Total merit index to estimate the breeding value of Polish arctic foxes*

• Main Authors: Heliodor Wierzbicki, Bolesław Żuk, Krystyn Chudoba
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: Arctic; Arctic Fox
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1090.6406; http://free-journal.umm.ac.id/files/file/Total%20merit%20index%20to%20estimate%20the%20breeding.pdf

Reported are results of a 3-year study that attempted at introduction the BLUP AM and the total merit index (TMI) to Polish fur farming as tools for the estimation of breeding value with the use of the on-farm computer system. Presented is TMI proposed for the use in Polish arctic fox farming as well as the >FUTERKA< computer programme developed for collecting and organizing data, estimating breeding values and constructing the TMI. KEY WORDS: arctic fox / computer system / total merit index The breeding value of animals bred on farms is usually estimated using the mixed model method. Most often a mixed analysis of variance model is employed [Engel et al. 1999], referred to as an animal model (AM). The AM implies a unique type of analytical procedure that incorporates all sources of genetic information (all available records of animal's performance and performance of its relatives) into the prediction of breeding value, and in consequence high accuracy of predictors is achieved