Breeding strategies for the dairy Gir, Guzerat, Red Sindhi and Girolando breeds in sustainable milk production systems

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Photo: Nicoline, Humberto

The breeding programs of Dairy Gir, Guzerat, Red Sindhi and Girolando breeds are conducted at Embrapa Dairy Cattle in work integrated with the respective breeders' associations, as follows: ABCGIL (Brazilian Association of Dairy Gir Breeders), CBMG2/ACGB (Brazilian Center of Guzerat Genetic Breeding / Association of Guzerat and Girolando Breeders Brazil), ABCSindi (Brazilian Association of Red Sindhi Breeders) and Girolando Association. It also includes the participation of the following institutions: EPAMIG (Agricultural Research Corporation of Minas Gerais), APTA (São Paulo Agency of Agribusiness Technologies), EMPARN (Agricultural Research Corporation of Rio Grande do Norte), EMEPA (State Agricultural Research Corporation of Paraíba), ABCZ (Brazilian Association of Zebu Breeders), Semen Processing Centers, purebred breeders and mixed breed breeders (Gir x Holstein). The work is based on the organization, structuring and conducting genetic evaluation of bulls that participate in the progeny test program or from bull families in multiple ovulation and embryo transfer core unit (MOET). It is also complemented by the publication of the results of cow genetic evaluations. In the progeny testing programs, 1,133 bulls of different breeds have been tested so far, of which 749 results have already been published, allowing farmers to be able to use breeding animals in their herds, especially with the use of semen from bulls proven and positive for milk production. In the MOET core unit for selection of Guzerat breed, 202 families have been evaluated, including a large number of young bulls with genetic evaluation results. In 2018, in the Dairy Gir breed, the first Brazilian cow summary and the first Genomic Evaluation of Young and Adult Females were published, covering 144 and 444 females, respectively. In addition, genomics became part of the pre-selection and genetic evaluation processes of Dairy Gir and Girolando bulls. From the results achieved, it is observed that the market has valued the work, measured by the growing demand for semen of proven or test bulls, embryos and pregnancies, products from mating proven bulls with high genetic merit cows, as well as the growing demand for production animals (live animals) of high genetic merit, besides the growing interest of breeders for the inclusion of new test bulls. Added to this is the high valuation of offsprings of proven bulls. Since the beginning of the work, there has been an increase of more than 200% in the average milk production in the collaborating herds and, at the same time, an improvement in reproduction, with the reduction of the the birth interval averages and the age at the first birth. With the introduction of genomics to the process of pre-selection of bulls in Dairy Gir and Girolando breeds, and to the evaluation of sires in the progeny test, there will be increased accuracy of breeding evaluation and reduction of the generation interval, which will promote new impact on genetic gain per generation, for the main characteristics of economic importance in the breeds involved. This project has the following objectives: (a) to propose new methodologies and statistical models for use in the genetic evaluation of animals in the Genetic Improvement Programs that allow the increase of the accuracy of genetic value estimates and genetic gains in populations under selection; (b) Expand the Bank of biological material of Dairy Cattle for Dairy Gir, Guzerat, Red Sindhi and Girolando breeds, in order to support genomic selection and genetic diversity studies; (c) Identify new traits with potential for innovation for Dairy Gir, Guzerat, Red Sindhi and Girolando Genetic Improvement Programs; and (d) Implement automatic or semi-automatic computational methods in the databases of Dairy Gir, Guzerat, Red Sindhi and Girolando Genetic Improvement Programs, for the storage and retrieval of phenotypic data. In the period, the statistical models of genetic evaluation were adjusted using standardization procedures of production within contemporary animal groups, with the use of genomics there was correction in some genealogy errors and the introduction of the genomic kinship matrix in the model. As a consequence, there was a large gain in accuracy or precision in genetic evaluations. The DNA database was updated to include a sample of 20,316 animals, including 10,867 Dairy Gir, 6,790 Girolando, 2,014 Guzerat and 645 Red Sindhi. Characteristics related to milk genetics have been introduced to the publications in the field of molecular genetics in order to make it easier for farmers to choose breeders best suited to market demand, such as animals that produce A2A2 milk that enable the population allergic to milk casein to start consuming dairy products without such indisposition. In the bulls summary, the average kinship of the bull was included with the evaluated population to provide guidance to the farmer as to when carry out mating in the herd, avoiding the mating of closely related animals, avoiding the increase of the level of inbreeding. New applications to be used on smartphones are under development and will be released as soon as they are completed and will speed up the work of accessing the results of animal genetic evaluations. Research on animal breeding should be continued to enable continued genetic progress to be made in the generations under selection, creating better conditions for farmers and breeders to have more income, better living conditions and to persevere in the activity.

Status: Completed Start date: Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 GMT-03:00 2014 Conclusion date: Wed Jul 31 00:00:00 GMT-03:00 2019

Head Unit: Embrapa Dairy Cattle

Project leader: Joao Claudio do Carmo Panetto

Contact: joao.panetto@embrapa.br

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