Award details

The benefits of marker-assisted selection in pigs

Reference	CW106241
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Christopher Haley
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	The Roslin Institute
Department	The Roslin Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	105,675
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/10/1993
End date	01/10/1997
Duration	48 months

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to develop the statistical and computing tools necessary to implement marker assisted selection in pig populations. The development of a genetic map of the pig has provided the means to start the process of detecting some of the more important loci contributing to variation in economically important quantitative traits (quantitative trait loci or QTLs). The first studies to detect QTLs are in progress now and are likely to start revealing QTLs over the next 5 years. Once QTLs have been detected it is possible to select for beneficial alleles indirectly using linked markers (i.e. marker assisted selection). So selection on DNA profiles could complement or supplement that using phenotypic data and this could lead to more efficient and flexible selection programmes. Methods of implementing marker- assisted selection have had little study, however, and so the most efficient schemes and the gains in progress attainable from these are not known. In this project it is intended to 1) explore methods for detecting QTLs in pig populations and 2) look at the value of using markers to aid the introgression of genes from one pig breed to another. An example of introgression might be the introgression of a gene for high litter size from the Chinese Meishan into European breeds. Computer simulation and analysis will be used to study a variety of different scenarios, for example, with one or several QTL to be introgressed and with linkage to unfavourable genes. Results using markers will be compared with those selecting solely on phenotypic records. Thus, it will be possible both to identify the optimum introgression schemes and to evaluate the additional progress they made possible. The project is supported by a Consortium of breeding companies and the MLC together with MAFF, BBSRC and DTL.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	CWIS - Agricultural Systems Directorate (CW1) [1989-1993]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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