Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of growth traits in Gir cattle

• Grant number: 16/05940-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2016
• End date: May 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Genetics and Improvement of Domestic Animals
• Principal Investigator: Josineudson Augusto Ii de Vasconcelos Silva
• Grantee: Marcus Vinicius Niz Alvarez
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Prediction of the genetic value of individuals to the different economic traits based on SNP genome markers has been applied in different herds, demonstrating possibilities of increase of selection responses. Therefore, studies about growth traits and use of genomic evaluation in animal production are needful to provide accurate predictions of the traits and to improve the understanding of genetic structure and gene effects and its functions. The aim of this project is to study genomic prediction methods of the genetic values and to detect SNPs associated with growth traits in Gir cattle. Records from 500 animals for yearling weight, adult weight and hip height traits will be used. The Genomic BLUP and single-step genomic BLUP methodologies will be applied in genomic analysis. Accuracy of the genomic values for the analyzed traits will be calculated with the correlation between the estimated breeding values and the adjusted phenotypic values divided by the square root of the estimates of heritability for the trait. The genome-wide association studies (GWAS) will be carried out using multiple markers by the use of statistical packages of R program and the single-step. Genomic regions that explain more than 0.50% of the additive genetic variance should be identified and explored in order to determine possible QTL.