Use of Phenotypic and Molecular Data for Genetic Evaluation of Livestock

Present methods for genetic evaluation of livestock are largely based on phenotypic information and pedigree registration. Genomics offers the opportunity to dissect phenotypic differences at the molecular level, which provides a better insight into the underlying genetic model. This affects genetic evaluations as well as selection strategies. Opportunities to utilize molecular and phenotypic information in genetic evaluation are described. Molecular genetic information offers the opportunity to better exploit phenotypic information but collecting phenotypic information remains important in order to identify the genetically unique individuals.