The Game Breeding Game: Where are we

heading?

Jacques van Rooyen

& Helena Theron

The Game Breeding Game: What are the rules of the game?

SA Stud Book Elite Breeding Symposium30 April 2014

Bloemfontein

Jacques van Rooyen Pri.Sci.NatFaculty of Veterinary Science, University of

Pretoria

&

Boscia Wildlife Solutions

Contents

1. The game industry: overview and trends

2. Principles of breeding and selection

3. Shift from Ranger to Rancher

4. Game Breeding- What we know & don’t know:

1. Soay sheep

2. Texas longhorn cattle

3. Sable and Roan antelope

5. Record keeping and selection in game

6. The future: genetic management and selection

Game Industry: Why is it important?

Number of game farms: 2,280 (1980) to ±10,000 today

Surface area: 20,5 mil ha (24% of SA rangelands)

Number of game: Vary: 2.5 – 18.6 mil animals

Economic significance 5th largest agric sector @ R10bil GDP

Plains Game Recent reduction in sale intensity (saturation..?) (Brandon Leer)

High value species/varieties Significant price growth over 10 years... For how long? Competition in animal

performance will increase.

Future: increased competition = increased importance of sound breeding practises –MEASURING AND RECORDING WILL PAY

What to measure and what to record???

Du Toit et al 2013, ABSA,

WRSA 2013, LBW etc

(P)henotype =

= +

+(G)enotype (E)nvironment

The Basic Principle of gene expression

The animal and its performance is a product of the interaction between its genetic potential

and the ability of the environment to express its genetic potential.

Variance between animals will be because of differences in either their genetic composition

or environment or both

(P)henotype =

= +

+(G)enotype (E)nvironment

The shift in focus…

Game Ranger to Game Rancher

Ranger vs. Rancher

Game Ranger:

Priorities:

Conservation of species

I.e. preserving and managing the environmentin which a population of a species could naturally survive

Managing any threat to the survival of the population

Thus: optimizing for survival

Allow natural selection and the survival of the fittest…

Game Rancher:

Priorities:

Financial gain

I.e. Optimizing both the environment and the genetic composition of a population to optimize animal performance for higher profits

Management & Selection objectives

Animal improvement

Thus: optimizing for performance & profit

Breeder select animals based on selection objectives & criteria

Buffalo

Roan

Sable

Do we fully understand what we do?

Horn Length

WHAT IS THE GAME INDUSTRY MAINLY LOOKING AT?

The current trend: breeding &

valuation of genetic potential...

Single trait selection: Emphasis on horn length (coat colour/combination)

as only trait of economic importance

Selection mainly for horn length

Value of animal: Value of animal based on measured horn length =

subjectively because not necessarily linked to true genetic potential/merit where environmental influence has been accounted for

Value of animal often strongly associated with value of sire or dam

HORN LENGHT

DOES PAY!!

BUT SHOULD WE

ONLY SELECT FOR

HORN LENGTH??

The Soay Sheep example

Nature - Johnston et al 2013

The Soay Sheep example

Significant variation in horn length of rams

One gene: Relaxin-like receptor 2 (RXFP2) Genetic & phenotypic data of 1,750 over 21 years

Two alleles: Ho+ - large horns = high

reproductive success

HoP – small horns = increased survival

Heterozygote advantage in Ho+HoP

The Soay Sheep example

• Mechanism for RXFP2 influence on survival and reproductive success is

unknown....

• Might be due to energy expenditure in three phenotypes, especially

during rut

•NB!! Substantial genetic and phenotypic data!

The case of the Texas Longhorn... Hillis, D.M. (2005)

The Texas Longhorn Example

Texas Longhorn: 40 years of selecting for Horn Length = Benchmark ↑ from 40” to 80” (Hillis2005)

BUT!!

“Given the ↑ heritability of many other NB traits such as: Milk production (0.35)

Scrotal circumference (0.48)

Disease resistance (0.4 – 0.6)

Disposition (0.4)

and the low and even neg. corr. between HL and some other desirable traits , a program that selects only for HL will most certain suffer in overall quality in the long term” (Hillis, 2005)

AND

For NB Traits, most progeny of exceptional parents will not be exceptional… (Hillis 2005)

Limb, Don. (2005)

Hillis, D.M. (2005)

40 Years

Horn growth and reproduction:

Sable & Roan antelope

Horn Length Horn Base Horn Rings Tip – Tip Ear Length Body WeightTestis

circumfr.Age

Horn Length 1.0000.200

0.167

0.706

<.0001

-0.066

0.654

0.115

0.430

0.203

0.161

0.175

0.230

0.309

0.031

Horn Base0.200

0.1671.000

0.032

0.825

-0.004

0.980

0.018

0.903

0.108

0.460

0.190

0.192

0.112

0.446

Horn Rings0.706

.<.0001

0.032

0.8251.000

0.018

0.901

0.116

0.427

0.161

0.270

0.113

0.441

0.458

0.000

Tip – Tip-0.066

0.654

-0.004

0.980

0.018

0.9011.000

0.039

0.790

0.350

0.014

0.134

0.359

-0.160

0.271

Ear Length0.115

0.430

0.018

0.903

0.116

0.427

0.039

0.7901.000

0.318

0.026

0.246

0.088

-0.047

0.748

Body Weight0.203

0.161

0.108

0.460

0.161

0.270

0.350

0.014

0.317

0.0261.000

0.577

<.0001

-0.204

0.159

Testis

circumfr.

0.175

0.230

0.190

0.192

0.113

0.441

0.134

0.360

0.250

0.088

0.577

<.00011.000

-0.003

0.986

Age0.309

0.031

0.112

0.446

0.458

0.000

-0.160

0.271

-0.047

0.748

-0.204

0.159

-0.003

0.9861.000

Pearson’s square Correlations between body measurements

of 49 sable antelope bulls

Correlation of serum testosterone with body

measurements in roan & sable bulls

Measurement

Roan antelope (n=5) Sable antelope (n=10)

ū SD

Coeff. /

ū SD

Coeff. /

P-valueP-value

Testosterone 3.144 2.536 - 5.183 4.335 -

Horn Length 484.8 80.369

0

883.2 7.909

-0.116

1 0.751

Horn Base 227.2 13.461

0.461

255.2 7.33

0.231

0.434 0.521

Horn Rings 14.100** 3.943

0.975

27.85 2.625

0.262

0.005 0.464

Testis

circumference 162.2 10.849

-0.1

221.000 14.974

0.742

0.873 0.014

Age 3.2 0.447

0.707

4.25 0.791

0.384

0.182 0.273

Weight 205.000** 16

0.9

208.8 18.79

0.261

0.037 0.466

Horn growth and reproduction: Sable antelope

Horn Length and NB

reproduction traits are

not necessarily linked

What should

we select for..?

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

mm

Age (years)

Sable Horn Length

Matetse Bulls

Matetse Cows

Malawi Cows

Malawi Bulls

Zambian Bulls

Zambian Cows

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Age (Years)

Horn Base Circumference

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

0 365 7301095146018252190255529203285365040154380474551105475

Sable body weight

Male

female

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Age (years)

Testes Circumference of Sable bulls

Animal Selection Principles

Most Economic NB traits are:

quantitative (additive)

Influenced by many genes

Continuous variation

Large environmental influence

Breeding value determined

statistically, based on individual, pedigree

& progeny performance

IMPLICATIONS:

1. Selection objectives

2. Setting of norms/standards/criteria

3. Record keeping (Measure)

1. Identification & parenting

2. Basis for comparison

3. Degree of variation

4. Heritability / Breeding values

ARE THESE PROCESSES IN PLACE IN

GAME BREEDING?

Hillis, D.M. (2005)

Criteria and records: Breeding Bull

Breeding bulls has the biggest genetic

impact on a herd over time.

Important Traits to Record & Select for :

1. Body Conformation:

1. Highly heritable

2. Functional efficiency (body weight, legs, male

characteristics etc.

2. Pedigree & Progeny:

1. What do you pay for…? Breeding value?

2. Performance of offspring

3. Best: Good parents and all the other criteria

3. Horn Growth:

1. Economic very NB Trait

2. Heritability vs Nutrition (Environment) 1. Highly heritable in Bighorn Sheep (0.69) (Coltman et al.

’03

2. Contemporary groups & indexes.

4. Reproductive ability:

1. Fitness, sperm count, libido etc.

5. Health & Disease Resistance:

1. Natural selection kept them healthy – keep it

that way!!

2014/04/22

Date of Capture 2013/10/11 Attending Vet Bossie

ID Red T12 Place of Capture Bona Banzi Age at capture (month) 8

Reason for Capture Move to Buisfontein Avg Growth (mm/day) 0.99

Horn Measurements Left Right

Length 10 10

Rings 0 0

Tips 10 10

Spread

Base Circumference 5.75 5.75

Date of Capture Attending Vet

Place of Capture Age at capture (month)

Reason for Capture Avg Growth (mm/day)

Horn Measurements Left Right

ID Length

Red T12 Vaar Mother Rings

Name Red T12 Trust Red 902 Tips

M/Chip No 945000001116696 4C3E333905 Spread

Tag No Red T12 Red G30 Red 902 Base Circumference

Old Tag No N/A N/A N/A

Age (months) 15 6 years 64 Date of Capture Attending Vet

Date of Birth 2013/01/27 Feb-06 Jan-09 Place of Capture Age at capture (month)

Sex Male Male Female Reason for Capture Avg Growth (mm/day)

Species Sable Sable Sable Horn Measurements Left Right

Subspecies X Zambian X Length

Rings

Calf Intervals Date Calf Name Sex Tips

Spread

Base Circumference

Bona Banzi Exclusive Game Movement / Capture Entry SheetR

ED

T1

2

3

Parental Information

Record keeping systems in game

Record keeping systems in game

AnimalID AnimalCategoryID Species MicrochipNumber MicrochipSite TagOrNotchNumberDNASpeciesClassificationStudCertificationNumberGender DateofBirth DateofPurchaseAmountPaidFatherID MotherID Termination

37 1 3 470C330024 Left neck y64 2 2 2002/05/16 0.00 0 Auctioned

38 1 3 423431326E Left neck Y35 1 2002/03/16 0.00 0 0 Sold

40 1 3 44455C6C02 Left neck Y36 1 2002/03/16 0.00 0 0 Auctioned

41 1 1 44256E5C49 Left neck B37 1 2002/05/16 0.00 0 0 Sold

42 1 3 442567433F Left neck B38 1 2002/03/15 0.00 0 0 Auctioned

43 1 3 7F7D7A5010 Left tail base Y39 1 1999/06/20 0.00 0 0 sold

44 1 1 4426692C21 Right neck G36 1 2002/05/07 0.00 0 0 Auctioned

45 1 1 4427116603 Right neck G37 1 2002/07/07 0.00 0 0 Auctioned

46 1 1 44455F6B7C Right neck G38 1 2002/04/07 0.00 0 0 Auctioned

47 1 1 44442C6B71 Right neck O1 1 2002/02/07 0.00 0 0 Sold

48 1 1 44255A0556 Left neck B1 2 1999/08/11 0.00 0 0 Sold

49 1 1 4422362A76 Right neck G39 1 2002/02/11 0.00 0 Auctioned

50 1 1 4426705810 Right neck G40 1 2002/02/11 0.00 0 0 Auctioned

51 2 8 423B5E6800 Right neck R4 1 2000/02/11 0.00 0 0 Sold

52 1 2 442250647A Unknown R39 1 2002/01/11 0.00 0 0 Auctioned

53 1 2 4441121B0A Unknown R40 1 2002/01/11 0.00 0 0 Auctioned

54 2 8 4425705748 Left neck Y1 1 1998/08/21 0.00 0 0 Sold

55 2 8 4422486A29 Left neck Y41 1 1999/08/21 0.00 0 0 Sold

56 2 8 43154E055B Right neck Y11 1 1999/08/21 0.00 0 0 Sold

57 2 8 4315595E1E Right neck B4 1 1999/02/21 0.00 0 0 Sold

58 2 8 430E3E5163 Left neck Y42 1 1999/02/21 0.00 0 0 Sold

59 2 8 2046347274 Left tail base Y7 1 2000/02/21 0.00 0 0 Sold

60 2 8 431043190E Right neck Y16 1 1999/08/21 0.00 0 0 Sold

Record keeping systems in game

• All info of the animal is easily available at one glance

• Extra info available by clicking on the tabs

• Easy to record management as well as genetic info

• Easy to record as much or as little as you want to!

Conclusions:

Can’t just select for Horn Length

Need for a unified, balanced

breeding/selection criteria for each

species / objective

Record keeping in order to track changes

in all important traits in each species

Many research needs to take the industry

forward

Game breeders have a great responsibility

to the future viability of a specific

species/breed

Topics for discussion

Skills in the industry: What is required of a game

farm manager in future?

Size of our data basis Do we have large enough

data sets to move to more advanced tools for genetic selection?

BLUP, Genomics...

Is required record keeping feasible in game? Parentage

Performance data

What research is required? Trait heritability

Gene interaction

Thank You!!