Scope for estimation of variances due to sex-linked, maternal and dominance effects in mixed model analyses

Simulation and calculations based on the likelihood function are used to examine the sampling properties of maximum likelihood estimates of variance components due to sex-linked, maternal and dominance effects. Data are assumed to have been collected in an experiment designed specifically to provide a sufficient set of covariances between relatives for this task. Results show that variances due to sex-linked and dominance effects are inherently difficult to estimate. Moreover, the design suggested appears to be unsuitable to separate maternal, permanent environmental and dominance variances. The investigations shown are recommended as part of the design stage of quantitative genetic experiments.