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Instant Insights: Heat Stress in Dairy Cattle
This specially curated collection features four reviews of current and key research on heat stress in dairy cattle. The first chapter outlines technologies to breed for more heat tolerant dairy cattle, exploiting either between or within breed genetic variation in the trait. It discusses future perspectives on the use of different tools to achieve accelerated improvements of this important trait. The second chapter discusses breeding goals and multi-trait selection to balance production and non-production traits. It considers newer breeding objectives such as ensuring that cattle can adapt to a changing climate, including breeding for heat tolerance. The third chapter reviews challenges faci...
The contribution of animal breeding to reducing the environmental impact of livestock production
Animal production is responsible for 14.5% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Approximately half of these emissions originate directly from animal production, whereas the other half comes from feed production. Animal breeding aims at improving animal production and efficient use of resources, which results in a reduction of environmental impact. In this chapter we quantify the contribution of animal breeding to reducing the environmental impact of the four major livestock species in the Netherlands, namely laying hens, broilers and pigs (all monogastrics), and dairy cattle (ruminants). For eggs, and broiler and pig meat we focussed on GHG emissions and nitrogen and phosphorus efficiency, whereas for dairy we focussed on enteric methane emissions, an important contributor to GHG emissions. Results showed that current selection strategies on increased (feed) efficiency indirectly reduces environmental impact per unit of animal product by about 1% per year. If the aim is to directly select on environmental traits, recording of new traits is required; e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus contents of meat and eggs, and methane emission of individual dairy cows.
Genetics of Enteric Methane Emissions of Dutch Dairy Cows
The Dutch agricultural sector is facing the challenge to reduce the methane emissions by 2.1 Mton by 2030, and even further by 2050. As methane emission of dairy cows is the main component of this carbon footprint, farmers urgently need efficient and cost-effective options to reduce methane emissions. Animal breeding that exploits natural animal variation in methane emissions is a mitigation strategy that is cost-effective, permanent, and cumulative. The aim of this study was to explore the potential of animal breeding to reduce methane emissions. The results show that there is phenotypic (709 ppm) and genetic variation (474 ppm) in methane emissions between cows measured by sniffers. The heritability of methane emissions was 0.23, which indicates it is possible to achieve genetic progress by selection.
Local cattle breeds in Europe
The majority of cattle breeds in Europe are native or local breeds, usually characterised by a limited geographical distribution. The breeds have significant potential as they are carrying large amounts of genetic variation and have important cultural, historical, socio-economic and environmental values. 'Local cattle is living inheritance, old germplasm which shouldn't get lost', said one farmer. These breeds were once regionally the most popular ones, now many of them are 'at risk'. Hence, there is a need to (further) develop effective policies and strategies at national and European level to conserve and develop local cattle breeds and to promote their branded use. The European local catt...
Proceeding of 12th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production (WCGALP)
The proceedings of the 12th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production provide you with 816 papers representing the leading research in livestock genetics around the globe. This book covers all aspects of genetics applied to livestock production in 44 sections. Next to the exciting plenary speakers, and the recurrent technical and species orientated sections, there are sections focusing on specific challenges for animal breeding. For instance, large-scale phenotyping of individual animals, use of whole genome sequence data and improving genomic prediction, and sessions on the contribution that genetics can make to societal challenges, like animal welfare, climate change, biodiversity, or control of infectious diseases.
Milk Analysis and Cow Health
The average life span of dairy cows in the Netherlands is 5.8 years. The main reasons for involuntary culling in dairy cows are infertility, mastitis and locomotion disorders. These disorders often start during the first weeks of lactation due to the inability of the cow to cope with the metabolic changes of the new lactation. The main objective of the present study was to determine the value of the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) mid-infrared profile of milk samples taken from dairy cows in the first weeks of lactation 1) as an indicator of the metabolic state in early lactation; and 2) as a predictor of dairy cow’s survival to next lactation. Results showed that cows that reach the next lactation have a higher blood NEFA concentration and a higher milk production with less variation between days. In conclusion, survival of the complete lactation was related with milk performance and metabolic status of dairy cows in early lactation.
