US move to female genomic indexes to identify best cows

摘要

In the USA, Holstein breeders are increasingly obtaining genomic indexes for their female cattle which they are using to assist with breeding and management decisions."Last month we handled 19,000 new genotypes of which 80% were female," says Dr George Wiggans, who runs the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory (AIPL) for the US government. This is responsible for genetic research and evaluations and has pioneered genomic research in dairy cattle.Holsteins comprised 89% of this figure, and the 13,550 Holstein females included represent around 1.7% of the Holstein females with lactation data added to the US database each year.