Working as geneticist for Anaborapi Piemontese Breed Association
Supervisors:
Dr. Ab Groen; Prof Paolo Carnier
CoOperators:
Financer:
Anaborapi
Start date:
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End date:
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Introduction:
The Piemontese is the most important Italian cattle breed specialized for beef production. Piemontese cattle have been actively selected for traits related to quantitative beef production such as growth rates and muscularity. Calving performance is an important trait to select in beef cattle. This trait has a relevant economic importance due to costs associated with dystocia but also to social aspects including animal welfare, consumer
Results:
The importance of calving performance for the economic efficiency of the farms is comparable to that of beef traits. This trait shows enough genetic variation to be improved through selection and should be included in the breeding goal. Genetic relationship between calving performance and beef traits are biologically unfavourable. The best stategy to obtain improvement in all traits is the implementation of a crossbreeding scheme combining a terminal line selected for beef traits with a maternal line selected for calving performance. Traditional purebred schemes allow a lower response to selection but are more simple and less expensive to run compared to the crossbreeding programme.
Articles:
Albera A, Groen AF, Carnier P, 2004. J. Anim. Sci., 82: 3440-3446. Albera A, Carnier P, Groen AF, 2004. Livest. Prod. Sci., 89: 66-77. Albera A, Mantovani R, Bittante G, Groen AF, Carnier P, 2001. Anim. Sci., 72: 449-456. Carnier P, Albera A, Dal Zotto R, Groen AF, Bona M, Bittante G, 2000. J. Anim. Sci., 78: 2532-2539.
Graduation date:
19 September 2006
Graduation time and place:
16:00 in the Aula
Title thesis:
Selection for beef traits and calving performance in Piemontese cattle
