► Genetic Evaluation of Breeding Animals and Definition of the Selection Objectives

Genetic evaluation of breeding animals is the estimation of the value of a breeding animal that what we hope the animal will transmit to its descendents. Evaluation is the key factor of efficiency and guidance of selection. It is also a key factor for the price of a breeding animal and genetic flow including on an international level.

For cattle, sheep, goat and pig species, the evaluation is performed by INRA, in close relation with the technical institutes in charge of diffusing the results. This mission can be translated by an effort on the research and development of statistical methods, model defining, calculation algorithms, and on dedicated software development. Indeed, the evolution of knowledge in statistics and genetics and computing power allows new methods to be developed that are more and more precise for breeding animal evaluation. For example, there is an increasing number of evaluated traits (necessary for the definition of a complete and balanced objective), systems for collection of data that are not always standardised, international evaluation, and molecular marker information. We contribute to the different international authorities on genetic evaluation, Interbull in particular. Since 2006, two mixed technology units have been created, making the old ties between INRA and the Institut d’Elevage official. An engineer from the Haras Nationaux has been working in our facilities for many years on genetic evaluation of horses.