Genetic improvement of Canadian lamb carcass yield, quality and growth traits

在加拿大羊肉产业中，胴体产量和质量性状相当重要，因为这些性状直接关系到供应链的生产效率、经济盈利能力和消费者对国内产品的选择。然而，尚未对加拿大品种和加工系统的羔羊胴体产量和质量性状的商业性能和遗传学进行大规模评估。本研究旨在基准表型和检查胴体产量，脂肪深度和构象的遗传基础，在商业羔羊，并考虑与早期生长，超声波测量和其他经济上重要的生产和繁殖性状的遗传关系。本研究的目的是寻找最佳的选择方法，以提高商品羔羊育种计划中的胴体产量和质量。将研究在魁北克分级胴体程序中处理超过2.5年的商业羔羊的胴体重量、背膘厚、构造评分、屠宰年龄和个体市场价格的数据。这些数据可以与加拿大绵羊遗传评估系统（CSGES）数据库中的系谱和早期生活记录相关联。将进行定量遗传分析，以确定这些性状的遗传力和遗传相关性。这些参数将用于预测选择性育种如何提高羔羊胴体产量和质量，以及这些性状与早期生长和超声测量的关系。更好地了解羔羊胴体产量和质量的遗传基础将使该行业能够开发更高效和优质的动物，增加商业收入和整体行业盈利能力，同时提高消费产品质量。

In the Canadian lamb industry, carcass yield and quality traits are of considerable importance because these relate directly supply chain production efficiency, economic profitability and consumer choice of domestic products. However, a large-scale evaluation of commercial performance and genetics of lamb carcass yield and quality traits has yet to be conducted for Canadian breeds and processing systems. This study seeks to benchmark phenotypes and examine genetic bases of carcass yield, fat depth and conformation in commercial lambs, and consider genetic relationships with early growth, ultrasound measurements and other economically important production and reproduction traits. The goal is to find optimal selection methods to improve carcass yield and quality in commercial lamb breeding programs. Data on carcass weight, backfat depth, conformation scores, slaughter age, and individual market prices from commercial lambs processed over 2.5 years in Quebec graded carcass program will be studied. These data can be linked with pedigree and early life records in the Canadian Sheep Genetic Evaluation System (CSGES) database. Quantitative genetic analyses will be performed to determine heritability and genetic correlations for these traits. These parameters will be used to predict how selective breeding can improve lamb carcass yield and quality, and how these traits relate with early growth and ultrasound measurements. A greater understanding of the genetic basis of lamb carcass yield and quality will allow the industry to develop more efficient and quality animals, increasing income at the commercial level and overall industry profitability while also improving consumer product quality.