A survey on breeding strategies and selection objectives for increased feed efficiency and decreased methane emission

Authors: RICHARDSON, C - University Of Guelph; MALCHIODI, F - University Of Guelph; WILSON, A.M. - University Of Guelph; BUTTY, A.M. - University Of Guelph; BAES, CHRISTINE - University Of Guelph; CANOVAS, A - University Of Guelph; COFFEY, MIKE - Sruc-Scotland'S Rural College; Connor, Erin; DE PAUW, MARY - University Of Alberta; GREDLER, B - Collaborator; GODDARD, E - University Of Alberta; HAILU, G - University Of Guelph; OSBORNE, V.R. - University Of Guelph; PRYCE, JENNY - Collaborator; SARGOLZAEI, M - Semex Alliance; SCHENKEL, F.S. - University Of Guelph; STOTHARD, PAUL - University Of Alberta; WALL, EILEEN - Sruc-Scotland'S Rural College; WANG, Z - University Of Alberta; WRIGHT, T.C. - University Of Guelph; MIGLIOR, FILIPPO - Canadian Dairy Network

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/23/2016
Publication Date: 7/11/2016
Citation: Richardson, C., Malchiodi, F., Wilson, A., Butty, A., Baes, C., Canovas, A., Coffey, M.P., Connor, E.E., De Pauw, M., Gredler, B., Goddard, E., Hailu, G., Osborne, V., Pryce, J.E., Sargolzaei, M., Schenkel, F., Stothard, P., Wall, E., Wang, Z., Wright, T., Miglior, F. 2016. A survey on breeding strategies and selection objectives for increased feed efficiency and decreased methane emission. [Abstract]. Journal of Dairy Science 99(E. Suppl.1):178.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The combined effects of world population growth, rising incomes and dietary changes have resulted in an increasing international demand for dairy and meat products. However, livestock can have negative impacts on the environment and the greater awareness of climate change has placed pressure on the dairy industry to reduce its environmental impact. Enteric methane from cattle has been recognized as one of the major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, methane resulting from digestive processes in ruminants represents important dietary energy losses. Therefore, reducing methane emissions (ME) will not only improve the environmental impact of livestock but also increase cows feed efficiency (FE). Collecting phenotypes for FE and ME is difficult and expensive. The increased use of genomic data in dairy cattle breeding programs has provided an opportunity to investigate the selection of more complex traits requiring fewer phenotypic observations. However, a sizeable genotyped and phenotyped reference population is required to accurately predict genomic breeding values. Combining international data sets will help to achieve the overall goal of producing genomic predictions for FE and ME to be used for breeding application in the dairy cattle industry. However, this could be quite challenging, as different traits that describe FE and ME have been proposed, and different methods are used for measuring the same trait. The International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) recently approved the creation of a Feed & Gas working group. This group aims to provide an overview of the current data available, to facilitate the standardization of recording dry matter intake and methane output in cattle around the world, and to enhance international collaboration by providing technical and methodological tools for data sharing and merging. A survey to collect information about current and future measurements of FE and ME has been developed. The survey will be sent to research centers and to industry organizations in member countries of ICAR and it contains some specific questions regarding the breeding strategies for these two novel traits. Results of the survey will allow assessment of a better understanding of the breeding strategies planned in different countries once routine genomic evaluations become available for the two novel traits.