The use of marker haplotypes in animal breeding schemes

Abstract

Information on marker haplotypes was used to increase rates of genetic gain in closed nucleus breeding schemes. The schemes were simulated for ten discrete generations: firstly five generations of conventional (non-MAS) and then five generations of marker-assisted selection (MAS). The inheritance of quantitative trait loci (QTL) alleles was traced by marker haplotypes with probability 1 - r. Emphasis was on extra genetic gains during the early generations of MAS, because it was assumed that new QTL were detected continuously. In the first generation of MAS, genetic gain was increased by 8.8 and 38%, when selection was, respectively, after the recording of the trait (eg, selection for growth ..