Knowledge: Students will

• have advanced knowledge on the elements required to set up a successful breeding scheme.
• understand principles underlying the definition of breeding objectives
• be able to appply stochastic and deterministic methods for predicting effects of breeding schemes
• understand the effects of reproductive and genomic technologies.
• understand methods for maintaining genetic diversity in the presence of selection.
• be able to apply knowledge in optimization of breeding plans in the presence of genotype-environment interactions and breeding plans utilizing cross breeding.
• be able to analyse principles for dissemination of genetic progress

SKILLS: Students will be able to

• analyse breeding schemes and identify changes that would improve the breeding scheme.
• model specific breeding schemes and use methods to predict their effects.
• use stochastic and deterministic methods for predicting effects of breeding schemes.
• use methods for derivation of breeding obkectives.
• Critically evaluate scientific papers in the field of breeding schemes.

GENERAL COMPETENCES:

Students will be able to

• Model specific breeding schemes and predict their effects and quantify:
  • consequences of alternative strategies on effects of breeding, response, correlated response and inbreeding.
  • effect of alternative definitions of breeding objectives.
  • recording of traits
  • derivation of economic values in breeding goals, and calculation of economic gain from breeding.
  • the importance of the structure of the production system for dissemination of genetic progress, including genotype-environment interactions and use of cross-breeding
• Present problems and solutions to optimization of breeding schemes
• Contribute to developing efficient breeding schemes

The course focuses on understanding and application of methods for predicting effects of alternative breeding schemes, using deterministic and stochastic simulation. This includes formulation of breeding objectives, use of molecular genetic information, reproduction technologies, selection and mating strategies. The course will build theoretical understanding by problem based teaching based on solving real challenges in livestock and fish populations.

In this course students will develop a more detailed understanding of the elements of breeding schemes and methods to optimize multiple objectives (e.g. maximizing genetic progress while limiting rates of inbreeding). Learning will be based on understanding real problems and identification of theory and methods to solve these.

Teaching support:

Physical and on-line lectures, discussions, presentations, individual studies, and group exercises students , individual semester assignments, the use of models developed in the course and lectures

Textbook for HFA200 or other basic course in breeding/quantitative genetics.

Distributed notes and scientific papers.

Scientific litterature and information about breeding programmes identified as relevant in the problem oriented teaching.