What it takes to deal with the largest livestock datasets in the world

Data recording is an integral part of animal breeding and genetics. As more data are collected, the breeding values become more accurate, and genetic progress can occur faster. Therefore, data is one of the pillars on which the work of a quantitative geneticist is developed. Interestingly, data can also pose the biggest challenges. In this talk, I will address the largest challenges faced and solutions proposed by the animal breeding and genetics team at the University of Georgia to deal with the world’s largest livestock genomic datasets. This will include the estimation of genomic breeding values, estimation of variance components, and genome-wide association studies. I will also highlight the importance of developing software for the scientific community and industry. Finally, I will discuss the skills that graduate students and postdocs need to develop to stay ahead of their contemporaries.