I am analysing lamb weaning weight data from an experiment conducted over 2 years. There were sires from 6 origins (distinct areas) and ewes from 3 of these origins. Some origins had 1 sire/annum and others 2/annum. There were 12 ewes/origin/annum. Progeny were produced from all possible sire origin*dam origin combinations using ET to generate >1 progeny per sire-dam mating. The lambs were reared by recipient ewes that were unrelated to any of the sires or donor ewes.
I have pedigree information for most of the sires and donors going back 1-3 generations. Some of the sires and donor ewes (within origins) were related. Some of the ancestors of sires and donor ewes were imported from identifiable farms.
I have analysed the data in asreml with genetic groups. I have included groups representing the 6 origins and identifiable farms (i.e from which ancestors of donor sires and ewes were imported).
Some lines form the pedigree file, data file and .as file are shown below.
The researchers who conducted the field work were interested in whether there was an effect of origin and whether there was an interaction between origins.
I would be grateful for comments about the method of analysis and interpretation of the output. My main queries are:-
1. Is the analysis appropriate ?
2. How should I interpret the solutions for genetic groups. Can I determine from the solutions whether there is a significant effect of origins.
3. How can I determine if there is an interaction between origins ?
Thanks
Ioan Ap Dewi
School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences
University of Wales
Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
#####
example lines from pedigree file
#####
GR1 0 0
.....
.....
GR27 0 0
BA:0004 GR4 GR4
CE:0005 GR5 GR5
.....
.....
RH:0009 GR7 GR7
CA:TC GR8 GR8
LL:BCH81 GR11 GR11
CP:CEIRO GR24 GR24
CA:TN GR9 GR9
LL:BD31 GR12 GR12
.....
.....
CP:G888 CP:K999 CP:F852
CA:W148 GR1 GR1
LL:H52 GR27 GR27
CP:G895 CP:K995 CP:K872
CA:W195 GR1 GR1
LL:H999 GR27 GR27
.....
.....
97015 CA:M006 CP:Y911
97016 BA:0004 LL:K050
97017 LL:L295 CA:K489
97018 CA:M006 LL:L118
97019 RH:0006 CA:K103
97021 CP:G959 LL:J074
.....
.....
98811 CE:0008 CA:L327
98812 CA:S461 LL:N331
98815 CE:0008 CP:Y924
98816 CA:S461 LL:N331
98817 CA:S461 LL:N331
98818 CE:0008 CP:G895
98819 CE:0008 CP:Y924
######
example lines from data file
######
97001 CA:M006 CP:Y911 97 1 2 91335 6 2 42.5
97002 CE:0005 CA:J377 97 5 1 92066 5 1 34.5
97003 CP:G959 CA:W533 97 2 1 93240 4 1 38.5
97004 CE:0005 CP:W864 97 5 2 92312 5 1 44.5
97005 CA:M006 CP:Y911 97 1 2 92095 5 2 31.0
97006 CA:M006 CA:K517 97 1 1 92046 5 1 34.5
97007 CA:M006 LL:L118 97 1 3 91220 6 1 42.0
######
.as file
######
Analysis for ET Data
animal !P
sire !P
gdam !P
year 2 !I
so 6 # sire origin
do 3 # donor dam origin
rdam 348 !I #identity of rearing dam
rdage 4 !I #age of rearing dam
sx 2 #sex of animal
ww
pedgr.dat !ALPHA !GROUPS 27 !NEW !MAKE
wwall.dat
ww ~ mu y sx rdage y.sx !r animal rdam
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