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New MOOC in Animal Breeding and Genetics will be launched on 19 September 2017

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June 21, 2017

On 19 September a new “Massive Open Online Course” (MOOC) on the design of Animal Breeding Programs will start. This course is open to both prospective students and professionals interested in Animal breeding. The course is part of the Wageningen University and research portfolio of open online courses and hosted by EdX.

First open online course on the design of animal breeding programs

Animal breeding involves the selective breeding of domestic animals with the intention to improve desirable and heritable qualities in the next generation. This course introduces the steps required to design a breeding program for livestock animals and teaches the genetic and statistical concepts that are needed to build a solid breeding program.

In this course, students will learn how an animal breeder balances the need for improving the desirable qualities of the animals with the need to preserve genetic diversity to ensure long-term sustainability of the breeding program. They will learn about the scientific concepts in genetics that are applied in animal breeding, as well as how to apply the models and computational methods that are used in animal breeding.

Are you interested in a career in Animal breeding and genetics?

Animal breeding and genetics is a rapidly developing field, due to the revolution in genomics and bio-informatics. Dutch breeding companies are world-leading in the domains of dairy and poultry breeding. At the same time, there is a dire need for tailor-made breeding programs for a wide range of species in developing countries. In all cases there is an urgent need to train young professionals in this highly dynamic field.

The course is open to early stage students that are considering an education in Animal breeding and will provide them with an advanced starting point for further studies, such as M.Sc. level courses in breeding. Professionals working within the animal breeding industry will be able to use the knowledge from this course to understand the impact of breeding on animal populations and use genetic principles to make their decisions.

The course is developed with financial support and input from the “Koepon Foundation” and the “Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation” through the African Chicken Genetic Gains project (Africacgg)

New MOOC in Animal Breeding and Genetics