Very high quality genetics

A complete effort that brings together all professionals

©Gènes Diffusion

Genetic improvement is a collective effort that involves both the Ministry of agriculture as well as the professional organisations that are in charge of various operational tasks.

• Over 6,000 agents are in the field, accompanying the 250,000 French breeders.
• France Génétique Elevage, a joint-trade organisation uniting the skills as well as the users of genetic improvement, is in charge of the national leadership of the professional areas of the efforts.
   

  France Génétique Elevage

  The joint-trade organisation for the genetic improvement of ruminants is comprised of specialised professional associations (milk, meat, bovine, ovine and caprine producers) and of the various industry player federations (selectors, breeders, performance collectors, artificial inseminators). Amongst the tasks that are performed, the set-up of the Quality Management System should be mentioned, which is designed to guarantee the quality of the system as well as its international recognition, and the upkeep of the Genetic Information Systems, which are at the core of the efforts.

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The French efforts at improving the genetics of ruminants, set-up during the last few decades, is founded on:

• a highly reliable identification and traceability system, conforming with European norms,
• a network that records parenthood and performances,
• companies which select the best reproducers and diffuse them through artificial insemination or through natural reproduction (3,000 employees, including 2,000 inseminators),
• a health inspection system for the herd and for very rigorous reproducers,
• a powerful information system that guarantees the integrity and the sharing of genetic data throughout the country as well as an independent genetic evaluation.

It allows all breeders to have access to the best results of genetics and to the related services, no matter where they are located, or what type of breeding structure or herd race they have.

Modern and rigorous selection programmes

©Alain BEGUEY / INRA

The selection criteria are specific to each race. In fact, they seek to achieve genetic improvement goals, taking into consideration a balanced approach regarding the many qualitative, quantitative and functional criteria.

 

Selection criteria

For dairy bovine races

• production index: quantity of milk, quantity and rate of protein matter – for the conversion of milk into cheese – and quantity and rate of fat,
• functional index: calving ease, fertility, longevity, resistance against teat infections,
• morphology index: for example the conformation of the teat for proper adaptation to the milking machine and for being able to support significant daily milk production for years without any problems).

For meat bovine races

• maternal aptitude of the females, so that they can give birth to, nourish and raise their calves without any problems: fertility of the females, calving ease, aptitude for suckling, maternal behaviour, etc…
• meat characteristics of the calves to be sold: amply proportioned muscles, aptitude for producing muscle rather than fat, speed of growth, etc...

For ovines (dairy and meat) and for dairy caprines, the criteria that are taken into account are practically the same as with bovine selection.

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These characteristics are measured and recorded on the farm, under the guidance of independent entities and supervised for the quality of the data produced. The data is then brought together into the National genetic information system (SNIG), from which national genetic evaluations are made. It is the key tool for genetic improvement, the largest zootechnical database in the world providing historical data of approximately 110 million animals.

The national institute for agronomic research (INRA), a government organisation for finalised research, is officially in charge of the methodology and the calculation of the genetic evaluations of all races, and for all characteristics. All of the criteria are thus combined into summary indexes, based on the results of these genetic evaluations as well as economic criteria. These indexes give a genetic value to each reproductive animal, thereby allowing the best ones to be identified so as to favour their diffusion.

From this gathering of performance data, several stages follow according to the aptitude for selection. Most of these selection programmes contain:

• a selection stage based on ancestry: the only animals retained are those whose parents have the highest genetic value of their population,
• an evaluation stage based on individual performances on the farm, and for dairy bovines a genetic potential estimate through a close analysis of its genome (selection assisted by brands,
   

  Genomics, selection assisted by brands

  The genetic potential of animals based on quantitative characteristics (measureable) is evaluated using traditional methods based on the animal's performances (weight, size, production, etc…) and the ancestry links between the animals. Access to the genome, and, more specifically, to the genetic brands, now allows us to anticipate significant improvements in the evaluation of the animals' genetic potential: it's the selection by brands (SAM). Here, we seek to directly take into account the genes passed down by the parents, which has a significant effect on the characteristic's variability.

  Thanks to the cooperation between research institutes and professional organisations, France has a SAM programme since 2001, for the three main French dairy bovine races (Montbéliarde, Norman and Prim'holstein). Each year, nearly 10,000 animals are thus genotyped, and selection companies receive SAM indexes every month describing eight basic characteristics concerning the young animal candidates.

  As of autumn 2008, they will feature the genotypes of 60,000 brands, allowing for the early evaluation of the genetic value of approximately fifteen characteristics.

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• an evaluation stage based on descent, so as to truly select bulls based on their transmissible genetic quality instead of just their phenotype.

With reproduction and herd renewing that is based on the indexes, each breeder, in France or elsewhere in the world, can choose his reproducers by combining the aptitudes that seem to be the most appropriate for his operation's environment.

The diffusion of genetic progress is then primarily achieved through artificial insemination. Reproducers who mate naturally, qualified according to their index, are also used. Every year, 5 million females are inseminated in France.

The magnitude of French selection programmes is unique amongst breeding countries:

12 bovine races have selection programmes with testing of offspring. 5 other races have organised programmes and approximately 30 other races have conservation programmes.
• The French selection base is one of world's largest in terms of bovine milk and the largest one in terms of bovine meat.
• France is the only country in the world to have such a powerful and effective dairy caprine selection system. It is the only one that guarantees that descendents' semen is rigorously tested.

Need more details regarding the magnitude of French selection programmes? Download the following pdf:

• Key figures of French genetic efforts (2007), FR or EN version.

Furthermore, all reproducers born from French programmes feature the best health guarantees, in conformity with European requirements, amongst others. They are raised and kept in farms that adhere to international veterinarian norms.

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