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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #309575
Title: Rapid calculation of genomic evaluations for new animals

Author
item Wiggans, George
item Vanraden, Paul
item Cooper, Tabatha

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/28/2014
Publication Date: 3/1/2015
Citation: Wiggans, G.R., Van Raden, P.M., Cooper, T.A. 2015. Rapid calculation of genomic evaluations for new animals. Journal of Dairy Science. 98(3):2039-2042.

Interpretive Summary: A method was developed to calculate preliminary genomic evaluations weekly before release of official monthly evaluations by processing only newly genotyped animals and using estimates of SNP effects from the previous official evaluation. To minimize computing time, reliabilities and genomic inbreeding are not calculated, and fixed weights are used to combine genomic and traditional information. Preliminary and official monthly evaluations for animals with genotypes were highly correlated for most Holstein traits but less correlated for breeds with smaller population size. Earlier access to genomic evaluations benefits producers by enabling earlier culling decisions and genotyping laboratories by making more uniform workloads.

Technical Abstract: A method was developed to calculate preliminary genomic evaluations daily or weekly before the release of official monthly evaluations by processing only newly genotyped animals using estimates of SNP effects from the previous official evaluation. To minimize computing time, reliabilities and genomic inbreeding are not calculated, and fixed weights are used to combine genomic and traditional information. Correlations of preliminary and September official monthly evaluations for animals with genotypes that became usable after the extraction of genotpyes for August 2014 evaluations were >0.99 for most Holstein traits. Correlations were lower for breeds with smaller population size. Earlier access to genomic evaluations benefits producers by enabling earlier culling decisions and genotyping laboratories by making workloads more uniform across the month.