Genomic selection : establishing a reference population for Bonsmara cattle

Abstract

Everyone in livestock breeding knows that prediction accuracy took a big step forward with the introduction of best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) breeding values. BLUP methodology combined the following very important sources of information into a single figure: Pedigree information. Performance differences among animals. What part of the differences among the performance of animals can be attributed to the part that can be transferred to their progeny. What the effect of the genetic differences among animals for one trait will be on other traits of economic importance.