Abstract
Ruminant genetic improvement can play an important role in developing livestock systems that will be sustainable in the future, and produce food in an environmentally friendly manner. Also, genetic improvement of livestock is a particularly cost-effective technology, producing permanent and cumulative changes in performance. A recent study has shown the very high value of animal and plant genetics research and development in helping to deliver on likely future policy priorities (public good rates of return ranging between 11-61%), including responding to global climate change and reducing the environmental impact of farming systems. A workshop to explore the potential for a Ruminant Genetic Improvement Network (GIN) with stakeholders was held on 4-5 June 2009. Outputs from this meeting established broad stakeholder support for a ruminant GIN and identified priority research themes. The aim of this proposal is to develop likely underpinning tools for the activity of the ruminant GIN, that support the objective to help the industry reduce the environmental footprint of ruminant production. The two tools considered in this proposal are: 1. Genotyping of dairy bulls to underpin the development of genome selection for UK dairy industry. Traditional genetic selection methods based on pedigree and phenotypic information has been shown that genetic selection provides an effective approach to increasing ruminant efficiency. A new opportunity to increase the rate of response to selection by utilising marker genotype information to provide more accurate information in the selection process and has been coined genome wide selection (GWS). The advent of high density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker array technology has made the technique a technical reality and several countries have introduced genomic selection into their dairy bull selection programs with demonstrable results. The success in the overall aims of the proposed Ruminant GIN will depend upon access to good quality primary data sources, including phenotypes and genotypes. It is essential that the UK is positioned to introduce genomic estimated breeding values in the future in order to effectively accelerate the improvement in efficiency in dairy production and reduce GHG emissions. This project genotype up to 700 Holstein bulls widely used in the UK dairy breeding herd, in collaboration with DairyCo This task will deliver genotypes on UK relevant dairy bulls and link them to national data (phenotypes, pedigree etc.) used for the national genetic evaluations of dairy cattle in the UK. Not only will this be useful in short, medium and long term projects, it will also be vital in the delivery of future genetic improvement tools to the industry. As such, this activity will be highly relevant to the industry providing quick wins and ensure that the mechanisms are in place to ensure there is a route for delivery of research on GWS in dairy cattle. 2. Pilot study for on-animal direct methane measurement and collation of other possible proxy samples, to underpin the measurement of individual animal methane emissions Ruminant genetic improvement is generally enacted at the individual animal level rather than the level of the group. Therefore to select animals for a “new” trait either directly or indirectly linking to GHG emissions, it is necessary to develop tools that measure these traits at an individual animal level. There are a range of tools available for measuring individual animal methane emissions. However, of the tools available few, if any, would be easily applied for use on a large number of individual animals across a range of systems and over time. This objective will examine the feasibility of animal mounted methane recording devices using the design and development capabilities of SAC and device testing at the installed methane recording facilities at the AFBINI Hillsborough site. Two approaches will be tested, the first a remote laser based device that can record methane measurements direct from the animal nasal region and the second will use new sensing technologies robust and tolerant of the animal environment to provide useful accuracy in dynamic measurement of methane. A parallel pilot study will be conducted at IBERS. As well as investigating the relationship between chamber-derived data and values obtained using the novel sensor system, a number of samples of digesta and bodily fluid will be collected from animals, on which measurements of methane emissions have been made using a chamber based system. These samples will provide the basis for more detailed biological analyses (microbial metagenomic and metabolomic measurements) can be made with the aim of providing 1st level proof of concept data in regards to novel correlations between measured variables and methane output.
United Kingdom