Pedigree analysis by computer simulation

Computer simulation is a valuable tool in the genetic management of captive populations. It can be used to assess the extent of genetic variability in a colony, to predict the risk of future loss of variability, or to identify likely ancestral sources of traits of interest. “Gene dropping” is a simulation procedure in which hypothetical alleles are assigned to each colony founder, and a genotype is created for each descendant by Mendelian segregation of parental alleles. The gene dropping method is applied to analyses of four populations: (1) a colony of small South American marsupials, Monodelphis domestica; (2) Speke's gazelles, Gazella spekei; (3) Przewalski's horses, Equus przewalskii; and (4) American Standardbred horses.