Guidelines for recording accurate and reliable BLUP breeding values

Frans Jordaan and Dr Ben Greyling of the Agricultural Research Council provide recommendations to help breeders apply good management and recording practices that can optimise their herds' genetic evaluations.

- Frans Jordaan and Dr Ben Greyling

Two factors are crucial to the success of estimated breeding values: correct (and honest) recording, and complete recording.

Management practices can influence the accuracy of breeding values in terms of animal recording, parentage recording, performance recording, contemporary groups, and genetic linkages.

ANIMAL RECORDING

The details of the animal are essential for assigning it to the correct contemporary group (sex and birth season) and for applying the accurate age-correction factors in the genetic evaluation (BLUP) model.

To obtain these details, carry out the following:

• Ensure that birth notifications for all calves are submitted on time.

PARENTAGE RECORDING

Assigning the correct parents to a calf is one of the most important factors for genetic evaluation, as this is the basis of all genetic relationships of that particular animal.

Recording of incorrect parentage compromises the accuracy of the animal’s breeding values, as well as those of all its relatives.

The more performance-tested relatives of an animal that are included in the BLUP analysis, the more accurate its breeding value predictions will be.

• If possible, make use of single-sire matings or, if multiple sires are used, confirm parentage via DNA analysis.
• Record mating groups correctly and ensure that these records are kept in a safe place.