Question

A farmer is raising rabbits. The average body weight in his population is 3kg. The farmer selects the 10 largest rabbits in the population, whose average body weight is 4kg, and interbreeds them. If the heritability of body weight in the rabbit population is 0.7, what is the expected body weight among the offspring of the selected rabbits?

Answer 1

The expected body weight among the offspring of the selected rabbits, considering a heritability of 0.7, is 3.7kg. This is found by adding the response to selection (0.7kg) to the population mean (3kg).

Step-by-step explanation:

The calculation of the expected body weight among the offspring involves the concept of response to selection, which can be determined using the following equation:

Response to Selection (R) = heritability (h^2) * selection differential (S)

In this case, the heritability (h^2) is given as 0.7, and the selection differential (S) is the difference between the mean of the selected rabbits (4kg) and the population mean (3kg), which is 1kg. Using the formula:

R = 0.7 * 1kg = 0.7kg

Therefore, the expected increase in body weight due to selection is 0.7kg. To find the expected body weight among the offspring, we add this increase to the population mean:

Expected Body Weight = population mean + R

Expected Body Weight = 3kg + 0.7kg = 3.7kg

The expected body weight among the offspring of the selected rabbits is 3.7kg.

Answer 2

The expected weight increase that is expected of offspring of selected parents is 0.7 kg

Step-by-step explanation:

Given from the question:

The average body weight in his population of rabbits = 3 kg

heritability of body weight in the rabbit population (h^2)=0.7

Average body weight of the 10 selected largest rabbit =4 kg

(R) = response to selection

selection differential (S)= Average body weight of the 10 selected largest rabbit - The average body weight in his population of rabbits

selection differential (S)= 4-3=1 kg

But heritability of body weight in the rabbit population (h^2)=0.7

Then, Heritability of body weight in the rabbit population (h^2) can be calculated using the formula below;

Heritability of body weight in the rabbit population (h^2)=

response to selection (R) / selection differential (S)

response to selection (R) = Heritability of body weight in the rabbit population (h^2) × selection differential (S)

R= h^2 x S= 0.7 x 1kg= 0.7 kg

The expected weight increase that is expected of offspring of selected parents is 0.7 kg

Average weight of offspring = The average body weight in his population of rabbits + heritability of body weight in the rabbit population (h^2)

Average weight of offspring= 3 kg + 0.7 kg = 3.7kg

Therefore, the Average weight of offspring is 3.7kg and The expected weight increase that is expected of offspring of selected parents is 0.7 kg