Genetic Evaluation of Milk Yield

This episode focusses on a study that presents the first genetic evaluation of milk yield in smallholder crossbred dairy cattle in India. The researchers utilized single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes to estimate genetic parameters for milk yield and to develop genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV). The study found that there is significant genetic variation for milk production in smallholder crossbred dairy systems in India, and that a combination of smallholder data recording and SNP genotyping can be used to generate GEBV, which can be used to improve breeding decisions. The study also investigated the performance of cows with different breed compositions in different production environments, providing insights into the optimal breed composition for different environments.