APPLIED GENETICS AND GENOMICS FOR LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE SPECIES
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Advances in agricultural genomics have often been fueled by the supposition that improving host genetics through selective breeding may aid in the overall suppression of economically important diseases in food-animal populations as well as increased productivity and food security [1-9]. For U.S. food animal species such as domestic cattle, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays have facilitated the identification of genetic markers associated with complex traits for inclusion in modern breeding and selection programs; with genotype imputation from low to high density further reducing the cost of large-scale genomic selection [1-9]. However, with the emergence of high density genotypes (by imputation) and precision phenotypes, we are only just beginning to elucidate instances of trait pleiotropy, multi-breed quantitative trait loci (QTL), and the corresponding opportunities for multi-breed genomic selection in domestic cattle [6, 10; unpublished data]. Therefore, a need exists to continue the development of precision animal health and production phenotypes, low-cost generation of high density genotypes, and downstream analyses that seek to elucidate all instances where trait pleiotropy and multi-breed selection may be feasible as well as beneficial to the U.S. beef and dairy industry.While significant advances in agricultural genomics has occurred for food animal species, many economically important wildlife species remain without genomic tools and resources despite animal health concerns. For example, the emergence and spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in white-tailed deer, mule deer, and elk has not yet produced significant advances for disease suppression via the implementation of large-scale genomic approaches. At present, the prion locus is believed to be the only known risk factor for CWD in these species [11-14]. The rate limiting factor for advances in this area are formal genomics research programs, which include appropriate tools and resources. Similarly, idiopathic quail decline affecting U.S. bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) also has not been fully addressed using large-scale genomic approaches, despite multiple animal health concerns [15-17]. Therefore, a need exists to build modern research programs with appropriate tools and resources for these species; to catalyze unbiased, whole genome approaches to complex animal health and conservation issues.References[1]. Neibergs HL, Seabury CM, Wojtowicz AJ, Wang Z, Scraggs E, Kiser J, Neupane M,Womack JE, Van Eenennaam A, Hagevoort GR, Lehenbauer TW, Aly S, Davis J, Taylor JF (2014) Susceptibility loci revealed for bovine respiratory disease complex in pre-weaned holstein calves. BMC Genomics. Dec 22;15(1):1164.[2]. Neibergs JS, Neibergs HL, Taylor JF, Seabury CM, Lehenbauer TW, Van Eenennaam AL, Womack JE (2014) An Estimate of the Economic Gain from Selection to Reduce BRDC Incidence in Dairy Calves. Proceedings, 10th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production..........
