Flock Profile for Merinos Tom Granleese
2 Genetics hopefully not nonsense
Flock Profile Merino Genomic flock average for key merino traits Genomic predictions for 20 randomly sampled sheep from a drop Genomic predictions are then scaled to ASBV level NOT ASBVs» Non SG members cannot receive genomic ASBVs 3
Flock Profile Uses Estimate genetic merit on ASBV level youngest drop Breed more profitable sheep Make better ram buying decisions Make better ram team allocation decisions Store in Ram Select Track progress over multiple years Use for marketing ewes if selling 4
How to participate Register details with Sheep Genomics office Take blood or tissue samples (very simple to do) of 20 Merino sheep from your drop random selection Receive results 10-12 weeks after $800 (+GST) payment is made 5
Genomic Prediction: basic idea 1) measure lots of traits on lots of sheep and DNA test Reference population with breeding values
Genomic Prediction: basic idea 1) measure lots of traits on lots of sheep and DNA test Reference population with breeding values 2) Breeder DNA tests young sheep Prediction based on DNA relationships to reference population genomic breeding values
Interpreting results Traits consistent with Sheep Genetics 8
Interpreting results Your Flock Profile results - directly comparable to ASBVs 9
Interpreting results Flock Profile values percentile directly comparable to Sheep Genetics 10
Interpreting results Results are a guide, not absolute values Results become more accurate the more closely related the flock to the reference population 11
Interpreting results Select ram teams with higher average ASBVs in desired traits to get genetic gain Example: fleece weights fibre diameter Example: Select ram team average ASBVs ABOVE 11.4 ycfw OR ABOVE 90 th percentile BELOW or equal to -1.9 yfd OR ABOVE 15 th percentile 12
Report a Poll Horn indication Client: J. Bloggs PH Status Percentage (%) Date: 13/6/2017 PP: 20 Flock Drop: 2015 PH: 75 HH: 5 Pure polled 13
Report a Poll Horn indication Client: J. Bloggs PH Status Percentage (%) Date: 13/6/2017 PP: 20 Flock Drop: 2015 PH: 75 HH: 5 Copy of poll and horned gene but usually phenotypically polled (dominant) 14
Report a Poll Horn indication Client: J. Bloggs PH Status Percentage (%) Date: 13/6/2017 PP: 20 Flock Drop: 2015 PH: 75 HH: 5 Pure horned rams/wethers usually phenotypically horned; some ewes phenotypically horned. 15
Validation Flock average ASBV adult fibre diameter 3 2 Flock Profile adult fibre diameter 1 0-3.5-3 -2.5-2 -1.5-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1-1 -2-3 R² = 0.74-4 16 Is this good? It was positive enough to further investigate!
Does Phenotype match GBV PWMMC data 50 wether teams x 30 wethers randomly selected after weaning Included flocks using SG and non-sg rams Even up shearing upon arrival Run under same conditions from then on in Wagga 15 wethers shorn and then slaughtered after year 1 Remaining15 wethers shorn and then slaughtered after year 2 17 Flock Profile on each team of remaining 15 wethers
Does Phenotype match GBV PWMMC data Cohort average µm 0.0 15.0 16.0 17.0 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0 22.0-0.5 Flock Profile adult fibre diameter -1.0-1.5-2.0-2.5 c R² = 0.61-3.0-3.5 18 Is this good? We are very pleased as geneticists!
Ram team average vs Flock Profile example Ram team average ASBV 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Flock Profile 2016 drop ywt 5.1 5.4 5.7 5.6 6.0 7.0 5.2 yfd -1.0-0.8-0.6-0.6-0.8-1.2-0.8 ycfw 13.1 13.8 16.1 16.8 17.5 18.0 14.8 ysl 10.3 12.1 11.8 12.3 12.7 13.3 11.6 19
20 Ram team managing example Ram Select
Ram team average vs Flock Profile example Ram team average ASBV 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Flock Profile 2016 drop ywt 5.1 5.4 5.7 5.6 6.0 7.0 5.2 yfd -1.0-0.8-0.6-0.6-0.8-1.2-0.8 ycfw 13.1 13.8 16.1 16.8 17.5 18.0 14.8 ysl 10.3 12.1 11.8 12.3 12.7 13.3 11.6 21
Common question Why isn t the genetic merit of my flock the same as my ram team average? or Why doesn t my Flock Profile match my ram team? 22
Quick answer! Genetic lag! What does that mean? 23
Genetic lag Only half of genetics comes from ram Other half from dam What is the age structure of dams? 24
Age structure of pedigree YOB: 2015 YOB: 2014 YOB: 2013 YOB: 2012 YOB: 2011 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2017 Ram team with ASBVS 25 2017 drop
Age structure of pedigree YOB: 2013 YOB: 2012 YOB: 2011 YOB: 2010 YOB: 2009 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2015 Ram team with ASBVS YOB: 2015 YOB: 2014 YOB: 2013 YOB: 2012 YOB: 2011 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2017 Ram team with ASBVS 26 2017 drop
Age structure of pedigree YOB: 2012 YOB: 2011 YOB: 2010 YOB: 2009 YOB: 2008 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2014 Ram team with ASBVS YOB: 2015 YOB: 2014 YOB: 2013 YOB: 2012 YOB: 2011 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2017 Ram team with ASBVS 27 2017 drop
Age structure of pedigree YOB: 2011 YOB: 2010 YOB: 2009 YOB: 2008 YOB: 2007 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2013 Ram team with ASBVS YOB: 2015 YOB: 2014 YOB: 2013 YOB: 2012 YOB: 2011 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2017 Ram team with ASBVS 28 2017 drop
Age structure of pedigree YOB: 2010 YOB: 2009 YOB: 2008 YOB: 2007 YOB: 2006 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2012 Ram team with ASBVS YOB: 2015 YOB: 2014 YOB: 2013 YOB: 2012 YOB: 2011 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2017 Ram team with ASBVS 29 2017 drop
Age structure of pedigree YOB: 2009 YOB: 2008 YOB: 2007 YOB: 2006 YOB: 2005 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2011 Ram team with ASBVS YOB: 2015 YOB: 2014 YOB: 2013 YOB: 2012 YOB: 2011 35% 2yo 25% 3yo 20% 4yo 15% 5yo 5% 6yo 2017 Ram team with ASBVS 30 2017 drop
Genetic merit of drop usually 3-6 years behind ram team average in self-replacing flock If breeding objective is consistent Will move closer to 3 years with lower ewe generation intervals (select more young ewes) Balance genetic gain vs commercial productivity Ewes most productive 3-5 years age commercially As demonstrated by Flock Profile 31
Ram team average vs Flock Profile example Ram team average ASBV 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Flock Profile 2016 drop ywt 5.1 5.4 5.7 5.6 6.0 7.0 5.2 yfd -1.0-0.8-0.6-0.6-0.8-1.2-0.8 ycfw 13.1 13.8 16.1 16.8 17.5 18.0 14.8 ysl 10.3 12.1 11.8 12.3 12.7 13.3 11.6 32
What s in the pipeline Update report format Results available on Ram Select Tests now available at $800 + GST to any Merino breeder (flocks unrelated to Sheep Genetics flocks can participate) 33
Summing Up For Merinos only (so far) regardless of bloodlines Results based on genomics only at ASBV scale Tests now available at $800 + GST to any Merino breeder Integrate results with Ram Select Changing how results are being displayed 34
Acknowledgements Collaborative project Daniel Brown (AGBU & Sheep Genetics [MLA]) Julius van der Werf (UNE & Sheep CRC) Sam Clark (UNE) Andrew Swan (AGBU) Klint Gore (AGBU) Hamish Chandler (MLA) Lu Hogan (Sheep CRC) Bec McCarthur-Onslow (Australian Innovation Co.) Sally Martin and Craig Wilson (PWMMC) Jim Meckiff (Allflex) Anthony Shepherd (Sheep Matters) Luke Stephen (NSW DPI) Caris Jones (Merino Select [MLA]) The participants! see map next slide 35
Any further questions? Participants now or waiting 36