[Applications of genome selection in sheep breeding].

Genome selection is a method for estimating genomic breeding values using linkage disequilibrium between all sites of high-density chips and target genes. Genome selection has been applied to enhance livestock breeding efficiency in countries such as UK, France, Australia and New Zealand. In China, this technique has been successfully practiced in dairy cattle, swine, and broiler, and achievedsignificant progress. China raises the majority of sheep throughout the world. However, a large technological gap in sheep breeding and production efficiency exists between China and other developed countries. Some breeders have attempted to use genome selection in sheep breeding; however, there are no good cases till now. Based on the current level of animal breeding, the genome selection method should play an important role in the future of the meat sheep industry. In this review, we summarize the research of genome selection in livestock and poultry as well as some applications in sheep breeding. We also describe the prospects for the future application of this technology to improve the efficiency, quality and outcomes of sheep production.