Forensic use of the genomic relationship matrix to validate and discover livestock pedigrees.

Correct pedigree is essential to produce accurate genetic evaluations of livestock populations. Pedigree validation has traditionally been undertaken using microsatellites and more recently, based on checks on opposing homozygotes using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In this study, the genomic relationship matrix was examined to see whether it was a useful tool to forensically validate pedigree and discover unknown pedigree.