Development of dairy breeding programmes

Description

Genomic selection has revolutionized dairy cattle breeding programs. Young bulls can be selected at a young age without progeny testing at a much lower cost than previously. This reduction in generation interval makes it possible to double genetic trend. This chapter explains the context of dairy cattle breeding and outlines the impact of the genomic revolution on breeding dairy cattle. The chapter looks at new breeding objectives and genetic trends, genomic selection and genetic diversity, the impact of female genotyping and selection for new traits. Finally, the chapter looks ahead to future research trends in this area and provides guidance on further reading in this area.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 The genomic revolution 3 A major change in organization 4 New breeding objectives and genetic trends 5 Genomic selection and genetic diversity 6 Female genotyping 7 Selection for new traits 8 Conclusion and future trends 9 Acknowledgements 10 References