Postgraduate Course: Animal Genetic Improvement (PGBI11084)

Course Outline
School	School of Biological Sciences	College	College of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)	SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate)	Availability	Not available to visiting students
SCQF Credits	10	ECTS Credits	5
Summary	This specialist course provides an understanding of the application of quantitative genetic techniques to the genetic improvement of managed animal populations through artificial selection. It examines the design of breeding programmes and looks at breeding programmes in practise.
Course description	Session Topic 1 Introduction: Animal breeding strategies and breeding programme design. 2 Factors affecting response to selection. 3-5 The basis of selection decisions. Breeding goals, selection index methodology, developing economic weights. Utilising the methodologies explored to incorporate a new trait in a breeding goal. 5 Impacts of selection. 6 Managing Genetic Variation in breeding programmes. Loss of genetic variation, optimised contribution theory, managing conservation populations. 7 Application of molecular genetics in animal breeding. Applications of marker assisted selection and genome wide selection. 8-10 Breeding in practise. Breeding for disease resistance in managed populations. Understanding the implementation of artificial selection in livestock breeding programmes.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites		Co-requisites	Students MUST also take: Population and Quantitative Genetics (PGBI11001) Students MUST also take: Quantitative Genetic Models (PGBI11085) AND Linkage and Association in Genome Analysis (PGBI11086)
Prohibited Combinations		Other requirements	None

Course Delivery Information

Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1)		Quota: None
Course Start	Semester 2
Timetable	Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info)	Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 15, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 15, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 68 )
Assessment (Further Info)	Written Exam 60 %, Coursework 40 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment)	One centrally arranged exam (60%) and one assignment (40%).
Feedback	Not entered
Exam Information
Exam Diet	Paper Name		Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)	Animal Genetic Improvement		1:30

Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to: On successfully completing the course, students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the strategies, up to date tools and practise of artificial selection in domesticated populations. They will be capable of designing and monitoring a selection programme whilst being aware of the risks presented to closed populations undergoing artificial selection. Additionally the application of genetic improvement programmes in commercial populations will have been explored.