Abstract: Genomic selection （GS） is a form of marker-assisted selection in which genetic markers covering the whole genome are used so that all quantitative trait loci (QTL) are in linkage disequilibrium with at least one marker. Most research found that genomic selection had the advantages of shortening the generation interval，improving the selection efficiency, and reducing the cost remarkably, so it has been the research hotpot in the animal breeding field. This review focuses on the approaches to estimate the effects of the chromosome segments and their difference, the factors to influence the accuracy of GS, the advantages of genomic selection in animal breeding, the researches on the GS in the world. At last it points out that the challenge and the prospect of application GS in the animal breeding in China.

Key words: genomic selection; affecting factors; advantages; application and challenge