Genetic Models for Animal Breeding
Understand the genetic and statistic principles that enable responsible animal breeding and set-up and improve your own breeding program.
Self-Paced
This course is part of a
Professional Certificate
About this course
Animal breeding involves the selective breeding of domestic or livestock animals with the intention to improve desirable (and heritable) qualities in the next generation. This course introduces the steps required to design a program for breeding animals and teaches the genetic and statistical concepts that are needed to build a solid breeding program. Follow this course and learn what the key factors are for improving and increasing productivity and learn what it takes to create and maintain a healthy strong population. You will learn how an animal breeder balances the need for improving the desirable qualities of the animals with the need for genetic diversity and long-term sustainability of the breeding program. You will learn about the scientific concepts in genetics that are applied in animal breeding, as well as how to apply the genetic models and computational methods that are used in animal breeding.
Professionals working with animals will be able to use the knowledge from this course to understand the impact of breeding on animal populations and use genetic principles to make their decisions. This course will allow you an advanced starting point for further studies, such as M.Sc. level courses in breeding.
Please know that knowledge of statistics at a 2nd or 3rd year university level is needed to follow this course successfully.
For who
Although this course is open to everyone, it is particular useful for breeders of:
This course is part of the Professional Certificate Program “Animal Breeding and Genetics”. Join the other course in the program, Evaluating Animal Breeding Programs, and advance your career as a breeder.
The course is developed with financial support and input from the Koepon Foundation and the African Chicken Genetic Gains project.
Professionals working with animals will be able to use the knowledge from this course to understand the impact of breeding on animal populations and use genetic principles to make their decisions. This course will allow you an advanced starting point for further studies, such as M.Sc. level courses in breeding.
Please know that knowledge of statistics at a 2nd or 3rd year university level is needed to follow this course successfully.
For who
Although this course is open to everyone, it is particular useful for breeders of:
- Cows
- Poultry/Chicken
- Horses
- Pigs/Swine
- Dogs
- Sheep
- Goat
- Fish
- Shrimp
This course is part of the Professional Certificate Program “Animal Breeding and Genetics”. Join the other course in the program, Evaluating Animal Breeding Programs, and advance your career as a breeder.
The course is developed with financial support and input from the Koepon Foundation and the African Chicken Genetic Gains project.
What you'll learn
- The steps required in setting up a breeding program.
- Understanding of the main concepts in animal breeding.
- Applying genetic models and tools to predict the breeding value of animals.
- Tools to predict genetic change and/or inbreeding in populations.
Module 1: Introduction to Animal Breeding
Introduction to the seven steps that are needed to set up a breeding program.
Module 2: The breeding goal
Learning the characteristics of a breeding goal and how to define a breeding goal for genetic improvement and for genetic diversity.
Module 3: Collection of information and family relationships Learning the value of information on relationships, performance, and DNA information, including the concept and consequences of inbreeding. Learning methods to quantify relationships and inbreeding.
Module 4: Genetic models
Learning the concept of genetic models and to apply suitable genetic models for different traits. Learning the genetic concepts of heritability, repeatability, common environment ratio and mendelian sampling.
Module 5: Ranking the animals
Learning to estimate the breeding value of animals, using single or multiple sources of information, including DNA information. Learning to calculate the accuracy of estimated breeding values.
Module 6: Response to selection
Learning to calculate the response to selection and knowing its key elements and consequences of trade-offs between them. To understand mating schemes and long term contributions to inbreeding.
Module 7: Animal breeding in practice.
Introduction to dissemination strategies and a range of applications of the topics in this course in the breeding of different animal species.
Introduction to the seven steps that are needed to set up a breeding program.
Module 2: The breeding goal
Learning the characteristics of a breeding goal and how to define a breeding goal for genetic improvement and for genetic diversity.
Module 3: Collection of information and family relationships Learning the value of information on relationships, performance, and DNA information, including the concept and consequences of inbreeding. Learning methods to quantify relationships and inbreeding.
Module 4: Genetic models
Learning the concept of genetic models and to apply suitable genetic models for different traits. Learning the genetic concepts of heritability, repeatability, common environment ratio and mendelian sampling.
Module 5: Ranking the animals
Learning to estimate the breeding value of animals, using single or multiple sources of information, including DNA information. Learning to calculate the accuracy of estimated breeding values.
Module 6: Response to selection
Learning to calculate the response to selection and knowing its key elements and consequences of trade-offs between them. To understand mating schemes and long term contributions to inbreeding.
Module 7: Animal breeding in practice.
Introduction to dissemination strategies and a range of applications of the topics in this course in the breeding of different animal species.
Meet your instructors
Pursue a Verified Certificate to highlight the knowledge and skills you gain $99.00
Official and Verified
Receive an instructor-signed certificate with the institution's logo to verify your achievement and increase your job prospects
Easily Shareable
Add the certificate to your CV or resume, or post it directly on LinkedIn
Proven Motivator
Give yourself an additional incentive to complete the course
Support our Mission
EdX, a non-profit, relies on verified certificates to help fund free education for everyone globally
Learner testimonials
"This course is very important especially developing countries like Africa where there is no well planned Breeding policy for the different farm animals. Because of this, they couldn't get the expected production and productivity is very low."
"All the course organizers were well prepared and knowledgeable. That was very respectful of their learners and the profession of animal breeding. I can now see why Wageningen University is a leader in teaching and research of animal science!"