Breeding strategies to reduce environmental footprint in dairy cattle

Berry, D.P.

doi:10.1017/s2040470013000289

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…It is important to highlight that traits with an antagonistic relationship (e.g., production and fertility) can still be improved simultaneously through selection. The inclusion of antagonistic traits in a selection index may reduce the rate of genetic gain in either trait due to a reduction in selection intensity; however, genetic gain is still possible in both traits (Berry, 2013).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimated genetic parameters for all genetically evaluated traits in Canadian Holsteins

Oliveira

Schenkel

Alcantara

et al. 2021

Journal of Dairy Science

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimated genetic parameters for all genetically evaluated traits in Canadian Holsteins

Oliveira

Schenkel

Alcantara

et al. 2021

Journal of Dairy Science

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“…Methane yield was defined as predicted daily CH 4 emissions divided by daily feed intake. Berry (2013) reported an (expected) heritability of zero for simulated daily CH 4 emissions but a heritability of 0.19 (0.05) for predicted CH 4 yield. The existence of a significant heritability of predicted CH 4 yield was an artifact, not of heritable variation in CH 4 emissions but because the heritability of feed intake was 0.49 (Crowley et al, 2010).…”

Section: Relationship With Feed Intake and Milk Productionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…We found positive genetic correlations between milk production and CH 4 production, which probably reflects the relationship between energy intake, CH 4 production, and milk production. Berry (2013) cautioned about inferring heritability estimates from CH 4 emissions per unit feed intake (or any CH 4 phenotype that includes known heritable traits in the numerator or denominator). Berry (2013) simulated individual animal daily CH 4 emissions for a data set of growing bulls used previously in the estimation of variance components of feed efficiency by Crowley et al (2010).…”

Section: Relationship With Feed Intake and Milk Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heritability estimates for enteric methane emissions from Holstein cattle measured using noninvasive methods

Lassen

Løvendahl

2016

Journal of Dairy Science

139

114

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The objective of this study was to estimate heritability of enteric methane emissions from dairy cattle. Methane (CH4) and CO2 were measured with a portable air-sampler and analyzer unit based on Fourier transform infrared detection. Data were collected on 3,121 Holstein dairy cows from 20 herds using automatic milking systems. Three CH4 phenotypes were acquired: the ratio between CH4 and CO2 in the breath of the cows (CH4_RATIO), the estimated quantified amount of CH4 (in g/d) measured over a week (CH4_GRAMSw), and CH4 intensity, defined as grams of CH4 per liter of milk produced (CH4_MILK). Fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) and live weight data were also derived for the analysis. Data were analyzed using several univariate and bivariate linear animal models. The heritability of CH4_GRAMSw and CH4_MILK was 0.21 with a standard error of 0.06, and the heritability of CH4_RATIO was 0.16 with a standard error of 0.04. The 2 CH4 traits CH4_GRAMSw and CH4_RATIO were genetically highly correlated (rg=0.83) and they were strongly correlated with FPCM, meaning that, in this study, a high genetic potential for milk production will also mean a high genetic potential for CH4 production. The genetic correlation between CH4_MILK and FPCM and live weight showed similar patterns as the other CH4 phenotypes, although the correlations in general were closer to zero. The genetic correlations between the 3 CH4 phenotypes and live weight were low and only just significantly different from zero, meaning there is less indication of a genetic relationship between CH4 emission and live weight of the cow. None of the residual correlations between the ratio of CH4 and CO2, CH4 production in grams per day, FPCM, and live weight were significantly different from zero. The results from this study suggest that CH4 emission is partly under genetic control, that it is possible to decrease CH4 emission from dairy cattle through selection, and that selection for higher milk yield will lead to higher genetic merit for CH4 emission/cow per day.

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“…DMI) and denominator (e.g. average daily gain (ADG)) is positive (Koots et al ., 1999; Berry, 2012), and therefore, selection for improved FCR has resulted in cattle that grow faster, have increased mature size, and increased maintenance and feed requirements (Bishop et al ., 1991; Archer et al ., 1999; Herd and Bishop, 2000; Crews, 2005; Kelly et al ., 2010a and 2010b). As a result, efficiency measures that remove various known energy uses from feed intake, such as BW and production, are being used within breeding programs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reducing GHG emissions through genetic improvement for feed efficiency: effects on economically important traits and enteric methane production

Basarab

Beauchemin

Baron

et al. 2013

Animal

161

103

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Genetic selection for residual feed intake (RFI) is an indirect approach for reducing enteric methane (CH4) emissions in beef and dairy cattle. RFI is moderately heritable (0.26 to 0.43), moderately repeatable across diets (0.33 to 0.67) and independent of body size and production, and when adjusted for off-test ultrasound backfat thickness (RFIfat) is also independent of body fatness in growing animals. It is highly dependent on accurate measurement of individual animal feed intake. Within-animal repeatability of feed intake is moderate (0.29 to 0.49) with distinctive diurnal patterns associated with cattle type, diet and genotype, necessitating the recording of feed intake for at least 35 days. In addition, direct measurement of enteric CH4 production will likely be more variable and expensive than measuring feed intake and if conducted should be expressed as CH4 production (g/animal per day) adjusted for body size, growth, body composition and dry matter intake (DMI) or as residual CH4 production. A further disadvantage of a direct CH4 phenotype is that the relationships of enteric CH4 production on other economically important traits are largely unknown. Selection for low RFIfat (efficient, −RFIfat) will result in cattle that consume less dry matter (DMI) and have an improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared with high RFIfat cattle (inefficient; +RFIfat). Few antagonistic effects have been reported for the relationships of RFIfat on carcass and meat quality, fertility, cow lifetime productivity and adaptability to stress or extensive grazing conditions. Low RFIfat cattle also produce 15% to 25% less enteric CH4 than +RFIfat cattle, since DMI is positively related to enteric methane (CH4) production. In addition, lower DMI and feeding duration and frequency, and a different rumen bacterial profile that improves rumen fermentation in −RFIfat cattle may favor a 1% to 2% improvement in dry matter and CP digestibility compared with +RFIfat cattle. Rate of genetic change using this approach is expected to improve feed efficiency and reduce enteric CH4 emissions from cattle by 0.75% to 1.0% per year at equal levels of body size, growth and body fatness compared with cattle not selected for RFIfat.

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Breeding strategies to reduce environmental footprint in dairy cattle

Cited by 9 publications

References 58 publications

Estimated genetic parameters for all genetically evaluated traits in Canadian Holsteins

Estimated genetic parameters for all genetically evaluated traits in Canadian Holsteins

Heritability estimates for enteric methane emissions from Holstein cattle measured using noninvasive methods

Reducing GHG emissions through genetic improvement for feed efficiency: effects on economically important traits and enteric methane production

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