Estimation of Genetic Parameters and Correlation between Yearling Ultrasound Measurements and Carcass Traits in Hanwoo Cattle.

Genetic parameters have a significant role in designing a breeding program and are required to evaluate economically important traits. The objective of this study was to estimate heritability and genetic correlation between yearling ultrasound measurements, such as backfat thickness (UBFT), eye muscle area (UEMA), intramuscular fat content (UIMF), and carcass traits, such as backfat thickness (BFT), carcass weight (CW), eye muscle area (EMA), marbling score (MS) at approximately 24 months of age, as well as yearling weight (YW) in Hanwoo bulls (15,796) and steers (5682). The (co) variance components were estimated using a multi-trait animal model.

Genomic Prediction Using Alternative Strategies of Weighted Single-Step Genomic BLUP for Yearling Weight and Carcass Traits in Hanwoo Beef Cattle.

The weighted single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) method has been proposed to exploit information from genotyped and non-genotyped relatives, allowing the use of weights for single-nucleotide polymorphism in the construction of the genomic relationship matrix. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of genetic prediction using the following single-trait best linear unbiased prediction methods in Hanwoo beef cattle: pedigree-based (PBLUP), un-weighted (ssGBLUP), and weighted (WssGBLUP) single-step genomic methods. We also assessed the impact of alternative single and window weighting methods according to their effects on the traits of interest.

Improving the accuracy of genomic evaluation for linear body measurement traits using single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction in Hanwoo beef cattle.

Background: Recently, there has been a growing interest in the genetic improvement of body measurement traits in farm animals. They are widely used as predictors of performance, longevity, and production traits, and it is worthwhile to investigate the prediction accuracies of genomic selection for these traits. In genomic prediction, the single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (ssGBLUP) method allows the inclusion of information from genotyped and non-genotyped relatives in the analysis.

Single-step genome-wide association study for social genetic effects and direct genetic effects on growth in Landrace pigs.

In livestock social interactions, social genetic effects (SGE) represent associations between phenotype of one individual and genotype of another. Such associations occur when the trait of interest is affected by transmissible phenotypes of social partners. The aim of this study was to estimate SGE and direct genetic effects (DGE, genetic effects of an individual on its own phenotype) on average daily gain (ADG) in Landrace pigs, and to conduct single-step genome-wide association study using SGE and DGE as dependent variables to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and their positional candidate genes.

Genetic parameters and correlations of related feed efficiency, growth, and carcass traits in Hanwoo beef cattle.

Objective: This study aimed to estimate the genetic parameters and genetic correlations for related feed efficiency, growth, and carcass traits in Hanwoo cattle.

Methods: Phenotypic data from 15,279 animals born between 1989 and 2015 were considered. The related feed efficiency traits considered were Kleiber ratio (KR) and relative growth rate (RGR).

Classification of Granite Soils and Prediction of Soil Water Content Using Hyperspectral Visible and Near-Infrared Imaging.

Soil water content is one of the most important physical indicators of landslide hazards. Therefore, quickly and non-destructively classifying soils and determining or predicting water content are essential tasks for the detection of landslide hazards. We investigated hyperspectral information in the visible and near-infrared regions (400-1000 nm) of 162 granite soil samples collected from Seoul (Republic of Korea).

Comparison of conventional BLUP and single-step genomic BLUP evaluations for yearling weight and carcass traits in Hanwoo beef cattle using single trait and multi-trait models.

Hanwoo, an important indigenous and popular breed of beef cattle in Korea, shows rapid growth and has high meat quality. Its yearling weight (YW) and carcass traits (backfat thickness, carcass weight- CW, eye muscle area, and marbling score) are economically important for selection of young and proven bulls. However, measuring carcass traits is difficult and expensive, and can only be performed postmortem.

Application of single-step genomic evaluation using social genetic effect model for growth in pig.

Objective: Social genetic effects (SGE) are an important genetic component for growth, group productivity, and welfare in pigs. The present study was conducted to evaluate i) the feasibility of the single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (ssGBLUP) approach with the inclusion of SGE in the model in pigs, and ii) the changes in the contribution of heritable SGE to the phenotypic variance with different scaling ω constants for genomic relationships.

Methods: The dataset included performance tested growth rate records (average daily gain) from 13,166 and 21,762 pigs Landrace (LR) and Yorkshire (YS), respectively.

Genetic association between sow longevity and social genetic effects on growth in pigs.

Objective: Sow longevity is important for efficient and profitable pig farming. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in social genetic effect (SGE) of pigs on stress-tolerance and behavior. The present study aimed to estimate genetic correlations among average daily gain (ADG), stayability (STAY), and number of piglets born alive at the first parity (NBA1) in Korean Yorkshire pigs, using a model including SGE.

A genome-wide association study of social genetic effects in Landrace pigs.

Objective: The genetic effects of an individual on the phenotypes of its social partners, such as its pen mates, are known as social genetic effects. This study aims to identify the candidate genes for social (pen-mates') average daily gain (ADG) in pigs by using the genome-wide association approach.

Methods: Social ADG (sADG) was the average ADG of unrelated pen-mates (strangers).

Predictive performance of genomic selection methods for carcass traits in Hanwoo beef cattle: impacts of the genetic architecture.

Background: Hanwoo beef is known for its marbled fat, tenderness, juiciness and characteristic flavor, as well as for its low cholesterol and high omega 3 fatty acid contents. As yet, there has been no comprehensive investigation to estimate genomic selection accuracy for carcass traits in Hanwoo cattle using dense markers. This study aimed at evaluating the accuracy of alternative statistical methods that differed in assumptions about the underlying genetic model for various carcass traits: backfat thickness (BT), carcass weight (CW), eye muscle area (EMA), and marbling score (MS).