OPTIMAL SELECTION FROM FAMILIES

A method of finding the optimal selected proportions within large indi vidual families s derived. The method identifies family contributions which maximize genetic gain at a given diversity and selected proporti on (or rather suggests an optimum combination of these three entities) . The population considered is a number of large unrelated families wi th normal within-family variation. The optimally selected proportion o f members from a family is dependent on the average breeding value of the family, the average selected proportion, the diversity, the herita bility and the intraclass correlation for the family type. A numerical example is given.