Consequences for diversity when prioritizing animals for conservation with pedigree or genomic information

Area of Science:

• Animal breeding and genetics
• Conservation genetics
• Genomic selection

Background:

• Traditional animal conservation relies on pedigree information for prioritizing breeding stock.
• Genomic data offers a more precise alternative for assessing genetic diversity and kinship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of pedigree-based versus genomic-based optimal contribution selection in conserving genetic diversity.
• To investigate differences in conservation outcomes at the chromosomal level.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two Holstein cattle populations for analysis.
• Applied optimal contribution selection methods using both pedigree and genomic kinship data.
• Analyzed genetic diversity conservation at both the whole-genome and chromosomal levels.

Main Results:

• Genomic selection generally conserved slightly higher genetic diversity than pedigree selection.
• Differences in conserved diversity were more pronounced when fewer animals were selected or when pedigree data contained errors.
• Chromosomal-level analysis revealed varied outcomes, with genomic selection favoring most chromosomes but pedigree selection outperforming it for some.

Conclusions:

• Genomic information enhances animal conservation strategies by improving the selection of individuals for maintaining genetic diversity.
• Genomic selection is particularly beneficial when pedigree data is unreliable or absent, or for targeted conservation of specific genomic regions.