Breeding dairy cows in a period of climate change
Year | 2022 |
Cathegory | Others |
Internal link | 22185.pdf |
Abstract | Animal breeding has always played and continues to play a significant role in improving of livestocks‘ efficiency. Today, farmers face many challenges related to the sustainability of production. These include the impact of animal production on the environment and climate, concerns about the increasing scarcity of natural resources (water, soil, feed, genetic diversity), concerns about animal welfare, health and antimicrobial resistance. The introduction of new technologies in dairy farming and the availability and processing of large volumes of data to inform about the animals and their environment play a key role in adressing these challenges. Sensor data allow the definition of new phenotypes that were previously difficult to measure, such as methane emissions, rumen microbiome composition, minor components of milk predicted by infrared spectrometry or behavioural traits. In times of climate change, the overall resilience of animals is becoming more important. In particular, data on fluctuation in daily performance in response to stressful events are used to quantify this trait. Variation and autocorrelation of deviations in daily yield are promising indicators of resilience, which are favourably correlated with health, fertility and longevity traits. Taking resilience into account in breeding objectives has the potential to contribute to impoving health, fertility and longevity of dairy cows in the Czech Republic. |
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