Mar 28, 2025
Photo by Sandra Stevens
A recently released research paper on the benefits of incorporating genomic information into Deer Select finds that doing so improves prediction accuracy by at least 15 percent in three key industry traits, allowing better ranking of animals across birth years.
Genomics is mostly about using DNA to more accurately measure the genetic contribution of close relatives, combined with information on measured performance to enable more accurate predictions of performance.
"Every animal has four grandparents and two parents. Through the 50/50 contribution, the standard evaluation means each grandparent has a 25 percent contribution to the progeny,” says Sharon McIntyre, DINZ Deer Select Manager and co-author of the paper.
“But we know from DNA that that can vary; an individual can have as little as 15 percent to a max of about 37 percent from a particular grandparent. If you got a higher contribution from a grandparent that was very good at the trait, the BV [breeding value] for that trait would be increased relative to current standard predicted 25 percent value; conversely, if it received a 15 percent contribution, the BV would be reduced.”
The paper, made open access by AgResearch due to the benefit to industry, investigates ways to incorporate genomic information in routine deer evaluations of genetic merit.
AgResearch principal scientist and research author, Suzanne Rowe says: “The significant progress made by the deer industry, working alongside the scientists to adopt genomic technology, should be celebrated – which is why this published research has been made available to all. For our part, we are keen to continue working with the industry to further improve prediction accuracy driving genetic gain and ultimately profit.”
Researchers used production traits related to growth and velvet yield – namely weaning live weight (WWT), typically recorded at approximately 100 days of age; 12-month live weight (W12); and velvet weight at 2 years (VW2) – to compare the performance of genomic prediction using pedigree (best linear unbiased prediction, or BLUP), genomic (GBLUP), and combined pedigree and genomic (single-step genomic BLUP, or SSGBLUP) relationships among animals.
“Including genomic information into a genetic evaluation increases the accuracy of prediction, especially for traits that are only measured in one sex, later in life, or for advanced measurements that may only be done on a few animals,” says McIntyre.
“Reproduction, velvet and advanced meat measurements fall into those categories, whereas growth is easily recorded multiple times in the first year of life so benefits less from genomics.”
More accurate BVs and indexes mean better and faster progress in the desired traits.
“AgResearch have used red and wapiti genetics to do a proof of concept and now are working towards building it into the standard Deer Select evaluations," says McIntyre. "This will increase the return breeders get from the cost of the DNA parentage and breed service currently available through GenomNZ.”
