkback selection individual mass selection with use of DNA markers to determine parentage and relatedness to avoid js1 and control inbreeding. Least cost option OPTION 2 Combined family based selection entails establishing multiple crosses with known parents and evaluating families as well as individuals.

7 Slide 6 js1 DNA markers we have are only for parentage analysis. They are not linked to prodcution traits or sex. symondsje, 10/11/2010

8 Options Walkback selection Pros Lower costs Works well for a single trait with moderate to high heritability (e.g. growth) Can have high selection intensity if selecting from commercial cages Cons Still need control of crosses during breeding season to ensure enough parents are involved. Inadvertent changes may reduce the number of parents contributing later on e.g. grading. Must use DNA markers to determine pedigree otherwise high risk of inbreeding Less accurate than family breeding Can only select for traits can measure on the live individual no good for quality or sexual maturation Unknown unfavorable relationships between the selected trait and other important traits could compromise performance genetic changes are permanent

9 Options Combined family-based selection Pros Works well for a multiple traits with moderate to high heritability (e.g. growth) Higher degree of accuracy Suitable for traits such as quality and sexual maturation Cons More expensive

10 Cost-benefit model Cost-benefit analysis is needed to determine which of the selective breeding options best fits a company s business plan and provides the best return on investment. An Excel based model was developed that incorporates: Broodstock numbers required for the different designs based on the tonnage of production. Cost of rearing varying numbers of broodstock based on the tonnage of production. Commercial production costs and economic values of the traits to be selected. Prediction of the response to selection for up to 3 traits and the net present value and return on investment (ROI) for each type of programme over a 20 year time period.

11 Selective breeding benefits, family versus walkback selection Scenario 1: No unfavourable relationship with growth, varying tonnage, gains over 20 years Walkback = mass selection with genotyping to control inbreeding, minimal cost programme

12 Scenario 2: Unfavourable relationship with growth (e.g. increase in incidence of early maturation), varying tonnage, gains over 20 years Selective breeding benefits, family versus walkback selection

13 Atlantic salmon family-based breeding, Norway After six generations of selection: Growth rate has increased relative to wild fish by 84% (14% per generation). Other traits selected: age of sexual maturity product quality disease resistance This improved stock has meant that productivity and profitability has substantially increased worldwide.

14 Target Species - NIWA Paua / Abalone (Haliotis iris) Hapuku / Groper (Polyprion oxygeneios) Yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi)

15 Target Species - NIWA Current status: Hapuku and kingfish programmes

16 Hapuku 43 families evaluated so far 250 Family mean breeding values (weight 10) 200 Breeding Value Growth high to moderate heritability, very encouraging Family

17 Target Species - NIWA Paua selective breeding: Currently evaluating 100 families Industry partner: OceaNZ Blue Ltd

18 NIWA s broodstock programme Uses a combination of breeding, genetics, nutrition and husbandry to address an industry need to identify elite broodstock and improve stock performance Selective breeding: Elite broodstock Globally competitive Hapuku, kingfish & paua industries World leaders in broodstock husbandry and nutrition. Revenue through the sale of cultured fish/shellfish nationally & internationally. Development of NZ aquaculture

19 Conclusion A selective breeding programme can be designed to meet your business needs and can grow in size and complexity as you business grows. Selective breeding is a vital part of business planning and early integration and adoption of selective breeding will be one aspect that ensures that your business is enduring, profitable, environmentally responsible and therefore sustainable.