All-breed single-step genomic best linear unbiased predictor evaluations for fertility traits in US dairy cattle.

The US dairy cattle genetic evaluation is currently a multistep process, including multibreed traditional BLUP estimations followed by single-breed SNP effects estimation. Single-step GBLUP (ssGBLUP) combines pedigree and genomic data for all breeds in one analysis. Unknown parent groups (UPG) or metafounders (MF) can be used to address missing pedigree information.

Approximation of reliabilities for random-regression single-step genomic best linear unbiased predictor models.

Random-regression models (RRM) are used in national genetic evaluations for longitudinal traits. The outputs of RRM are an index based on random-regression coefficients and its reliability. The reliabilities are obtained from the inverse of the coefficient matrix of mixed model equations (MME).

Combining large broiler populations into a single genomic evaluation: dealing with genetic divergence.

Combining breeding populations that have diverged at some point is a conventional practice, particularly in the poultry industry, where generation intervals are short and genetic evaluations should be frequently available. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of combining large, distantly genetically connected broiler populations into a single genomic evaluation within the single-step GBLUP framework. The pedigree data for broiler lines 1 and 2 consisted of 428,790 and 477,488 animals, being 156,088 and 186,387 genotyped, respectively.

Transforming estimated breeding values from observed to probability scale: how to make categorical data analyses more efficient.

Threshold models are often used in genetic analysis of categorical data, such as calving ease. Solutions in the liability scale are easily transformed into probabilities; therefore, estimated breeding values are published as the probability of expressing the category of main interest and are the industry's gold standard because they are easy to interpret and use for selection. However, because threshold models involve nonlinear equations and probability functions, implementing such a method is complex.

Marker effect p-values for single-step GWAS with the algorithm for proven and young in large genotyped populations.

Background: Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) effects can be backsolved from ssGBLUP genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV) and used for genome-wide association studies (ssGWAS). However, obtaining p-values for those SNP effects relies on the inversion of dense matrices, which poses computational limitations in large genotyped populations. In this study, we present a method to approximate SNP p-values for ssGWAS with many genotyped animals.