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Collaborative project: Innovative methods of trait recording in dairy cattle as a basis of the modern breeding program of the Nord-Ost-Genetic – Subproject 5

Project


Project code: 2813501608
Contract period: 15.07.2009 - 15.07.2012
Budget: 97,315 Euro
Purpose of research: Experimental development

Today, the improvement of health and functional traits has become a key issue in dairy cattle breeding. However, it is still the case that traditional recording schemes hardly supply any precise data for these important traits as are required for reliable progeny tests of bulls. On the other hand, a concise collection of such data is possible by using contract herds which are attached to the organizations of dairy cattle breeding. The Nord-Ost-Genetic (NOG) is a consortium within the German cattle breeding organizations that already runs a bull dam test station and already has started to implement contract herds for progeny testing. Aim of the present project is the extension of the contract herd approach by integrating further herds and improving the equipment. In detail, these include new recording systems for udder health, metabolic function, lameness detection, juvenile growth, and monitoring ovarian cycling activity beyond improved traditional approaches. For all complexes, subsequent genetic analyses are the precondition for the development of appropriate genetic evaluation systems that finally result in new strategies for enhancing functional traits in practical breeding.

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