The utility of estimated breeding values for inherited disorders of dogs

摘要

The article by Dr. Tom Lewis, of the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, UK, and his colleagues that is published in this issue of The Veterinary Journal addresses some interesting and important issues relating to inherited disorders of dogs (Lewis et al., 2010). Syringomyelia in Cavalier King Charles spaniels has received considerable exposure following the screening of the BBC series Pedigree Dogs Exposed and there is a concern about levels of inherited disorders in dogs in general (see Higgins and Nicholas, 2008). The article shows how standard quantitative genetic techniques can be used to estimate the extent of inheritance of the disorder (heritability estimation) and then to provide a metric that can be used to assess the genetic merit of individual animals for the purpose of breed improvement (estimated breeding values, EBVs). Such techniques are well established in livestock species for improvement in production traits as well as disease resistance. There are numerous national and even international herd recording schemes, with Interbull1 being established in 1983 to coordinate calculation and dissemination of EBVs and quantitative genetic parameters for cattle.