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Foundation Animal Effects
Including additive genetic group effects[1][2] in BLUP animal models used to produce EPDs is important when the foundation animals come from genetically different origins such as distinct breeds. This includes so-called multi-breed analysis and analysis of composite breed data.
Also, genetic groups should be used in BLUP models when foundation animals of the same breed enter the population at different periods of time to account for the effect of genetic trend over time. Foundation animals from distinctly different periods of time can have different genetic merit due to selection resulting in genetic trend.
All foundation animals are modeled as having the same average genetic merit when additive genetic group effects are not included. Including additive genetic groups permit the model to predict if genetic differences occured between the groups. These differences impact the descendants of the foundation animals' EPDs.
