If the value #CIRC is displayed for an animal, that animal is part of a circular reference. In the pedigree of which the animal is a part, an animal somewhere is linked as its own ancestor. This creates a loop in the pedigree, known as a pedigree loop. The inbreeding coefficient of animals within this loop cannot be calculated, which is why the value #CIRC is displayed. Offspring outside the loop cannot be calculated as a result of the loop. A loop therefore affects all offspring.
All calculated fields may appear in #CIRC. However, some calculated values may appear in #CIRC while others do not. This may be due, for example, to the number of generations over which the value is calculated. For example, the AVK is calculated by default over 5 generations, while other calculated values are calculated by default over an unlimited number of generations. To resolve this, we recommend locating the exact position of the circle reference and correcting it. You can do this using Advanced Search and/or Poprep.
The step-by-step guide is as follows:
1. Click the menu Animals
2. Click the drop-down list labeled Name and select Extended Search
3. Check the box next to Number of results. No search criteria have been entered yet, so the total number of animals is currently displayed here
4. For example, in the “From” and “To” fields under “Inbreeding,” enter the value “-2.” This is the value for animals that are in a pedigree loop
5. If there are search results, click “Display search results(s)” to view them.
There are two ways to identify the loop.
First way
If the number of animals involved is small, it may be possible to identify the cause visually by referring to the animals’ pedigree.
1. Click on an animal from the search results
2. Click on Pedigree
3. Click on the “Number of Generations” drop-down menu and select 5
4. See if you can find the source of the problem and undo the incorrect link. Once the loop has been broken, the calculation can be run again, provided there are no other loops present
Second way
If there are a large number of animals involved, or if the source of the problem is not visually apparent, perform a Poprep analysis. For more information, see this support article: How does Poprep work?
Note: There may be multiple pedigree loops.