Dr Carina Visser

Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences

[email protected]
  
 

Animal breeding and genetics

Carina Visser attained her MSc(Agric) and PhD(Agric) Animal Science degrees at the University of Pretoria. Her PhD studies were partly performed at Wageningen University and Research Centre (Netherlands), where she was awarded an Erasmus Mundus fellowship.

She joined the University of Pretoria as academic personnel in 2005 and is currently a Senior Lecturer at the department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, specializing in animal breeding and genetics. She focuses on the genetic improvement of small-stock, mainly by applying molecular techniques.

Dr Visser has numerous publications in local and international journals and also regularly contributes to conferences. She is currently the Vice-President of the International Goat Association. She is a NRF Y2-rated scientist.
 

IRT-related research

Dr Visser investigates the impact that molecular technology can have on genetic improvement of livestock. This includes genetic characterization of (mostly) indigenous breeds, DNA-based parentage verification and QTL identification studies. Her current projects include verifying the recently launched 50k Goat SNP chip’s performance in the South African Angora goat population and genomic selection of South African cattle.

Key Publications

1.    Qwabe, S.O., Van Marle Köster, E. & Visser, C., 2012. Genetic diversity and population structure of the endangered Namaqua Afrikaner sheep. Trop Anim Health Prod., DOI 10.1007/s11250-012-0250-x.

2.     Van Marle-Köster, E., Visser, C. & Berry, D.P., 2013.  A review of genomic selection - Implications for the South African beef and dairy cattle industries. S. Afr. J. Anim. Sci. 43, 1-17.

3.  Visser, C., Van Marle-Köster, E., Snyman, M.A., Bovenhuis, H. & Crooijmans, R.P.M.A., 2013. Quantitative trait loci associated with pre-weaning growth in South African Angora goats. Small Rumin Res. doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2012.11.035