Genetic parameters for faecal worm egg count at different ages in Australian sheep under natural challenge
L. Li A B D , D. J. Brown A B , A. A. Swan A B and J. H. J. van der Werf A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A The Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
B Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (a joint venture of NSW Department of Primary Industries and the University of New England), University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
C School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: lli4@une.edu.au
Animal Production Science 59(7) 1201-1208 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN17833
Submitted: 23 November 2017 Accepted: 19 July 2018 Published: 12 September 2018
Abstract
The data used in the present study consisted of 24 535 worm egg count records on sheep observed from 63 to 560 days of age under conditions of the natural challenge of trichostrongylid species. Records were extracted from the Information Nucleus Flock database of the Australia Sheep Cooperative Research Centre program from 2007 to 2011. Records were observed at various ages and subdivided into weaning (W, ~3 months), post-weaning (P, ~4 months), yearling (Y, ~12 months) and hogget (H, ~18 months) age stages and were used to investigate genetic variation at different age stages in univariate analyses and estimate genetic correlations between age stages in multi-trait analyses. The full data were also analysed by random regression models to study how heritability and genetic correlations varied with age. Heritability estimates from univariate analyses were 0.20 ± 0.05, 0.15 ± 0.02, 0.36 ± 0.09, 0.22 ± 0.06 for W, P, Y and H age stages respectively. A similar trend of heritability over ages was found from random regression analyses, which decreased from 0.16 at 90 days to 0.09 at 120 days, following a steady increase to 0.32 at ~410 days, and then decreased afterwards to 0.24 at 520 days. Strong genetic correlations (>0.8) were found between W and P age stages, along with Y and H age stages. Sire by flock interaction effects were significant, and accounted for the reduced estimates of heritability and increased genetic correlations between age stages. The results indicated that a multiple-trait approach is required for genetic evaluation of worm egg count when measurements are at different ages, and the accuracy of evaluations would benefit from recording at least two separate age stages.
Additional keywords: genetic correlation, heritability, intestinal nematodes.
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