João Dürr Interbull Centre Director Animal identification and traceability Interbull s s and Interbeef s perspectives
Summary Interbull & Interbeef Genetic improvement essentials Globalization of cattle genetics Genomics Conclusions
International cooperation for cattle improvement: Interbull & Interbeef
Organization Structure Identification Recording Milk Analysis Interbull Centre European Community Reference Laboratory for Zootechnics (Bovine Breeding) 12/27/2011 4
Interbull objectives 12/27/2011 5
Interbull s s role 12/27/2011 6
12/27/2011 7
Summary of the operation 81 populations 200000 bulls 30 countries 6 breeds 3 40 traits routine runs/yr
Breed distribution Interbull Pedigree (3 333 234 animals, Sep 2011)
International Animal ID BBBCCCS000000000000 Example: BSWUSAM000000159482 12/27/2011 10
Interbull Pedigree Animal ID Consistency Checks Sire ID Dam ID Birth Date Name Verification by Country of Origin Extraction 11
Interbeef Different methodology developed Common phenotypic data base Country-specific model Genetic correlation between populations Populations Charolais, Limousin Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain Current developments Increase number of traits Include crossbred animals Include genomic information 12/27/2011 12
Genetic Improvement Essentials
Steps of the dairy cattle improvement process
Animal Improvement
Country without animal identification and recording programs Suboptimal herd management practices Erratic technical support to dairy farms Ineffective programs for improving milk quality Lack of strategic planning for the sector as a whole Lack of effective traceability of animals and products Impossibility of genetic evaluation of livestock
Globalization of Cattle Genetics
Globalization
Bulls Country of registration Published HOL - MACE 122 344 bulls September 2011 Dams Sires
Global genetic trends for the Holstein breed in the Scandinavian scale
Regional genetic trends for protein yield within the Holstein breed in the Scandinavian scale
Regional genetic trends for protein yield within the Holstein breed in the Scandinavian scale
Genomics Technology with the largest impact on dairy genetics since the introduction of artificial insemination. 12/27/2011 23
Marker Genotypes Single Nucleotyde Polymorphisms (SNP) SNP panels: 6000 SNPs 54000 SNPs 700 000 SNPs
Phenotypes (own + progeny) Pedigrees Conventional genetic prediction models Breeding values (animals with phenotypes) Genomic prediction models Genomic Breeding values (animals with phenotypes) Genomic Breeding values (animals without phenotypes)
Foreign data National data available Number required for a given accuracy
Progeny records Pedigrees National EBVs SNP genotypes Common Reference Population National GEBVs Country A GBLUP MACE: Internation al EBVs SNP genotypes Pedigrees Progeny records National GEBVs National EBVs Country B Internationa l Pedigree Interbull
International data base of genomic information Reduce costs and optimize investments on genotyping bovine animals. Improve reference populations for prediction of genomically enhanced genetic merit, especially for low heritability health and functional traits, such as somatic cell count, mastitis, calving difficulty, longevity and female fertility. Make it possible to screen large populations for recessive alleles detection Maintain a worldwide parentage verification data base, using the SNP based methods that are about to be officially recommended by ISAG and ICAR. Use the genomic data to study diversity within the bovine populations in a more complete way than is possible with the methods based on pedigree information only.
Conclusions Animal improvement involves integrating animal identification, animal recording and genetic evaluation programs, which are the essence of the ICAR mandate. Countries lacking a solid infrastructure for animal identification and recording cannot establish their own genetic evaluation services and, consequently, depend permanently on imported genetics without having an actual control of the selection process. The globalization of the dairy breeds created the need for international comparisons of livestock and Interbull + Interbeef provide the network for harmonization of methods and procedures, as well as regular international genetic evaluations for the most important traits. International data repositories are strategic not only to speed up genetic improvement, but also to monitor diversity and recessive alleles
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