The value of commercial Nordic farm animal breeds

Transcription

1 The value of commercial Nordic farm animal breeds Hanne Marie Nielsen "Genetic resources - a treasure trove for the future?" November 22-23nd 2012

2 Outline - Commercial Nordic farm animal breeds have an unique position in the world and breeding are successfull, why? - General trends in animal breeding worldwide - Discuss the value of the commercial Nordic breeds in the context of changing conditions

3 General trend in farm animal breeding Aim of animal breeding: - Improve the animals genetically, such that they will produce more efficiently under future production circumstances - Genetic improvement by selecting the best animals and use those as parents of the next generation of animals - Advances in breeding and reproduction techniques (AI etc) - Breeding has been globalized with animals used across borders - Increased productivity (milk, growth) - Few breeds + breeding companies are dominating within each species worldwide

4 General trend in farm animal breeding - Breeding companies Cattle: Genus: 70 countries Alta: 60 countries Viking Genetics: 50 countries Pigs: PIC: 30 countries Hypor: 18 countries Topigs: 50 countries Danbred: 40 countries Poultry: Number of companies on global scale: Layer (2), Broiler (4), Turkey (3)

5 Trend in farm animal breeding - Increased productivity Example broilers: weeks to reach slaughter weight of 1.3 kg - Today less than 5 weeks to reach 2.1 kg Consequences: Increased feet and leg problems = difficult and painfull walking Due to unfavorable genetic correlations between productivity and health

6 Increased productivity- Example dairy cattle Selection primary for increased milk yield increased frequency of mastitis, reproduction, + other health related traits

7 Negative effect on genetic diversity Few genotypes are dominating + high selection intensity = loss in genetic variation and inbreeding Ex. Holstein: - AI: bull can have many offspring all over the world - Population size > 19 mill. - But problems with inbreeding because some bulls were used a lot - Gene defect spread from 1 American bull to sons throughout the world

8 Genetic diversity - High productivity breeds + few breeds and breeding companies are dominating - Local/national breeds can t compete - Local/national breeds and thus genetic diversity are lost - The Nordic commercial farm animals are unique - National breeds except for poultry

9 What makes the Nordic farm animals unique? Sustainable breeding The extent to which animal breeding contribute to maintenance and good care of animal genetic resources for future generations (SEFABAR, 2003) Key words: product quality, genetic diversity, efficiency, environment, and animal health and welfare

10 What makes the Nordic farm animals unique? 1. The breeding goal Breeding goal express the direction of genetic improvement breeding goal = EV 1 *g 1 + EV 2 *g EV n *g n EV 1, EV 2 = economic weight for trait n g1, g2 = genetic value for trait n EV based on improving profit of the farmer NORDIC BREEDING PROFILE Broad breeding goal with many traits (production + cost reducing traits e.g. health)

11 Weights on traits in Norwegian red cattle from % År Bein/kropp Ekstrasp Jur Lynne Utmj Lekkasje Kjøtt Prot% Mjølk Mastitt A. sjukd Fruktb_d Fruktb_e Dødf Kalvv

12 Norwegian Introduction Red Cattle Sustainable breeding NRF: - Mentioned and recognized by FAO - Mentioned in the book «The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for food and Agriculture«

13 What makes the Nordic farm animals uniq? 1. The breeding goal Viking red: Finnish Ayrshire, Danish Red, Swedish Red and White Nordic Total Merit index (contains all traits that affect profitability)

14 Sustainable breeding goals Non-market value - Sustainable breeding goal including animal welfare - More weight on traits (e.g. mastitis resistance) than from a pure economic point of view - Non-market value of improving the trait Value of e.g. improved animal welfare, by improving disease resistance more than justified from a economic point of view Adding a NV to disease resistance in the breeding goal = increase weight on the trait = higher genetic improvement and improved animal health and welfare

15 Nordic Red dairy Cattle Nordic Red vs Holstein: Both milk and health related traits Milk (-) Reproduction + Mastitis resistance + Number of still born calves + Alternative to Holstein Cross breeding (E.g. US, Ireland) Improved calving and reproduction

16 S dai Udvikling i avlsmål Developments in breeding goals Dairy cattle

17 -Production circumstances - -Production Why have circumstances we succeded? - society society Influence the breeding goal 1) Breeding goal Influence the breeding goal Prediction of genetic improvement: Not only production is important Economy (Prices of products and costs) Vet. Costs Political and social circumstances (Milk quota, regulations) Breeding goal

18 Why have we succeded? 2) Breeding organizations - Cooperative breeding organizations: Common interest more important than profit - If goal was highest profit by selling breeding material = More focus on milk production - To stay in business important to get high profit in the short run - Sustainable breeding is long term process Good recording system for many traits: : world first milk recording system in DK - High commitment to recording system

19 The value of the farmed Nordic breeds in changing conditions - Animal genetic diversity is critical for food security and for being able to accommodate changing conditions such as climate change - Animal genetic diversity allow us to select stocks or develop new breeds in response to changing conditions

20 The value of the farmed Nordic breeds in changing conditions We have national breeds and breeding organizations (cattle, pigs, sheep and goats) poultry + Very good recording system Good opportunities to meet future changes in production circumstances in Nordic countries + Good genetic ressource for other countries (e.g. crossbreeding)

21 The value of the farmed Nordic breeds in changing conditions - Poultry : must rely on breeding material from other countries - No control over genetic improvement - Difficult to get genetic material tailored for our production systems (e.g. organic) - Direction of genetic improvement controlled by demand - In other part of the world, no national or local breeds to cover need for farm animal production, - High productivity breeds have poor performance in developing countries (G*E) - Problem to supply food

22 The value of the farmed Nordic breeds in changing conditions Climate change: - Adapt to climate change livestock sector large producer of green house gasses - Dual-purpose (milk- beef) breeds may gain importance - Nordic Red dairy breeds: some weight on beef - Adaptation: ability to adapt to the environment - Adaptation traits usually characterized by low heritability traits such as diseases and survival - Breeding goal of the Nordic farm breeds contains many traits related to adaptation

23 The value of the farmed Nordic breeds in changing conditions - Broad breeding goal in the Nordic countries: - High disease resistance = low use of antibiotics - High quality products from the Nordic farm animal breeds Nordic breeds good genetic ressources for future breeding and food security in changing production circumstances!