B11 Breeding bulls

The proposed research will focus on activities to fully exploit the potential of animal breeding as mitigation tool for farmers. The overall aim is to bring CH4 breeding values to the farm. The project has three main objectives:  1) We will develop and evaluate different breeding objectives that incorporate important traits related to environmental impact.  We will evaluate the breeding goal trait definiton for Dutch production systems and carry out selection index calculations to estimate genetic progress when selecting for reduced CH4. All relevant traits will be considered in a mitigation index. 2) We will work on adoption of the new breeding values by farmers. The amount of CH4 reduction potential from animal breeding depends on the adoption and uptake of breeding values by farmers and breeding organisation. We will carry out a validation experiment, to prove that cows with high genetic potential for reduced CH4 emissions indeed emit less CH4. Furthermore, we will closely work with the Kringeloopwijzer and Friesland Campina to implement the mitigation index in the rewarding system for farmers to see direct economic benefits. 3) We will evaluate the usefulness of mid infrared spectral data to be used as proxies for CH4. MIR data is routinely available for all cows under milk recording in the Netherlands.

We will develop prediciton equations and investigate whether genetic variation exists within the CH4 proxy. If proven useful, MIR predicted CH4 breeding values will be considered in the breeding objective work.