The use of genetic algorithms for optimizing age structure in breeding populations when inbreeding depresses genetic gain through effects on reproduction

Abstract

A genetic algorithm (GA) was used to find optimal male and female age distributions in a natural mating system that maximizes cumulative response to mass selection over a 20-year time horizon for the case where inbreeding affects reproduction at 0·0 (F-0) and 0·1 (F-10) per 0·1 inbreeding coefficient. Twenty breeding female population sizes were considered ranging from 25 to 500 breeding females distributed across five age groups. Loss of response due to inbreeding effects on reproduction ranged from 19·4% and 15·5% in small breeding female populations to 2·5% and 5·2% in large breeding female populations when number of males was fixed (FX) or optimized (OP), respectively. OP resulted in an ..