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Confirmation of the presence of a major gene for fecundity in Thoka Cheviot sheep by segregation analyses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

G.A. Walling ,
S.C. Bishop ,
R. Pong-Wong ,
G. Gittus ,
A.J.F. Russel  and
S.M. Rhind
G.A. Walling
Affiliation:
Roslin Institute, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9PS, Scotland
S.C. Bishop
Affiliation:
Roslin Institute, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9PS, Scotland
R. Pong-Wong
Affiliation:
Roslin Institute, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9PS, Scotland
G. Gittus
Affiliation:
Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, Scotland
A.J.F. Russel
Affiliation:
formerly Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, Scotland
S.M. Rhind
Affiliation:
Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, Scotland
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Extract

The putative Thoka gene, with large effects on fecundity, originated in Icelandic sheep. The gene was introduced to the UK in 1985 through a programme of crossbreeding and established in Cheviot sheep (Russel et al., 1997). Ewes have been retained in the flock as putative Thoka gene carriers if they have lambed in each of the first three years and had at least two sets of twins. Progeny tests on a separate population of ewes have been used on two occasions to identify rams believed to carry the gene. Despite this complex breeding programme, the actual segregation of a gene for fecundity has yet to be unambiguously demonstrated in this flock. The purpose of this study is to use complex segregation analysis to demonstrate the existence of this gene, estimate the size of its effect and frequency of the favourable allele within the population.

Type
Threatre Presentations
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2001 , 2001 , pp. 41
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2001

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References

Hill, W.G. and Knott, S.A. 1990. Identification of genes with large effects, pp. 477–495 in Advances in statistical methods for genetic improvement of livestock, edited by Gianola, D. and Hammond, K.. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.Google Scholar
Russel, A.J.F., Alexieva, S.A. and Elston, D.A. 1997. The effect of the introduction of the Thoka gene for fecundity on lamb production from Cheviot ewes. Animal Science 64 503–508.Google Scholar