Performance Line
Figure 3 are pretty straight forward . But , what about testing for GE-EPDs ? Why should you consider a genomic trait test ?
Genomic trait tests help improve the predictability of current selection tools by increasing accuracies on young animals and by helping to characterize genetics for traits that are difficult to measure the animal ’ s own performance , carcass traits in breed animals and maternal traits in bulls , for example . There are currently three tests available from GeneSeek HD , LD , and uLD and there will soon be HD and LD options available from Zoetis as well . Which one do you use ?
For profiling most animals , LD or uLD testing will be sufficient . Through a process called imputation , LD tests can achieve nearly the same level of accuracy as the HD tests , for a much-reduced cost . I would encourage you to take advantage of the cost savings by testing deeper into your herd , with special emphasis on testing females , who are currently under-represented in the pool of genotyped animals . Lack of genotypes on females has made it difficult to estimate maternal genetic components for use in the NALF genetic evaluation . Plus , for many of
you , it ’ s the females who you keep as replacements in your herd , so why not use your genomic investment dollars to make the best possible selection and mating decisions on your own operation ?
As we move forward with the transition to single-step EPDs powered by BOLT , your investment in genomic trait tests will yield even more powerful results by getting more information out of the markers and allowing genomic results to impact animals upand-down the pedigree . So , if you haven ’ t considered genomic testing in the past , now may be the time to add it to your management practices . I
18 | MAY 2018