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Current and future impact of DNA technologies on the New Zealand sheep industry
McEwan JC
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 69, pp 165-168, Jun 2009
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 69, pp 165-168, Jun 2009
Article class: Conference Presentation
Subject Terms: Breed/breeding, Diagnostic procedures, DNA/RNA, Genetics
Animal Type: Sheep
Publisher: New Zealand Society of Animal ProductionAbstract
DNA technologies are already widely used in the New Zealand sheep industry. Parentage determination in extensively managed flocks is currently the most widely used test. Increasingly, these tests are being supplemented by the use of performance markers, either by themselves or in conjunction with parentage. Commercial single marker tests currently available in New Zealand include: two for meat yield, two for prolificacy, parasite resistance and production, lamb survival, footrot, scrapie susceptibility, and several monogenic trait tests including: microphthalmia, horns, and spider lamb. However, the future is likely to be some form of 'genomic selection' where the test explains a major, perhaps majority, of the genetic variation in an animal. This technology depends on the creation and use of high density SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) probe chips. In New Zealand dairy cattle it is expected to increase the rate of genetic gain by 50 to 70%. A similar chip has been created for sheep and New Zealand animals are currently being genotyped. If successful the expectation is that industry release will occur in late 2009. New Zealand sheep industry delivery will be as breeding values created using a blend of DNA and existing Sheep Improvement Ltd. information.The whole of the literary matter of the Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production is copyright New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Downloading this article signifies agreement with the terms and conditions of electronic access.
