Mean Kinship: a key factor in ensuring a breed’s healthy future
Mean kinship is a key concept in identifying the most suitable breeding animals within a population. But what exactly does mean kinship entail, and why does it play such a vital role in responsible breeding policy? In this article, we explain what mean kinship is, why it is important for the genetic health of a breed, and Marjolein Flobbe from the Dutch Schapendoes Association (VNS) explains why they have chosen to work with ZooEasy’s Mean Kinship module.
What is mean kinship?
Mean kinship (MK) is the average genetic relationship of an animal to all animals within a population. The value provides insight into the extent to which an animal is genetically represented within the breed.
Animals with a low mean kinship are relatively unique from a genetic point of view. Their genes occur less frequently in the population and are therefore valuable for the preservation of genetic diversity. Animals with a high mean kinship, on the other hand, are more strongly represented within the breed. If these animals are frequently used for breeding, genetic variation decreases further.
Mean kinship is therefore regarded as an important measure of an animal’s expected contribution to future inbreeding within a population.
Why is mean kinship so important?
Preserving genetic diversity is essential for the health and long-term viability of a breed. When the same bloodlines are used repeatedly, genetic variation decreases and the risk of hereditary disorders and genetic defects increases.
By taking mean kinship into account in breeding decisions, breeders can prevent certain bloodlines from becoming overrepresented. The aim is to ensure that sufficient animals with a low mean kinship remain available for future generations. This keeps the breed’s genetic base broad and reduces the risk of hereditary problems.
A well-considered breeding policy based on mean kinship therefore contributes directly to a healthier and stronger breed.
The experience of the Dutch Schapendoes Association
The Dutch Schapendoes Association (VNS) also attaches great importance to preserving genetic diversity within the breed. According to board member Marjolein Flobbe, it is important not to wait until problems have already arisen before taking action.
“In principle, we don’t have a major problem within our breed, but we want to use the mean kinship calculation to prevent a problem from arising. Things are going well at the moment, but you can tell a mile off that things will go wrong if we just carry on as we are and do nothing.”
To gain an understanding of the breed’s genetic situation, the VNS sought advice from various sources, including Jack Windig of Wageningen University & Research (WUR). A population study revealed that, at that time, there were no immediate problems, but that it was important to prevent a further increase in mean kinship within the population.
The Mean Kinship module from ZooEasy
To better support breeders and breed associations in monitoring genetic diversity, ZooEasy developed a special Mean Kinship module. The VNS played a key role in the development and testing of this functionality.
Marjolein Flobbe explains:
“Through our collaboration with ZooEasy, we were able to help develop the Mean Kinship module and test it extensively. In addition, Jack Windig checked ZooEasy’s calculations for accuracy, giving us extra assurance that the results are reliable.”
Using the module, users gain immediate insight into the mean kinship value of individual animals and of the population as a whole. This allows breeding decisions to be better substantiated and enables a targeted focus on the preservation of genetic variation.
The benefits of the Mean Kinship module
The Mean Kinship module offers various benefits for breeders, breed associations and herd book administrators:
- Automatic recalculation of mean kinship following every change to the database.
- Immediate insight into the mean kinship value of each individual animal.
- Calculations have been verified by Jack Windig (Wageningen University & Research).
- Easily make selections within the population based on mean kinship values.
- The calculation takes the entire population into account.
- Greater insight when selecting suitable breeding animals and combinations.
- Support in maintaining genetic diversity within a breed.
- Contribution to a healthy, strong and future-proof population.
Investing in the future of a breed
Mean kinship is much more than a statistical value. It is a practical tool for maintaining genetic diversity and preventing future problems within a breed. By gaining insight into the genetic position of individual animals, breeders and breed associations can make informed choices that contribute to a healthy future for their breed.
With ZooEasy’s Mean Kinship module, this information becomes accessible and immediately applicable in daily breeding practice.