• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.313-318
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) influencing teat number traits in an $F_2$ intercross between Landrace and Korean native pigs (KNP). Three teat number traits (left;right;and total) were measured in 1105 $F_2$ progeny. All experimental animals were genotyped with 173 informative microsatellite markers located throughout the pig genome. We detect that seven chromosomes harbored QTLs for teat number traits: genome regions on SSC1;3;7;8;10;11;and 13. Six of fourteen identified QTL reached genome-wide significance. In SSC7;we identified a major QTL affecting total teat number that accounted for 5.6 % of the phenotypic variance;which was the highest test statistic (F-ratio = 61.1 under the additive model;nominal $P=1.3{\times}10^{-14}$) observed in this study. In this region;QTL for left and right teat number were also detected with genome-wide significance. With exception of the QTL in SSC10;the allele from KNP in all 6 identified QTLs was associated with decreased phenotypic values. In conclusion;our study identified both previously reported and novel QTL affecting teat number traits. These results can play an important role in determining the genetic structure underlying the variation of teat number in pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1259-1265
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• 2015

The present study was performed to study the genetic relationship of productive life with production and type traits of Korean Holsteins at first three lactations. The data for the analysis from 56,054, 28,997, and 11,816 animals of first, second and third parity cows which were born from 2006 to 2011 were collected by Dairy Cattle Improvement Center, National Agricultural Co-operative Federation. Milk, protein and fat yields adjusted for 305 days and average somatic cell score considered as production traits and analyzed type traits were stature, strength, body depth, dairy form, rump angle, rump width, rear leg side view, foot angle, front attachment placement, rear attachment height, rear attachment width, udder cleft, udder depth, front teat placement and front teat length. A multi trait genetic analysis was performed using Wombat program with restricted maximum likelihood animal model composed of fixed effect of birth year, farm and the random effect of animal and random residual effect according to the traits. Heritability estimates of productive life were between 0.06 and 0.13. Genetic and phenotypic correlations between production and productive life traits ranged from 0.35 to 0.04 for milk, 0.16 to 0.05 for protein and 0.18 to 0.02 f 15-0034 (2nd) 150520 or fat. Somatic cells score showed a negative genetic and phenotypic correlation with productive life and also udder type traits, indicating that the selection for higher udder traits will likely to improve resistance to mastitis and persistence in the herd. Among all dairy form type traits, udder characters such as udder cleft showed a significant relationship with productive life. However, a specific change of heritabilities or correlations were not observed with the change of parity. Moreover, further studies are needed to further confirm the significance of the above traits and the effect of parity on above relationships in order to minimize both voluntary and involuntary culling rates while improving herd health and maintaining high yielding dairy cows.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1806-1820
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• 2023

Objective: The present study was aimed primarily for estimating various genetic parameters (heritability, genetic correlations) of reproduction (age at first calving [AFC], first service period [FSP]); production (first lactation milk, solid-not fat, and fat yield) and lifetime traits (lifetime milk yield, productive life [PL], herd life [HL]) in Tharparkar cattle to check the association of reproduction traits with lifetime traits through two different methods (Frequentist and Bayesian) for comparative purpose. Methods: Animal breeding data of Tharparkar cattle (n = 964) collected from Livestock farm unit of ICAR-NDRI Karnal for the period 1990 through 2019 were analyzed using a Frequentist least squares maximum likelihood method (LSML; Harvey, 1990) and a multi-trait Bayesian-Gibbs sampler approach (MTGSAM) for genetic correlations estimation of all the traits. Estimated breeding values of sires was obtained by BLUP and Bayesian analysis for the production traits. Results: Heritability estimates of most of the traits were medium to high with the LSML (0.20±0.44 to 0.49±0.71) and Bayesian approach (0.24±0.009 to 0.61±0.017), respectively. However, more reliable estimates were obtained using the Bayesian technique. A higher heritability estimate was obtained for AFC (0.61±0.017) followed by first lactation fat yield, first lactation solid-not fat yield, FSP, first lactation milk yield (FLMY), PL (0.60±0.013, 0.60±0.006, 0.57±0.024, 0.57±0.020, 0.42±0.025); while a lower estimate for HL (0.38±0.034) by MTGSAM approach. Genetic and phenotypic correlations were negative for AFC-PL, AFC-HL, FSP-PL, and FSP-HL (-0.59±0.19, -0.59±0.24, -0.38±0.101 and -0.34±0.076) by the multi-trait Bayesian analysis. Conclusion: Breed and traits of economic importance are important for selection decisions to ensure genetic gain in cattle breeding programs. Favourable genetic and phenotypic correlations of AFC with production and lifetime traits compared to that of FSP indicated better scope of AFC for indirect selection of life-time traits at an early age. This also indicated that the present Tharparkar cattle herd had sufficient genetic diversity through the selection of AFC for the improvement of first lactation production and lifetime traits.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.669-676
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• 2002

The efficiency of marker assisted selection(MAS) over conventional selection index based sorely on phenotypic records was studied by deterministic simulation model. Parameter combination of heritability and amount of genetic variation due to the markers included in the index was employed. For the index with own phenotypic information vs. the index with own phenotypic plus marker information, the relative efficiency of MAS over the selection with phenotypic records was about 38% high when heritability was low(0.05). However, when heritability was high(50%), the relative efficiency of MAS was vary low and almost negligible. For more practical situation of selection index which included information on own, sire and dam, MAS was less effective than when selection criteria was only on own performance.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.135-141
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• 2013

Gene set analysis is a powerful tool for interpreting a genome-wide association study result and is gaining popularity these days. Comparison of the gene sets obtained for a variety of traits measured from a single genetic epidemiology dataset may give insights into the biological mechanisms underlying these traits. Based on the previously published single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype data on 8,842 individuals enrolled in the Korea Association Resource project, we performed a series of systematic genome-wide association analyses for 49 quantitative traits of basic epidemiological, anthropometric, or blood chemistry parameters. Each analysis result was subjected to subsequent gene set analyses based on Gene Ontology (GO) terms using gene set analysis software, GSA-SNP, identifying a set of GO terms significantly associated to each trait ($p_{corr}$ < 0.05). Pairwise comparison of the traits in terms of the semantic similarity in their GO sets revealed surprising cases where phenotypically uncorrelated traits showed high similarity in terms of biological pathways. For example, the pH level was related to 7 other traits that showed low phenotypic correlations with it. A literature survey implies that these traits may be regulated partly by common pathways that involve neuronal or nerve systems.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1395-1403
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• 2008

The objective of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters for economic traits in Markhoz goats. Data collected from 1993 to 2006 by the Markhoz goat Performance Testing Station in Sanandaj, Iran, were analyzed. The traits recorded as body weight performance at birth (BW), weaning (WW), six month (6MW), nine month (9MW), yearling (YW) and yearling fleece weight (YFW) were investigated. Least square analyses were used for estimation of environmental effects. Genetic parameters were estimated with single and multi trait analysis using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedures, under animal models. By ignoring or including maternal additive genetic effects and maternal permanent environmental effects, five different models were fitted for each trait. The effects of sex, type of birth, age of dam and year of birth on the all body weights were significant (p<0.01), but had no effects on YFW except year of birth. Age of kids had significant influences on WW and 6MW (p<0.01). A log likelihood ratio test was carried out for choosing the most suitable model for each trait. Total heritability estimates for YFW and growth traits varied from 0.16 for YFW and WW to 0.41 for YW. For all traits, maternal heritability was lower than direct heritability, ranging from 0.06 for BW to 0.01 for 6MW and 9MW. The magnitude of $c^2$ was more substantial for BW than the others, and relative importance was reduced from 0.12 for BW to 0.04 for 9MW. The direct additive genetic correlations estimates were positive and varied from 0.21 between BW-YW to 0.96 between WW-6MW. Direct additive genetic correlations between YFW and body weight traits were positive and ranged from 0.14 between BW-YFW to 0.67 between 6MW-YFW. For all traits, the corresponding estimates for phenotypic correlation were positive and lower than genetic correlations. The maternal additive genetic correlations between various traits were varied and ranged from -0.19 between 9MW-YFW to 0.96 between 6MW-9MW. The estimates of the maternal permanent environmental correlations between various traits were positive and ranged from 0.33 between WW-YFW to 0.93 between WW-6MW. Also, the environmental correlations between various traits ranged from 0.01 between BW-YFW and WW-YFW to 0.70 between 9MW-YW. Estimates of genetic parameters for various traits in this study confirm that selection should be applied on WW for genetic improvement in Markhoz goats.

• Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2008

Azuki bean has never been commercially grown in Thailand, due in part to a lack of suitable varieties. A core collection of 114 azuki bean accessions, originally from different parts of China(northern, central, southern) representing the germplasm of Chinese land races, were evaluated in the experimental field of the Institute of Vegetable Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China from June to October 2004. The same experiment was repeated at Kamphaeng Saen campus of Kasetsart University, Thailand from February to May 2005. Yield, yield components, and agronomic traits were recorded in all accessions in order to identify certain genotypes for further investigation. The statistical parameters that were used as indicators of phenotypic variation were mean, coefficient of variability(CV), correlation coefficient(r), range, mean difference, and phenotypic clustering of the accessions. The results indicated that the azuki bean varieties planted in Kamphaeng Saen were shorter, earlier in growing duration, and lower in plant height, seed yield per plant, 100-seed weight, and pods per plant as compared to when they were grown in China. This discrepancy was caused largely by the combined effect of temperature, rainfall, and day length. The traits that were rather stable in both locations were branches per plant and seeds per pod. Azuki bean varieties from northern China showed higher response to the changing environments compared with those from central and southern China. Some agronomic traits showed high correlation coefficient between the environments in Thailand and China. The CV of agronomic traits in both locations were ranked in descending order as follows: seed yield per plant, pods per plant, branches per plant, plant height, 100-seed weight, seeds per pod, and growing duration. The CV of seeds per pod and branches per plant were almost the same in both locations. Yield per plant in China correlated well(r=0.75) with pods per plant, but not with the other traits. Based on their response to both environments, the azuki bean accessions can be broadly divided into four groups, viz. northern 1, northern 2, central, and southern. This implied that there was more diversity, but probably less stability among the accessions originating from northern China.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.130-132
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• 2005

Genomics research has two ultimate applied goals: to Isolate and clone genes of economic importance for bio-technology and gene-assisted selection (GAS), and to locate and use markers for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in selective breeding programs. To this end, we have identified linked markers for feed conversion efficiency growth rate, and disease resistance to enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC). Three microsatellite markers Ip266, Ip384, and Ip607 were identified to be linked to feed conversion efficiency. Similarly one marker each was identified to be linked to growth rate (Ip607) and disease resistance to ESC (Ip477). Ip607 marker linked to both growth rate and feed conversion efficiency, indicating that the QTL for both growth rate and feed conversion efficiency may either be the same or located in the same chromosomal region in the catfish genome. On phenotypic evaluation, certain traits such as growth rate can be accurately evaluated by body weight evaluation while other traits such as disease resistance can be quite complex. The linked DNA markers will be highly useful for MAS programs and for directing further efforts of genomic mapping for important quantitative traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1524-1528
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• 2005

Molecular genetic markers were used to detect chromosomal regions which contain economically important traits such as growth, carcass, and meat quality traits in pigs. A three generation resource population was constructed from a cross between Korean native boars and Landrace sows. A total of 240 F2 animals from intercross of F1 was produced. Phenotypic data on 17 traits, birth weight, body weights at 3, 5, 12, and 30 weeks of age, teat number, carcass weight, backfat thickness, body fat, backbone number, muscle pH, meat color, drip loss, cooking loss, water holding capacity, shear force, and intramuscular fat content were collected for F2 animals. Animals including grandparents (F0), parents (F1), and offspring (F2) were genotyped for 80 microsatellite markers covering from chromosome 1 to 10. Least squares regression interval mapping was used for quantitative trait loci (QTL) identification. Significance thresholds were determined by permutation tests. A total of 10 QTL were detected at 5% chromosome-wide significance levels for growth traits on SSCs 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1328-1335
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• 2014

Significant SNPs associated with Warner-Bratzler (WB) shear force and sensory traits were confirmed for Hanwoo beef (Korean cattle). A Bonferroni-corrected genome-wide significant association (p< $1.3{\times}10^{-6}$) was detected with only one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on chromosome 5 for WB shear force. A slightly higher number of SNPs was significantly (p<0.001) associated with WB shear force than with other sensory traits. Further, 50, 25, 29, and 34 SNPs were significantly associated with WB shear force, tenderness, juiciness, and flavor likeness, respectively. The SNPs between p = 0.001 and p = 0.0001 thresholds explained 3% to 9% of the phenotypic variance, while the most significant SNPs accounted for 7% to 12% of the phenotypic variance. In conclusion, because WB shear force and sensory evaluation were moderately affected by a few loci and minimally affected by other loci, further studies are required by using a large sample size and high marker density.