Body size estimation of new born lambs using image processing and its effect on the genetic gain of a simulated population

Abstract

In this study the possibility of body size estimation of new born lambs using image processing and its effect on the genetic gain of a simulated population has been investigated. The body size of 158 new born lambs of Zandi sheep was evaluated via appraisal method, digital image processing and metric methods. The correlation coefficients between metric lamb size with quantities were calculated from image processing method and appraisal method were 0.88 and 0.48, respectively (P < 0.01). In the next step, two populations were randomly simulated using R2.15 programming environment, and two different scenarios based on two lamb size measurement methods were studied. In the first scenario, it was assumed that the animal body size is determined using image processing technique in continuous values, while in the second scenario it was assumed that the body size is determined via appraisal method in discrete values. As results, the accuracies of breeding value estimations in the first and second scenario were 0.89 and 0.78, and the genetic trends were 0.46 and 0.28, respectively (P < 0.01). The results showed that determination of lamb size based on proposed image processing method is feasible, and replacement of this new method instead of human appraisal method could increase the genetic gain in the breeding herds.