The goal of the WP is to develop and test new tools, methods and breeding strategies which better suit the characteristic of the phenotypes identified as indicators of resilience and efficiency in sheep and goats.
This will be done using simulation and real data analysis. Research activities within this WP in the first year of the project have increased the theoretical understanding to improve genomic prediction schemes.
A method for identifying and quantifying any potential bias in the prediction has been developed, and an approach to better integrate pedigree and genomic information using metafounders has been proposed. A study has been carried out to optimise the genotyping strategies to increase the genetic gain when using ssGBLUP.
Works on the identifications of event of environmental challenges are under way as well as the development and testing of methods to account for GxE with the aim to develop optimum strategies for selecting for resilience.
Finally, the impact of inbreeding depression on reproduction traits are being carried out. The results from this WP will be used in other WP such as WP6.