Sheep Industry News August 2022

Flock 54 & NSIP Provide Modern Genomic Tools S heep Genetics USA recently sat down with Superior Farms Director of Producer Resources Karissa Isaacs and National Sheep Improvement Program Executive Director Rusty Burgett to discuss their respective sheep genomic programs. vides genotypes for markers known to be linked to disease, determin ing parentage and now validating markers associated with economical important traits, such as for fecundity (twinning), milk yield and foot health all in one test. Th is allows producers to maximize the informa

tion that they get in comparison to single gene tests, and helps to enhance their profi ability and health of their fl cks. Flock54 launched in 2019 and today we are on our third improved and updated version add ing new traits such as the Dwarf Gene as well as additional health markers for OPP. Flock54 1,000 marker targeted panel is flex ble and we can add new markers linked to important traits soon aft er

SG USA: Karissa and Rusty, give us a brief overview of the current status of genomics within our sheep industry. KARISSA & RUSTY: With advancements in ge nomic technology, these genetic prediction tools are now more accessible and useful for the Ameri can sheep industry. While DNA tests for individual

traits such as Scrapie resistance or OPP resistance gene testing have been avail able for some time now, newer products such as Superior Farms’ Flock54 and the Genome-Enhanced Estimated Breeding Values through NSIP combine multiple tests into one and provide producers with more information to make informed genetic selection decisions for their fl cks. Th se genetic prediction techniques look at the actual DNA makeup of a sheep and convert that into usable information for the producer. SG USA: NSIP and Flock54 diff er in their basic platform on how DNA is analyzed, can you describe those diff erences along with what information is gained for pro ducers.

they are discovered. We do utilize a 50K marker array for the discovery of new traits of interest from requests by produc ers and breeds. Currently, we are working with the Polypay and Rambouillet breeds on genetic defects, as well as validating wool and meat quality markers. SG USA: Can you describe the uniqueness of these two dynamic genomic programs and how they can ben efi t producers? RUSTY: Th amount of information gleaned from a 50K chip is what makes it unique, looking at so many diff erent loca tions across the genome that have been proven to impact the various production traits and then pairing that DNA infor

mation with production data collected on the ranch means more accurate genetic predictions compared to traditional EBVs based on production data alone. Th genomic data also tells us just how related an animal is to the rest of the population, which helps build accuracy of the predictions and “proves” breeding animals at a much younger age. Th is is all done through a new genetic evaluation process called Single Step GBLUP, which is the same technology being used in other species such as beef or dairy to include genomics. Th is means seedstock producers can be more intensive in their selection and make progress quickly. For a commercial producer, they have more accurate, predictable genetic information on potential breeding See GENOMIC PROGRAMS on Page 30

RUSTY: When genotyping breeding stock through NSIP, we use the Ovine GGP 50K SNP Chip array through Neogen. Th at test looks at 50,000 diff erent locations or SNPs across the genome which provide us with tons of information. Th at information is then used to deter mine parentage of animals, certain genetic conditions such as Scrapie codons, TMEM-154 (OPP resistance), Myostatin, Callipyge, etc., and then it also funnels that genomic information into the genetic evalua tion for Genome-Enhanced Estimated Breeding Values.

KARISSA: Flock54 is a targeted genotyping panel that utilizes DNA sequencing to provide low-cost genetic information. Th is panel pro

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