‘Breeders Toolkit’: A Cloud-Based Breeding Toolkit for Estimation of Various Breeding Parameters

Abstract

The enormous potential of the science of animal genetics and breeding remains untapped especially in developing countries. Concerns about the unmet productivity potential of animals are increasing as the gap between demand and supply of animal products increases. Since animal husbandry sector is largely unorganized, farm managers and small scale entrepreneurs are unable to select genetically superior animals as parents for the next generation. An integration of ICT with animal breeding may be the solution to such problems. In this regard, a cloud-based, simple to use and flexible tool named “Breeder’s Toolkit” was developed which estimates important breeding parameters like selection differential, response, breeding values, economic values for traits, average generation interval, approximate parturition date and age with minimal data input. The developed toolkit is free, easily accessible, accurate and simple to use. Users even with minimal knowledge of animal breeding methodologies can derive benefits from the cloud- based tool. Alpha-testing and comparison with the standard (wherever applicable) was carried out.  Accuracy of the tool was found to be 100% with a p value of 1 and mean difference of 0.00 for all comparisons. The use of such a tool would simplify complex calculations, aid decision making and help in scientific selection of animals wherever knowledge dissemination is sparse and inefficient.