Impact
Research-driven genetic gains are having a positive impact on the livelihoods of tropical livestock producers by providing purpose-bred animals that are more productive, healthy, feed efficient and resilient to climatic and environmental challenges.
Outputs and outcomes
Signatures of selection
Signatures of selection can provide fundamental insights into the genome dynamics of a species, as well as helping to define possible causative links to productivity and resilience traits in livestock.
Adaptation to local environments
Selection for enhanced productivity and resilience traits in tropical livestock requires an understanding of the links between signatures of selection, the adaptive pressures that drove (and continue to drive) these selections over time, and the resulting phenotypes – observable or measurable traits – in various livestock species.
Tools and technologies
The research use of SNP chips or “marker panels” to study signatures of selection or conduct genome-wide association studies can be extended to their direct use in breeding programmes. Novel tools like gene editing can accelerate the introduction of desirable traits into herds and flocks.
Sustainable livestock systems
Research-driven advances in genomic selection will count for little unless they are locally adopted and adapted by livestock breeders and producers.