Annual genetic progress is the key success factor of any primary breeding company. Several levers exist to achieve optimal progress while maintaining a low level of inbreeding. They are expressed in the following formulas:
- Selection intensity (i): The advantage of the average of the for reproduction selected birds compared to the average of all the candidates for selection. The selection intensity increases when the proportion of birds retained decreases and/or when the number of candidates increases.
- Selection accuracy (R): The degree of confidence in the prediction of the true genetic value of the birds. This precision depends on the quantity and quality of the information available to index the animal, and on the other hand on the heritability of the character.
- Genetic standard deviation (σ): The importance of the additive genetic variation between birds in the same population.
- The generation interval (T): The time needed to transmit genetic progress from one generation to the next. It corresponds to the average age of the breeders at the time of the birth of their progeny.
Progress in molecular genetics in the last decades have led to the development of innovative techniques that identify differences in the DNA sequence of individuals at certain genome positions (called markers or SNPs). Thanks to a DNA chip, today it is possible to know the information of hundreds of thousands of SNPs for each individual. The relationship between these SNPs and the performance of a reference population makes it possible to effectively predict for any candidate its genetic potential. This is already possible as from the day of birth, by using a simple biological sample of the bird/chick.
Since 2010, in collaboration with INRA, Novogen has started a research program in genomic selection called ‘Utopige’. Thanks to all the knowledge gained during this project, Novogen has been able to deploy this new method of selection to all of its lines.
The interest of the genomic selection is multiple and makes it possible to improve the annual genetic progress on several levels:
- Selection Intensity: Genomic information makes it possible to distinguish birds from the same family from the day of birth, whereas before these were considered equal until their own performances could be measured. Genomic selection therefore makes it possible to test a large number of individuals, and to identify those with the best potential among the best families.
- The accuracy of the evaluation: Improves with the accumulation of genotyping and field performance. Thus, the accuracy of genomic evaluation becomes equivalent or even better than the genetic evaluation of adult birds.
- The generation interval: Can be significantly reduced thanks to the early knowledge of the genetic potential of future pedigree birds. With the classical genetic selection method, it is important to wait until the end of the laying cycle to select the best birds. With genomic selection, the generation interval potentially can be reduced to 30 weeks, as from the moment of sexual maturity.
The contribution of genomics in the Novogen breeding program is therefore of the utmost importance. In addition to the phenotypic selection methods, this new technology allows the NOVOgen Brown and NOVOgen White products still to be the most competitive.
