MiXBLUP 3

Breeding value estimation for breeding programs using pedigree and genomic information

MiXBLUP 3

MiXBLUP is a modern genetic evaluation system for all breeding organizations.

It estimates genetic merit of individuals using phenotypes and genetic similarities, given the components of variance. Breeders and breeding organizations use estimated genetic merit to identify the most suitable individuals in a generation to become parents of the next generation. MiXBLUP offers potential to accelerate genetic progress in your breeding population.

MiXBLUP is easy to use, fast, suitable for simultaneous analysis of a large number of traits and able to fit complex models. It supports a wide range of methods to specify genetic similarity between individuals, such as pedigree relationships, genomic relationships, and regression on SNP genotypes.

MiXBLUP 3 also offers tools to improve the genetic evaluation and verify that estimated genetic merit is indeed a good prediction of future phenotypes.

Outputs

  • Estimated breeding values
  • Pedigree and genomic reliability estimates
  • Solutions for all model effects
  • Significance of estimated effects of SNP markers
  • Validation statistics

Features

  • Fast
  • Accessible for relatively inexperienced users
  • Suits all diploid species
  • Handles large populations
  • User friendly interface
  • Meaningful default settings
  • MiXBLUP does not require other software to be installed
  • Full functionality available on Linux platforms
  • Full functionality of default solver available on Windows platforms
  • Includes professional support

Possibilities

  • Data and pedigree may contain numerical as well as alphanumerical data
  • All common formats of genomic information are supported
  • Large datasets
  • Large number of traits
  • Large number of fixed and random effects
  • Individuals with unknown parents can be grouped into a single base population, or in multiple either related or unrelated base populations
  • Indirect genetic effects can be fitted: e.g. maternal or social genetic effects
  • Random regression models
  • Social interaction models
  • Trait-specific models
  • Old solutions can be used as starting values or prior information to accelerate genetic evaluations
  • Multiple genetic and non-genetic random effects with correlated level effects
  • Full support for multi-trait genome-wide association study (GWAS) from the full data
  • User-friendly interface to do a range of validation studies

MiXBLUP is developed by scientists of LUKE National Resources Institute Finland and the Animal Breeding & Genomics Centre of Wageningen UR Livestock Research in the Netherlands. The core of MiXBLUP is derived from the MiX99 software, developed by LUKE National Resources Institute Finland. MiXBLUP is currently used for routine evaluation of breeding populations of dairy cattle, beef cattle, pigs, layers, dairy goats, sheep and dogs.