During his PhD studies, Egill Gautason studied breeding of Icelandic Cattle. Egill Gautason researched the relationship of Icelandic Cattle to other breeds, inbreeding in Icelandic Cattle, assessed benefits of using genomic information for selection (so-called genomic selection), and compared methods to manage inbreeding in the breeding program.

The findings showed that Icelandic Cattle is mostly related to Nordic traditional cattle breeds and can benefit from genomic selection. The research also identified efficient methods to control inbreeding in the breeding program. The breeding program of Icelandic Cattle is currently using the results to implement genomic selection.
The PhD study was completed at the Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Tuesday, 1 November 2022 at 10:00
Place: Building 1630-32, lecture theatre 1632.201, AIAS, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 6B, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of PhD thesis: Genomic selection and inbreeding management in a small dairy cattle population
Contact information: Egill Gautason, e-mail: egill.gautason@gmail.com, tel.: +45 60167796

Members of the assessment committee:

Professor Erling Strandberg, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden

Dr. Ernst Tholen, Institute of Animal Breeding Science, University of Bonn, Germany

Professor Doug Speed (chair), Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Main supervisor:
Senior Researcher Goutam Sahana, Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Co-supervisors:
Professor Bernt Guldbrandtsen, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Researcher Anna Schönherz, Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS,

Jens Baggesens Vej 53, building 5221, 8200 Aarhus N.