Abstract #67

# 67
The role of Interbull in the successful implementation of genomic selection in breeds other than Holstein.
E. C. Santus*1, 1ANARB, Bussolengo, Italy.

The use of DNA information in dairy cattle is not a complete novelty as specific markers for interesting genes have been used in selection schemes for specific needs since the late 1980s. As we all know, the breakthrough occurred at the turn of the millennium. First with the envision and later with the practical application of the massive analysis of thousands of markers on cattle genome. Since then, the approach has changed completely passing from the Mendelian identification of desirable alleles to the studies on the associations between markers and phenotypes. At that time, numbers started to matter and the risk of facing the “new opportunities, old inequalities” paradox became a real scenario as the new mechanisms of exploitation of the new technology called for a minimum size population and set a limit for entry into this new market. The Brown Swiss breed is a small breed compared with the Holstein breed, but all breeds are small if you use the Holstein breed as the term of reference. Thus, it is of some relevance to use the Brown Swiss example as a possible model. The greatest advantage of this breed in Europe was the existence of a very active international community. Another advantage was the fact that no single country had alone the size of the population needed for a reliable implementation of genomic selection. Political aspects were not, as always, of secondary importance when the discussion about sharing valuable information started. Since the very beginning, Interbull—recognized by all as an independent, reliable and competent third party—was identified as a natural platform that could solve most of the political issues. The development of an agreement among all parties, called “Intergenomics,” was the first necessary step, which was followed by specific agreements between each party and Interbull. Thanks to that approach, genomic selection has become a reality for the Brown Swiss breed and has revolutionized the way the genetic management of the population has been carried out since then. After only a few years, in 2014, Intergenomics evolved into Intergenomics 2.0 and now it has become a routine service provided by Interbull to the member countries that joined the agreement.

Key Words: Interbull, genomics, Brown Swiss