The University of Manitoba
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
COURSE TITLE
PRINCIPLES OF ANIMAL GENETICS
Department Animal Science
Course Number ANSC 3500
Academic Session Fall 2014
Credit Hours 3
Prerequisites and how they apply to this course: The Prerequisite for this course is PLNT 2520, a basic
genetics course offered from the Department of Plant Science. Familiarity with the basic principles of genetics is
important since these are built upon in the present course. Though not stated in the paper calendar, another
equivalent prerequisite is the course, BOTN 2460, and this course is often taken by students from the Faculty of
Science.
Classroom Location: Room 107, Animal Science Building
Meeting Days and Class Hours Slot 2: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:30-10:20
Lab/Seminar Location N/A
Lab/Seminar/Hours
Department Office location Room 201, Animal Science Building
Phone Number 474-9383
Course Web Page (if applicable)
Students can download course notes and assignment material from the D2L page for this course.
Instructor Information
Name of instructor:
Dr. G.N. Gozho, PhD
Office Location: Room 228, Animal Science Building
Office Phone Number 474-9443
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Office Hours:
Open door policy
Email Address:
George.gozho@ad.umanitoba.ca
Teaching Assistant(s) (if applicable)
none
TA Office Hours and Location
N/A
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Course Philosophy
Students’ Learning Responsibilities
(a) Attend class (be on time).
(b) Ask for help.
(c) Work together on assignment problems other than exams (but prepare your answers independently)
(d) Prerequisites: Know basic genetics as well as basic computer software.
(e) Adhere to university student academic and conduct guidelines.
Why this course is useful?
Modern farm animals are managed as populations, so knowledge of the behavior of genes in populations is
important: what are the forces affecting gene frequencies, and what is the relative importance of these various
forces in creating change? In addition, most characteristics of practical importance in farm animal production are
quantitative traits, i.e. traits that vary on a continuous scale such as weight. Many genes and many environmental
effects also affect these traits, so an understanding of how to manage populations for these traits is important in
genetic improvement of farm animals.
Who should take this course?
Students interested in agricultural animals are the primary targets for this course, but students interested in natural
populations and in genetics in general would benefit.
How this course fits into the curriculum
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This is a course meant to show the principles of population and quantitative genetics and it fits between the first
genetics course, and would be useful for students before they take the applied genetics course or the speciesoriented production courses.
Course Description/Objectives
Undergraduate Calendar Description
ANSC 3500 Principles of Animal Genetics Cr. Hrs.3 (Formerly 035.350) Topics discussed will include population
genetics, quantitative variation, selection and mating systems with particular reference to domestic species.
Prerequisite: PLNT 2520 (or 039.252)
Instructional Methods
Instruction will mostly be lectures with some classroom discussion.
Course Objectives
To convey principles of population genetics and quantitative genetics, incorporating recent knowledge in the area
of DNA markers and maps.
To give students a basic understanding of modern techniques of genetic evaluation of farm animals, and how
genetic differences between individual animals as well as breed differences are utilized to improve animal
characteristics in modern production systems.
Description of Examinations
Midterm test 1 is written during class time on October 10, 2014.
Midterm test 2 is written during class time on November 14, 2014.
Both midterm tests require students to answer multiple choice questions as well as questions that require short
and long answers.
The final exam takes place during the final exam period in December 2014
Description of Assignments
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In many of the assignments, students will read a scientific manuscript or a scientific source and answer questions
about its content to summarize or interpret the material. Reading material is chosen to reflect the course content
and amplify chosen topics. At least one assignment is based upon information from online genetics databases,
including the sites, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals (OMIA), and the National Centre for Biotechnology
Information (NCBI).
Most assignments will involve calculations using a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel. The purpose is to
determine the behavior of various formulas used to describe populations or traits. There will also be statistical
calculations involving means and variances for quantitative traits.
Assignment Due Dates
Assignments are passed out at the beginning of each section and due dates are assigned and stated in each
case.
Grade Evaluation
Students receive a numeric score from the following course activities: midterm test 1, 25%; midterm test 2, 25%;
final exam, 40%; and assignments, 10%. This numeric score is converted to a letter grade using the following
conversion: 92-100=A+, 84-91=A, 77-83=B+, 70-76=B, 65-69=C+, 60-64=C, 50-59=D, Under 50=F
Texts, Readings, Materials
Textbook(s) – Authors, Titles, Edition
There is no required text for this course. You can use the following books as background reading. All are
available in the Science Library (see the library numbers below). You may borrow the copies of these books from
me for brief periods of time.
1. Bourdon, Richard, M. 2000. Understanding Animal Breeding, 2nd edition. Prentice Hall. {SF 105 B67 2000}
2. Nicholas, F.W. 1996. Introduction To Veterinary Genetics, Oxford University Press. {see me}
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3. Van Vleck, L.D., E.J.Pollak and E.A.B. Oltenacu. 1987. Genetics for the animal sciences. W.H. Freeman and
Company. {QH 432 V36 1987}
Supplementary Reading
Additional Materials
The following Internet web sites contain information relevant to this course. They can be accessed from many
microcomputer labs on campus, including the Agriculture microcomputer lab, using a web browser.
1. Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals. This Australian site contains a large collection of references on
inherited characteristics of animals, which can be browsed by species, or disorder category, or searched by
keywords.
2. Genes for Cowboys. This site from the University of Saskatchewan has information on basic genetics of simply
inherited traits in cattle.
3. Genome maps of domestic animals. This site contains maps of the genomes of domestic animals, including
information on genes and DNA markers.
4. Genetics calculator. This Danish site will do a number of calculations for problems in population genetics and
quantitative genetics.
5. Breeds of livestock. This is a very useful site out of Oklahoma State University, giving all sorts of information
on breed backgrounds and current information on breeds, including breed association addresses.
6. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Domestic Animal Diversity (DAD) Information System. This site gives
information on farm livestock genetic diversity in many countries of the world. This site has a database of breeds
and an online library of genetic resources material.
7. Rare Breed Survival Trust. Here is a site from Britain concerned with the preservation of breeds of livestock in
the United Kingdom.
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8. Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities. Here is an interesting site concerned with genetic resources
with poultry.
9. Centre for the Genetic Improvement of Livestock (CGIL). This centre is in the Department of Animal and
Poultry Science at the University of Guelph and has useful material on all species of farm livestock.
Course Policies
Late Assignments
Students should hand in assignments on time. Assignments, which are one or two days late, will be accepted if
the student has an acceptable explanation. Otherwise late assignments will not be accepted
Missed Assignments
Assignments which are not passed in will be given a score of zero, and that zero score will be used to calculate
the overall average for assignments.
Missed Exams
A missed exam will receive a score of zero unless the student provides a medical certificate giving the reason for
missing the exam.
Academic Integrity
Plagiarism or any other form of cheating in examinations, term tests or academic work is subject to serious
academic penalty. Cheating in examinations or tests may take the form of copying from another student or
bringing unauthorized materials into the exam room. Exam cheating can also include exam impersonation. A
student found guilty of contributing to cheating in examinations or term assignments is also subject to serious
academic penalty. Students should acquaint themselves with the University’s policy on plagiarism, cheating, exam
impersonation and duplicate submission (See Section 7 in the online calendar:
http://webapps.cc.umanitoba.ca/calendar11/Academic Regulations.pdf)
Additional Comments:
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Use of Third Party Detection and Submission Tools
Electronic detection tools may be used to screen assignments in cases of suspected plagiarism.
Group Work Policies:
For assignment work, I encourage you to work together on problems – the purpose of assignments is to
understand the material. You may also use the Internet for background material. The completed assignment work
that you pass in to me must be in your own words. If the Internet or other material is used in your work, this must
be properly referenced.
Course Content
Topic
1. Introduction
# Lectures
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2. Domestication. The process of domestication, historical and modern effects.
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3. Mendelian genetics. Study of Mendelian inheritance with examples from farm animals.
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4. Study of genetic differences. Discussion of genetic differences ranging from differences in
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chromosomal morphology to differences in DNA sequences, in various DNA marker systems.
5. Genetic architecture of traits. Coat colour in mammals is used to demonstrate how many genes
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act together to produce phenotype.
6. Chromosome mapping - Computer lab
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7. Population genetics. Gene frequencies and the forces, which change gene frequencies, are
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studied here.
8. Quantitative genetics. Genetic and environmental effects on phenotype are studied. Variation and
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its measurement, and concepts of heritability, repeatability and estimation of breeding value are
examined.
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Topic
# Lectures
9. Selection. Factors affecting response to selection are studied.
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10. Common and rare breeds of farm animals
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11. Mating systems, crossbreeding and heterosis
2
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