MOLECULAR AND QUANTITATIVE ANIMAL GENETICS

Contributors, xiii
Manuscript reviewers, xv
Preface, xvii
1 Decoding and Encoding the "DNA" of Teaching and Learning in College Classrooms 1
• Section 1: Quantitative and Population Genetics 13
2 Mating Systems: Inbreeding and Inbreeding Depression 15
3 Genomic Selection, Inbreeding, and Crossbreeding in Dairy Cattle 25
4 Basic Genetic Models for Quantitative Traits 33
5 Heritability and Repeatability 39
6 Applications of Statistics in Quantitative Traits 43
• Section 2: Applications of Genetics and Genomics to Livestock and Companion Animal Species 65
7 Genetic Improvement of Beef Cattle 67
8 Genetic Improvement in Sheep through Selection 73
9 Genetic Improvement Programs for Dairy Cattle 85
10 Genetic and Genomic Improvement of Pigs 97
11 Equine Genetics 107
12 Genetics and Genomics of the Domestic Dog 121
13 The Sheep Genome 131
14 Goat Genetics and Genomic Progress 137
• Section 3: Molecular Genetics of Production and Economically Important Traits 143
15 Bioinformatics in Animal Genetics 145
16 Genome-wide Association Studies in Pedigreed Populations 155
17 Molecular Genetics Techniques and High Throughput Technologies 163
18 Single Genes in Animal Breeding 177
19 Molecular Genetics of Coat Color: It is more than Just Skin Deep 187
20 Molecular Genetics-Nutrition Interactions in Ruminant Fatty Acid Metabolism and Meat Quality 197
21 Nutritional Epigenomics 215
• Section 4: Genetics of Embryo Development and Fertility 227
22 Genomics of Sex Determination and Dosage Compensation 229
23 Functional Genomics of Mammalian Gametes and Preimplantation Embryos 239
24 The Genetics of Produced Embryos 257
• Section 5: Genetics of Animal Health and Biotechnology 263
25 Understanding the Major Histocompatibility Complex and Immunoglobulin Genes 265
26 Livestock and Companion Animal Genetics: Genetics of Infectious Disease Susceptibility 275
27 Animal Genetics and Welfare 283
28 Animal Biotechnology: Scientific, Regulatory and Public Acceptance Issues Associated with Cloned and Genetically Engineered Animals 289
29 Intellectual Property Rights and Animal Genetic Resources 303
Index 311

Animal genetics is a foundational discipline in the fields of animal science, animal breeding, and veterinary sciences. While genetics underpins the healthy development and breeding of all living organisms, this is especially true in domestic animals, specifically with respect to breeding for key traits.
Molecular and Quantitative Animal Genetics is a new textbook that takes an innovative approach, looking at both quantitative and molecular breeding approaches. The bookprovides a comprehensive introduction to genetic principles and their applications in animal breeding. This text provides a useful overview for those new to the field of animal genetics and breeding, covering a diverse array of topics ranging from population and quantitative genetics to epigenetics and biotechnology. Molecular and Quantitative Animal Genetics will be an important and invaluable educational resource for undergraduate and graduate students and animal agriculture professionals.

Divided into six sections pairing fundamental principles with useful applications, the book's comprehensive coverage will make it an ideal fit for students studying animal breeding and genetics at any level.