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44 views16 pages

Methods of Selection 1

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mubashir
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ANIMAL GENETICS & BREEDING

UNIT – III
Principles of Animal Breeding
Theory

Methods of Selection

Dr K G Mandal
Department of Animal Genetics & Breeding
Bihar Veterinary College, Patna
Bihar Animal Sciences University, Patna
Methods of Selection
 Introduction:
• The net economic value of an animal depends on
performance of several characters.
• For example, a dairy cow will be more economical to
maintain if she produces more milk (more LMY) with
higher fat content in milk ( fat %) for a longer period of
time (longer lactation length), remain dry for a shorter
time between two successive calvings (shorter Calving
Interval) etc.
• It is therefore , essential to estimate the total breeding
worth i.e., net merit of an animal.
 Multi trait selection:
• Selection is practiced for several traits simultaneously to
improve the overall merit of the individuals.
 Requirement and efficiency of multi trait selection:
i. Estimation of economic value of the traits.
ii. Genetic significance of the animal in terms of h2 of the
traits and genetic correlations among the traits.
iii. The methods of selection and number of traits to be
included in the selection criteria.
 Methods of Selection:
1. Tandem method
2. Independent Culling Level method
3. Selection Index or total score method
1. Tandem Method

• This is a multi trait selection.


• Tandem method is practiced for improvement of several
traits but at different times i.e., one trait at a time and
selection process will continue for several generations till
the improvement is made in that trait up to desired level.
• Thereafter, selection is practiced for improvement in the
second trait and the selection process will also continue
for several generations till the goal is achieved to the
desired level.
• In this way selection will continue for all the traits one by
one.
• If number of traits considered for selection is ‘ n ‘, then
the average genetic improvement in each of n
independent and equally important traits per generation
would be only 1/n times.
• The efficiency of this method depends on the genetic
correlation among the traits under selection.
 Merit of Tandem method:
• This method is easy to understand and easy to conduct.
• If genetic correlation between the traits is positive then
improvement in any one trait would lead improvement
in the correlated traits.
 Demerit of tandem method:
• This method is less efficient than other methods.
• The genetic progress per unit of time is less.
• It requires more time for improvement in all the traits.
• An undesirable genetic correlation between two traits
would neutralize the genetic progress made in any one
trait.
2. Independent Culling Level Method of Selection

• Two or more traits are taken at a time for selection of an


individual.

• A minimum standard (level) is fixed for each and every trait.

• Each and every animal has to achieve the target fixed for
each character for its selection.

• If an animal fails to meet the minimum standard fixed for any


one character will be rejected even though it is exceptionally
good for all other traits.
• Example: IC L method of selection in buffalo

Traits Standard Set Buffalo No.


1 2
AFC (months) 42 40 44
LMY (Kg) 1800 1850 2200
Fat % 7 7 6.5

• Buffalo no. 2 is rejected though it is excellent in LMY.


• Buffalo no. 1 is selected as it has achieved the minimum
target fixed for all the three traits.
 Advantages of IC L:
i. It is superior to tandem method because selection is
practiced for more than one trait at a time.
ii. Culling process may be started at the early age for the
traits expressed at early age.
 Disadvantages:
i. It is inferior to Selection index or total score method.
ii. No compensation for superiority of an excellent trait.
iii. More emphasis is given to the traits expressed at early life.
iv. Intensity of selection is reduced with the increase in
number of traits.
v. Only mediocre animals are selected.
 Efficiency of the method:

• It depends on standard (level) fixed for each character.

• If level fixed is low, very few animals are to be rejected.

• If standard kept at very high level, only few animals will


have the opportunity to be selected.

• It is superior than the tandem method of selection.

• It is inferior to Selection index or total score method.


3. Selection Index
 Introduction:
• Selection index is the numerical score assigned to an individual to
estimate its breeding value on the basis of economic weight of the
traits considered for selection.
• Several number of traits are considered simultaneously for selection
of an individual.
• Selection index is an index of the net merit of an animal for many
traits.
• Deficiency in some traits is taken into account by superiority of other
traits.
• Certain value (economic weight) is assigned to each trait depending
its h2 and economic value as well as genetic correlation among the
traits.
• Values of all the traits are added together to get the total score
for an animal. For this reason selection index is also known as
total score method.
• Credits and penalties are given to each animal according to the
degree of superiority or inferiority in each trait.
• The animal with the highest score is then selected for breeding.
• Some weightage is given to each trait due to their unequal
economic importance and thus allows equal attention to each
trait.
• The amount of weightage given to each trait in relation to other
traits determines the influence of each trait on the final index.
• The amount of weightage depends upon the economic weight
and genetic significance of the traits.
• Selection index is the sum of the product of phenotypic
value with the respective economic weight of different
characters incorporated into the index.
• Thus, selection index,
I = ∑bixi
= b1.x1 + b2.x2 + b3.x3 + ………….. + bn.xn
Where,
xi (x1, x2, x3 ……..xn) represents the phenotypic values for
different traits and ‘bi’ are the weighting factors (partial
regression coefficient) given to each trait.
• Selection index was developed by Prof. R A Fisher in 1936
and first used for genetic improvement in animals by
Hazel in 1943.
• Merit of selection index:
i. It is superior than the tandem and ICL methods.
ii. It overcomes the disadvantages shown by tandem and
ICL.
iii. Selection on the basis of an index is a more balanced
approach since it combines information of various traits
on the basis of their economic importance.
iv. It allows individuals which are superior in some traits to
be selected regardless of their inferiority in other traits.
v. Efficiency of S.I. increases with the increase in the
number of traits to be selected but the response in the
individual traits become less.
vi. Hence, only those traits considered more important
should be included into the index.
 Requirements in the construction of S.I.:
i. Economic value or relative economic importance of
each of the trait.
ii. Genetic and phenotypic variances of all the traits.
iii. Genetic and phenotypic covariance among all the
traits.
THANK YOU

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