Selection for reduced methane emission in Norwegian Red cows

Hovedmålet med prosjekter er finne den beste strategien for å redusere klimaavtrykk fra norsk mjølkeproduksjon ved hjelp av avl. Før en ny egenskap som metanutslipp kan inkluderes i avlsarbeidet må vi ha kunnskap om hvor arvelig egenskapen er og om den har genetiske sammenhenger til andre egenskaper. Vi trenger derfor målinger av metanproduksjon for individuelle NRF kyr under norske driftsforhold. Det er nå installert måleutstyr for metan (GreenFeed) i noen utvalgte besetninger. Metandata blir sammen med data fra mjølkeroboten i besetninga samla inn, og alle kyr i disse besetningene vil bli genotypa. Å etablere et system for å samle inn data, samt rutiner for kvalitetskontroll og utplukk av data vil bli en første viktig milepæl i prosjektet. Dette vil grunnlag for å beregne arvegrad for metanproduksjon for NRF.

The environmental footprint of dairy production can be reduced by genetic selection. This can be direct selection, with genetic evaluation based on methane (CH4) emission measures of individual cows or indirect selection using indicator traits, such as mid infrared (MIR) spectral data from milk samples. Another strategy is through reduction of waste, i.e. genetic improvement of fertility, health and longevity will reduce the need for replacement heifers and thereby reduce CH4-production. In this project we aim at working along all these strategies. Before a new trait, like methane emission, can be considered included in the breeding goal research is needed to estimate genetic parameters for the population and validate reliability of genomic predicted breeding values. For this purpose measures of methane production for individual cows has been established in selected herds with milking robot. Methane measures from a total of around 3000 Norwegian Red (NR) cows will be available for the project. All cows will be genotyped. Based on this data we will estimate heritability of methane production in NR, validate reliability of genomic breeding values, and estimate genetic correlations between methane production and important traits in the NR breeding goal. Prediction equation for methane emission for NR based on milk MIR spectral data will be derived and validated. The project will deliver the knowledge necessary to evaluate how methane emission best can be included in the NR breeding goal, and whether it is possible to balance climate effects, milk production, health and fertility in a sustainable breeding goal.