Prediction of Genomic Relationship Matrices using Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Hanwoo

The emergence of next-generation sequencing technologies has lead to application of new computational and statistical methodologies that allow incorporating genetic information from entire genomes of many individuals composing the population. For example, using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) obtained from whole genome amplification platforms such as the Ilummina BovineSNP50 chip, many researchers are actively engaged in the genetic evaluation of cattle livestock using whole genome relationship analyses. In this study, we estimated the genomic relationship matrix (GRM) and compared it with one computed using a pedigree relationship matrix (PRM) using a population of Hanwoo. This project is a preliminary study that will eventually include future work on genomic selection and prediction. Data used in this study were obtained from 187 blood samples consisting of the progeny of 20 young bulls collected after parentage testing from the Hanwoo improvement center, National Agriculture Cooperative Federation as well as 103 blood samples from the progeny of 12 proven bulls collected from farms around the Kyong-buk area in South Korea. The data set was divided into two cases for analysis. In the first case missing genotypes were included. In the second case missing genotypes were excluded. The effect of missing genotypes on the accuracy of genomic relationship estimation was investigated. Estimation of relationships using genomic information was also carried out chromosome by chromosome for whole genomic SNP markers based on the regression method using allele frequencies across loci. The average correlation coefficient and standard deviation between relationships using pedigree information and chromosomal genomic information using data which was verified using a parentage test andeliminated missing genotypes was 0.81±0.04 and their correlation coefficient when using whole genomic information was 0.98, which was higher. Variation in relationships between non-inbred half sibs was 0.22±0.17 on chromosomal and 0.22±0.04 on whole genomic SNP markers. The variations were larger and unusual values were observed when non-parentage test data were included. So, relationship matrix by genomic information can be useful for genetic evaluation of animal breeding.