| Department of Large Animal Sciences | |||||||||||||||
| Earliest Possible Year | MSc. 1 year | ||||||||||||||
| Duration | One block | ||||||||||||||
| Credits | 7.5 (ECTS) | ||||||||||||||
| Course Level | MSc | ||||||||||||||
| Examination | Final Examination written examination and oral examination Some Aid allowed Project report and 1 page with own notes Description of Examination: An individual oral examination is held at the end of the course. 45 minutes examination with presentation of individual project report, discussion of project and general curriculum (no preparation). Weight: Oral examination (50%) and written report (50%) 7-point scale, internal examiner | ||||||||||||||
| Organisation of Teaching | Lectures, theoretical exercises, practical computer exercises, journal club, self study and report writing. | ||||||||||||||
| Block Placement | Block 2 Week Structure: C | ||||||||||||||
| Teaching Language | English | ||||||||||||||
| Optional Prerequisites | 260002 Basic Animal Breeding | ||||||||||||||
| Mandatory Prerequisites | 240040 | ||||||||||||||
| Restrictions | None | ||||||||||||||
| Course Contents | |||||||||||||||
| The key issues in designing a breeding program and the basic theory for definition of breeding goals is introduced. This includes setting up predictions for future production conditions and estimation of economic values. Furthermore, alternative methods for defining breeding goals, e.g. desired gains, are presented. The focus will be designing breeding programs. This includes choice of selection and mating strategy, evaluation of breeding plans, the use of deterministic and stochastic simulation methods, crossbreeding, interactions between genetic and environmental components, and the use of reproductive technologies as well as their impact on possibilities for design of breeding programs. Also, specific issues including marker assisted and genomic selection, crossbreeding, genetic contributions and conservation of genetic diversity is taken up. | |||||||||||||||
| Teaching And Learning Methods | |||||||||||||||
| Lectures, theoretical exercises, practical computer exercises, self study, journal club and report writing. In connection with journal club, lectures and exercises, the students are expected to participate actively in mutual discussions. The lectures will be supported by both theoretical and computer exercises such as different simulation methods. The simulation exercises will illustrate the impact of different factors in a breeding program and introduce the simulation method. The report writing is done independently. The topic of the report is an area within animal breeding of the student's own choice. The structure of the report should follow that of a scientific paper, but the work load is less. The project leading to the report should not only involve a literature study but also include a data analysis of some sort; either real data analyses, simulations or analytical work. | |||||||||||||||
| Learning Outcome | |||||||||||||||
| After completing the course students should be able to participate in designing breeding plans and predict the expected genetic progress and inbreeding level of a given scheme. Knowledge: Fully understand the animal breeding theory which forms the basis for designing breeding plans. Skills: Is able to estimate economic values of different traits and propose a sustainable breeding goal. Able to simulate a breeding plan and predict expected genetic response and inbreeding level. Competencies: Critically evaluate methods used in animal breeding and published results, particularly in relation to the design of breeding programs. | |||||||||||||||
| Course Litterature | |||||||||||||||
| Kinghorn, B., van der Verf, J. & Ryan, M. Animal Breeding - Use of New Technologies. Handouts and scientific papers | |||||||||||||||
| Course Coordinator | |||||||||||||||
| Thomas Mark, thm@life.ku.dk, Department of Basic Animal and Veternary Sciences/Genetics & Bioinformatics, Phone: 35332890 | |||||||||||||||
| Study Board | |||||||||||||||
| Study Committee NSN | |||||||||||||||
| Course Scope | |||||||||||||||
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