Quantitative genetics: Selection of domestic animals

Duration

22h Th, 5h Mon. WS

Number of credits

Lecturer

Johann Detilleux

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The course is structured around three main chapters allowing to understand the basic concepts of selective breeding.
The first chapter introduces the principles of the origin and maintenance of genetic variability in populations, as well as its importance and significance in terms of adaptation and evolution. (Hardy Weinberg's law and extensions, evolutionary forces, coevolution of the parasite and its host)
The second chapter deals with the genetics of characters with continuous variation (with exceptions) and with complex determinism, that is to say governed by several genetic factors and several non-genetic factors (decomposition of the phenotypic variation of quantitative characters, estimation of the parameters genetics and breeding values, calculation of genetic gain)
The last chapter introduces genetic counseling, i.e. the process of counseling keepers of animals affected by or at risk for genetic disorders to help them understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and ethical implications of genetic contributions to these disorders. household income and sports; Assessment of genetic risk
 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

At the end of the course, the student will be able of:
1. identifying when and how genes fluctuate in time, which forces make them vary and how these fluctuations may explain the mechanisms of evolution of the animal species (wild and domestic)
2. identifying data necessary to the genetic evaluation of sport and production animals, and understanding the mathematical models used in animal selection
3. to apply the concepts learned in the course to the selection domestic animals
4. Assess genetic risk in simple settings

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Knowledge necessary to the comprehension of this course is those desired of the students of third year in veterinary medicine (or the equivalent), i.e., to understand the basic concepts in genetics and statistics

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Course materials in on internet

Organisational adjustments related to the current health context

As the health crisis management measures evolve with its progress, the organisational modalities of the teaching unit will be transmitted via eCampus.

Recommended or required readings

Introduction to quantitative genetics (Falconer, 1985)
Genetic improvement of cattle and sheep (Simm, 1998)
Genetics for the animal sciences (VanVelck et al., 1987)
Principles of population genetics (Hartl & Clark, 1988)
An introduction to genetic analysis (Griffiths et. al., 1998)
Introduction to Risk Calculation in Genetic Counseling (Young, 2006)
 

Assessment methods and criteria

Below you will find information on the evaluation methods planned for in-person and remote exams as well as those planned for hybrid sessions. Depending on how the health crisis evolves, the chosen method will be communicated to you no later than one month before the start of the exam session.

Any session :

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire )

- Remote

written exam AND written work

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred remote


Additional information:

At the end of course, the student will be able, individually, without the assistance of the notes:
- of solving with the necessary precision the exercises and problems referring to the course, with the assistance of a calculator,
- of understanding the illustrations (diagram, appear, graph, table, ...) of the concepts learned during the course,
- of recognizing and identifying, without any help, important concepts
- of extrapolating learned oncepts to evolutionary phenomena observed in animal populations and to method of animal breeding

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Contacts

 Detilleux : jdetilleux@ulg.ac.be
 

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