New report: The Impact of Generation Interval

Meatlinc Pedigree breeders often ask how they can make faster genetic progress within their flocks.

The rate of genetic change achieved within a flock is dependant on three things:
• The heritability of the trait
• The selection pressure
• The generation interval

Breeders have little influence on the heritability of the trait, but they can often increase the selection pressure within their breeding programmes.

Whilst these two secrets to success are obvious, many breeders could also decrease the generation interval within their flocks, making better use of the genetic improvement that they make each year.

The following paper outlines how breeders can exploit differences in generation interval.

Reducing the Generation Interval

Posted by Samuel Boon on 07 Nov 2014

News, Sheep

About the author

Samuel Boon

I am the Manager of Signet Breeding Services, within the AHDB.

Enthusiast on all things genetics to do with sheep and cattle and currently also supporting Bridget Lloyd in running the @RamCompare progeny test with ~18,000 lambs/annum.

I am also involved with the:-

Relaunch of Terminal Sire Breeding Programmes (Sheep)
AHDB lead for the Welsh Sheep Breeding Project run by HCC - working with Innovis, HCC and Janet Roden
Database design and development for this website
National Sheep Breeds Survey
Development of Carcase Trait EBVs in Beef Cattle
Formerly involved with the delivery of the Welsh Sheep Strategy, Northern Upland Sheep Strategy, Suckler Cow Project, Highlands and Islands Sheep Strategy

I can be followed on Twitter @SamBoonBreeding