Breeding strategies for animal resilience to weather variation in meat sheep

BMC Genomic Data

Table 8 Breeding for enhanced resilience defined as growth performance stability to weather change in lambs

Strategy	Selection Index weights (%)						G	Average per generation								Losses (1 °C)	Losses (2.6 °C)
Strategy	WW	PostWW	FD	MD	CW	Res	G	WW	PostWW	FD	MD	CW	Res	ADG	OPerf	Losses (1 °C)	Losses (2.6 °C)
Base	5	5	60	15	15	0	0	28.730	41.466	1.496	19.915	18.823	69.835	0.158	2.383	3.91%	10.30%
Base	5	5	60	15	15	0	20	37.876	52.002	1.512	24.241	23.163	75.955	0.200	3.303	3.66%	9.64%
1	5	5	50	15	15	10	0	28.730	41.466	1.496	19.915	18.823	69.835	0.158	2.383	3.91%	10.30%
1	5	5	50	15	15	10	20	36.133	52.954	1.499	23.553	23.570	71.943	0.204	3.297	3.22%	8.48%
2	5	5	40	15	15	20	0	28.730	41.466	1.496	19.915	18.823	69.835	0.158	2.383	3.91%	10.30%
2	5	5	40	15	15	20	20	33.319	52.820	1.489	22.382	23.559	67.079	0.204	3.157	2.81%	7.39%
3	5	5	30	15	15	30	0	28.730	41.466	1.496	19.915	18.823	69.835	0.158	2.383	3.91%	10.30%
3	5	5	30	15	15	30	20	30.109	51.614	1.467	21.120	23.099	62.576	0.199	2.999	2.50%	6.59%

Results are presented for the initial (0) and final (20) generations (G). Simulated traits are: WW weaning weight (kg); PostWW post-weaning weight (kg); FD fat depth (mm), MD muscle depth (mm); CW carcass weight (kg); Res resilience as stability to weather change ((kg/^oC)×100, square root transformed); ADG average daily weight gain (kg/day); OPerf phenotypic index combining all traits but not resilience. Losses in average daily weight gain due to weather changes are presented for 1^o and 2.6 °C temperature change. Base strategy does not include stability, while other strategies have an increasing emphasis on it

ISSN: 2730-6844