Animal Breeding Use of New Technologies

Genetic markers are now being used to give DNA tests for genes affecting animal performance. Oocyte harvesting and cloning are being added to artificial insemination and embryo transfer as tools for reproductive manipulation. Veterinary surgeons are not only in demand to carry out these technologies, but they find themselves giving advice on the design of breeding programs which they drive, and the selection of target animals. Genetic markers promise to help avoid genetic disorders, and make gains in carcass traits and disease resistance. Fast turnover juvenile schemes give lower selection accuracy but potentially much more gain per year. Cloning can lead to significant jumps in productivity and uniformity at the commercial level, but at high cost. How do we exploit these technologies to maximise gains, maintain genetic variation, avoid inbreeding, minimise costs and maintain animal welfare especially for beef cattle? This book provides insight into the design and implementation of breeding programs to maximise return from investment in new technology. Eds. B Kinghorn, J.van der Werf and M Ryan; a publication by Beef CRS, University of New England and the Post Graduate Foundation in Veterinary Science.