From sensitive to robust athlete – exploring the opportunities of genomic selection to help dairy cows cope with increasing temperatures

Dairy cows are sensitive athletes, bred for efficient metabolism and high production under optimal conditions.

This makes them susceptible to heat stress, which has negative impact on milk production, fertility, health and welfare.

The acute consequences and lingering effects can be observed in Sweden during normal summers and with climate change, the situation will only get worse, even with investments in cooling systems.

Breeding for increased robustness against heat is a possible solution but an unfavourable association between heat tolerance and milk production has made this difficult.

In this project, we will use variation observed among high producing individuals to identify successful strategies of coping with heat stress and evaluate the possibilities for including these traits in a breeding program.

By using the opportunities provided by the increasing digitalisation of the dairy sector, detailed individual information about animal physiology and behaviours during warm periods will be collected, and through modern genomic technology the opportunities (and possible consequences) of breeding for these traits can be explored.

Through in-depth interviews and workshops we will ensure that the needs and practical considerations of farmers and stakeholders are addressed when shaping the strategy for turning the sensitive athletes into robust, heat tolerant animals required for a sustainable and resilient dairy production in the near future.