Genomic breeding schemes in French Lacaune and Manech dairy sheep: design and expected genetic gain

Abstract Text: French dairy sheep breeding schemes require a significant number of alive AI rams due to the fresh semen constraints. This number may be reduced significantly (by 25% to 45%) in the case of genomic selection (GS). For the AI rams, in a GS design, a genomic selection rate (r1) at 3-month-old, completed by a progeny selection rate (r2) at 2.5-year-old, is replacing the only progeny selection rate (r) at 2.5-year-old performed in a classical scheme. Compared to actual optimum (r) of 0.5, r1 and r2values of respectively 0.3 and 0.8 allow an annual genetic gain increased by 15%, at same breeding cost of the AI rams. Genomic selection will be implemented in 2015 in Lacaune and in a near future in Manech breed.

Keywords:

Dairy sheep Lacaune, Manech

Genomic breeding scheme