random regression analyses using b-splines to model growth of australian angus cattle随机回归分析使用b样模型澳大利亚安格斯牛的增长.pdfVIP

Genet. Sel. Evol. 37 (2005) 473–500 473 c INRA, EDP Sciences, 2005 DOI: 10.1051/gse:2005012 Original article Random regression analyses using B-splines to model growth of Australian Angus cattle Karin M∗ 1 Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit , University of New England, Armidale NSW 2351, Australia (Received 4 October 2004; accepted 2 May 2005) Abstract – Regression on the basis function of B-splines has been advocated as an alterna- tive to orthogonal polynomials in random regression analyses. Basic theory of splines in mixed model analyses is reviewed, and estimates from analyses of weights of Australian Angus cattle from birth to 820 days of age are presented. Data comprised 84 533 records on 20 731 ani- mals in 43 herds, with a high proportion of animals with 4 or more weights recorded. Changes in weights with age were modelled through B-splines of age at recording. A total of thirteen analyses, considering different combinations of linear, quadratic and cubic B-splines and up to six knots, were carried out. Results showed good agreement for all ages with many records, but fluctuated where data were sparse. On the whole, analyses using B-splines appeared more robust against “end-of-range” problems and yielded more consistent and accurate estimates of the first eigenfunctions