Re: [IceHorses] BLUP
On Fri, 4 Jul 2008 14:50:48 -0700, you wrote: Could we say that it works fine for predicting the amount of fat in the milk of dairy cow (or the amount of milk produced by dairy cows), and not the whole cow itself? Oh, absolutely, that was what I meant but didn't write! ; ) Mic Mic (Michelle) Rushen --- Solva Icelandic Horses and DeMeulenkamp Sweet Itch Rugs: www.solva-icelandics.co.uk ---
Re: [IceHorses] BLUP
BLUP, What Does It Mean? Is It a Valid Prediction Method? Works fine for dairy cattle - not for Icelandic horses. Could we say that it works fine for predicting the amount of fat in the milk of dairy cow (or the amount of milk produced by dairy cows), and not the whole cow itself? Judy http://iceryder.net http://clickryder.com
Re: [IceHorses] BLUP
Works fine for dairy cattle - not for Icelandic horses. Could we say that it works fine for predicting the amount of fat in the milk of dairy cow (or the amount of milk produced by dairy cows), and not the whole cow itself? When I went on the snipe hunt to find out about BLUP, that's pretty much what I found out. It CAN be effective when it's used with huge quantities of data (as in millions of data points) when only ONE trait is to be monitored and improved. I remember particularly the examples of butterfat in cow's milk and protein content in soy beans. Past that, it falls apart. What makes me like a horse - or want to breed the horse - is MUCH more complicated than a soy bean. Karen Thomas, NC
Re: [IceHorses] BLUP
It CAN be effective when it's used with huge quantities of data (as in millions of data points) when only ONE trait is to be monitored and improved. I remember particularly the examples of butterfat in cow's milk and protein content in soy beans. OK, that data has to be measurable UNsubjective data, right? With BLUP it is possible to track and predict the different inherited traits through complicated objectively mathematical and statistical calculations. Its requires a very powerful computer to crunch the numbers. A BLUP rating is linear because of the constant updating of the numbers and unbiased because there is little room for subjective opinion. So, the quality of a gait is subjective? Judy http://iceryder.net http://clickryder.com
Re: [IceHorses] BLUP
OK, that data has to be measurable UNsubjective data, right? The data would need to be 100% objective...AND, you'd have to be 100% sure that the trait (THE trait, not bunches of TRAITS) is inheritable. For instance, had we not worked with Hroi's upright pasterns and they hadn't settled correctly, you could predict how the pasterns of his foals (assuming Cary doesn't let me geld him!) would look. Why? It's believed that the condition he had at birth is based on the foal's position en utero, and isn't inherited. In other words, it's just the luck of the draw.It's an actual, physical condition, and it could have become a minor handicap (probably wouldn't have, but we didn't want to risk it), but it probably wouldn't have been passed on. Anyway, rump-sitting riders aren't passed along from stallion to get, so if the gait is influenced by rump-sitting...and it frequently is in the evaluations... then the data is no longer subjective and it most certainly isn't inheritable. And, strap-goods like dropped nosebands aren't passed along from mare to foal either. And I could go on...and on...and on... BLUP just falls apart any way you look at it. It's a BLUPper. Karen Thomas, NC
Re: [IceHorses] BLUP
BLUP, What Does It Mean? Is It a Valid Prediction Method? http://iceryder.net/blup.html It's totally junk science as applied to Icelandic Horses. The simplest litmus test is this: if it had any validity at all, the TB racing industries would be using it. They aren't, so there ya go. I wasted a lot of time and effort digging into the whole idea, trying to find if there is any semblence of science in the way it's applied to Icelandic's. It was like going on a snipe hunt, digging for details in this breed. So, I went looking outside this breed, and the more I dug, the more embarrassed I became. If anyone has any doubts, please read through that link Judy posted on her website. BLUP falls apart on any level you analyze it - it just doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Karen Thomas, NC
Re: [IceHorses] BLUP
On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:18:52 -0400, you wrote: BLUP, What Does It Mean? Is It a Valid Prediction Method? Works fine for dairy cattle - not for Icelandic horses. Mic Mic (Michelle) Rushen --- Solva Icelandic Horses and DeMeulenkamp Sweet Itch Rugs: www.solva-icelandics.co.uk ---
