Source: National Association of Animal Breeders
The NAP (North American Partners) recently finalized agreements to exchange Holstein genotypes with both ANAFI in Italy and DairyCo in the United Kingdom.
The NAP includes the NAAB (National Association of Animal Breeders) in the USA, on behalf of the Artificial Insemination organizations’ CDDR (Cooperative Dairy DNA Repository), and CDN (Canadian Dairy Network). The formation of the CDDR by six USA and one Canadian AI center almost 20 years ago provided the DNA from current and historic sires to allow research by the USDA, the University of Guelph and CDN that resulted in genomic predictions now being utilized by dairy producers in both countries.
Each agreement establishes the exchange of genotypes for progeny proven bulls in each country as well as young bulls genotyped by the authorized organizations identified within North America, Italy and the UK. All countries involved have also allowed for the option to expand the genotype exchange process in the future to include females genotyped with the 50K panel as well as males and females in other dairy cattle breeds of mutual interest.
This genotype exchange strategy will facilitate young sire selection programs in each country aimed at maximizing genetic potential while maintaining genetic diversification. The collaboration will result in more reliable genomic predictions for dairy producers. While the process for exchanging genotypes will commence immediately, the inclusion of genotypes from Italy and the UK is not expected in North American genomic evaluations until later in 2011.
Both agreements also involve a mutual interest and collaboration in genotyping key animals with the higher density “HD” panel that has roughly 800,000 markers so as to advance the accuracy of genomic evaluations in Canada, United States, Italy and United Kingdom even further in the near future.
