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title: "4.12.3 Information of half or full sib offspring groups (2024)"
canonical: "https://wiki.groenkennisnet.nl/space/TAB/282755225/4.12.3%20Information%20of%20half%20or%20full%20sib%20offspring%20groups%20(2024)"
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In most species sires get relatively large half sib offspring groups. The most pronounced example is the use of dairy bulls in artificial insemination programs. In the traditional dairy cattle breeding programs young sires produce a first group of daughters. The first crop of daughters, often consisting of more than 50 daughters each with an additive genetic relationship with the sire of 0.5, is a very informative half sib group. In some species, pigs, poultry, dogs or fish full sibs are born. The individuals within a litter all have an additive genetic relationship of 0.5 with their dam and with their sire. Full sib groups can be a very valuable source of information for their parents.

In the genomic era, when the DNA-composition of an animal is known and is used for genomic selection, the information of half or full sib offspring groups becomes less valuable. But it is still used to separate genetic and non-genetic effects on the trait of interest more accurately.