DRAFT SYLLABUS

ANSC 450      Animal Breeding Plans
Lecturer         Dr. Frank Siewerdt
Semester        Spring, odd-numbered years
Credits            3
Prerequisites  BIOM301 or equivalent and Junior standing
Meets             MWF 2:00pm – 2:50pm
Text                J.L. Lush (1945) The Genetics of Populations. Ames, Iowa State University

Summary    Design of animal breeding programs for the genetic improvement of livestock and companion animal species. Principles of population and quantitative genetics. Genetic evaluation of animals, selection strategies and crossbreeding systems. Incorporation of advanced statistics and biotechnology into animal breeding plans.

• Understand the underlying genetic and statistical principles of an animal breeding program.
• Be familiar with available methods for selecting individuals from a pool of candidates, with the goal of genetically improving the whole population.
• Plan strategic matings within and between breeds of companion animal species, like dogs, and livestock species, like swine.
• Understand the role, limitation, and cost of including advanced statistical methods and biotechnologies in animal breeding plans.
• Design a comprehensive animal breeding plan for one livestock or companion animal species.

Syllabus (Draft)
Unit 1. Purpose and basics of animal breeding programs
Developing an animal breeding program
Phenotype, genotype and the environment
Use of technology in animal breeding programs
Artificial insemination
Multiple ovulation and embryo transfer
Molecular genetics
Advanced statistical methods
Unit 2. Principles of population genetics
Genes, alleles and genotypes
Mendelian rules for transmission of alleles
Gene frequencies: static and dynamic aspects
Mutation, migration and genetic drift
Gene action and pleiotropy
Sex-linked inheritance
Genetic resemblance between individuals
Unit 3. Methods of genetic evaluation
Types of traits
Single locus traits
Homozygosis tests
Contemporary groups
Connectedness
Breeding values
Unit 4. Genetic parameters
Concepts, estimation and use of genetic parameters
Variance components
Repeatability
Heritability
Genetic correlation
Maternal effects and non-cytoplasmic inheritance
Unit 5. Selection strategies
Selection objectives and criteria
Measurement and consequences of inbreeding
Predicting and measuring genetic progress
Mass selection
Family selection
Group selection
Genotype by environment interaction
Unit 6. Crossbreeding
Heterosis
Hybrids and synthetic breeds
Diallel crosses
Industrial crossbreeding: small animals
Industrial crossbreeding: sheep, beef and dairy cattle
Unit 7. Industrial animal breeding plans
Poultry and swine
Sheep, beef cattle, dairy cattle and horses
Companion animals
Incorporating technology in animal breeding plans
Economics of animal breeding plans
Unit 8. Advanced topics in livestock improvement
BLUP of breeding values
Interpretation of sire summaries for breeding decisions
Molecular markers, microsatellites and quantitative trait loci
Principles of marker-assisted selection
Evaluation System
Midterm examination    (30%)
Project                         (40%)
Final exam                    (30 %)