Simulation of Optimal Open Nucleus Breeding Schemes to Improve Growth Traits and Carcass Composition of Lori-Bakhtiari Lambs

The objectives of this research were to simulate and optimize three open nucleus breeding schemes for improvement of growth traits and carcass composition in Lori-Bakhtiari lambs with 500 ewes in nucleus using a deterministic approach. These schemes were: scheme 1 with natural mating and mating ratio (M) of 50 ewes per ram in nucleus and member flocks (base), scheme 2 with artificial insemination in nucleus (M=250) and natural mating in base (M=50) and scheme 3 with artificial insemination in nucleus (M=250) and base (M=500). An economic selection index with accuracy of 0.42 was envisaged for base and one with accuracy of 0.67 for nucleus. Advantage of open nucleus over closed nucleus for schemes 1, 2 and 3 was different but optimal relative sizes and monetary genetic lags were 7.5, 5.7 and 8 percent, respectively. With equalization of the monetary genetic lags )sub-optimal( for schemes 1 and 2 being equal to the lag of optimum scheme 1, their base population sizes were 1.035 and 3.1 times the base size of optimum scheme 1 and their monetary genetic gains were 18.9 and 21.1 percent greater than the gain of the latter scheme, respectively. In the above sub-optimal situation, the base population size of scheme 3 was 3 times that of scheme 2, its monetary genetic gain being 1.91% greater. Shifting from traditional system with selection based on body weight at 6 months of age to schemes 1, 2 and 3 with same monetary genetic lags, the monetary genetic gain increased 84.3, 119.12 and 123.3 percent, respectively. However, due to the similarity of the monetary genetic gains of schemes 2 and 3 at the same monetary genetic lags and the higher practicability of scheme 2, implementation of this scheme for ease of initiation and promotion of the open nucleus breeding system was recommended.