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Expected consequences of the segregation of a major gene in a sheep population in relation to observations on the ovulation rate of a flock of Cambridge sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. B. Owen ,
C. J. Whitaker ,
R. F. E. Axford  and
I. Ap Dewi
J. B. Owen
Affiliation:
School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor LL57 2UW
C. J. Whitaker
Affiliation:
Centre for Applied Statistics, University of Wales, Bangor LL57 2UW
R. F. E. Axford
Affiliation:
School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor LL57 2UW
I. Ap Dewi
Affiliation:
School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor LL57 2UW
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Abstract

A simple model was derived relating the phenotypic effect (g) of a major gene to observed values of the population mean and variance for a trait, at specified values of the major gene frequency and at specified basal values of the population mean and variance (in the absence of the major gene). This model was applied to a total of 549 observed values of ovulation rate in ewes of the Cambridge breed at Bangor under a range of assumptions. The mean values of ovulation rate were 2·44 for 243 ewes of 1 year of age and 37·54 for 306 ewes of 2 and 3 years of age with a coefficient of variation for both age sets of 0·50.

The results indicate a minimum value for g, in this data set, of 1·07 for 1 year old and 1·72 for 2 and 3 year old ewes. The results are also consistent with a frequency value in the region of 0·3 to 0·4, with the absence of dominance and with a reasonable concordance with Hardy-Weinburg equilibrium. The results also indicate that the value of g varies according to the background phenotype since it is lower for younger as compared with older ewes.

Keywords

major genesovulation ratesheep
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 51 , Issue 2 , October 1990 , pp. 277 - 282
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1990

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References

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