#WBSC2022
Speakers & Topics
Conference Speaker & Topic Schedule is listed below!
8:00am - 10:00am
Session (8:15am - 8:35am): A Success Monitoring of Genomics in the Swiss Breeding Program
Speaker: Martin Rust, Braunvieh Schweiz (biography)
Session Description: In recent years, the number of Brown Swiss females genotyped in Switzerland has increased substantially. Currently, one out of five heifer calves is genotyped within the Brown Swiss breed in Switzerland. The genotyping of herds is supported by the herdbook-program “Bruna Data.”
By grouping females according to their former genomic breeding values before calving, the relation to their later phenotypic performances have been analyzed.
Learning Objectives:
- Get an overview on the use of genomics in Switzerland
- See a practical approach on the benefits of genomic breeding values
- Review awaiting challenges
Session (8:35am - 8:55am): How Genomic Data Performs in Real Herds
Speaker: David Erf, Zoetis (biography)
Session Description: to come
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Session (9:20am - 9:50am): Single-Step - Next Generation of Genomic Selection for Brown Swiss in Germany and Austria
Speaker: Dr. Reiner Emmerling (biography)
Session Description: Since five years the collaboration of Brown Swiss organizations in Germany and Austria put much effort in projects for genotyping females in contracted herds together with collecting phenotypic data for new and conventional traits. The optimization of genomic evaluation was necessary to exploit this new data, to achieve better genetic progress and to improve the quality of estimated genomic breeding values. In April 2021 routine evaluation for all traits using single-step genomic evaluations was introduced for the joint German and Austrian population. The single-step model makes maximum use of the available information, because all genotyped animals are analyzed together with the whole phenotyped population. Our experiences from development and first routine runs are summarized to give an overview of the current single-step evaluation in Germany and Austria.
10:00am - 10:30: AM Break with Sponsors
10:30am - 12:00pm
Session (10:30am - 11:00am): Genomic Improvements from Swiss COW Projects
Speaker: Franz Seefried, Qualitas AG (biography)
Learning Objectives:
- Genomic selection
- Cattle breeding
Session (11:00am - 11:20am): Genetic evaluations for calf survival and resistance to ketosis in Swiss Brown Swiss cattle
Speaker: Urs Schuler, Qualitas AG (biography)
Session Description: In the Swiss Brown Swiss breeding program, functional traits are becoming increasingly important as they reflect important components of the whole costs in milk production. In this context, genetic evaluations for two additional functional traits - calf survival and resistance to ketosis – have recently been developed. The GE calf survival is based on data from the Swiss animal-tracing database and the GE resistance to ketosis is based on analysis results of DHI milk samples. For both traits, the definition of the actual phenotypes to be analyzed with linear mixed effects models was an important step. At the moment, only pedigree-based EBVs are published, but the development of singe-step genomic evaluations is currently underway.
Session (11:20am - 11:40am): New Health Trait Evaluations in the United States
Speaker: Joao Durr, CDCB (biography)
12:00pm - 1:15pm: Lunch with presenter - More than Milk
1:30pm - 3:00pm
Session (1:30pm - 2:00pm): Brown Swiss Herd and Crossbreed in Columbia and Latin America
Speaker: Franciska von Fedak, Columbia (biography)
Session Description: The management of beef and dairy farming in Colombia, the progress that has been made in the low, medium and high tropics of the country. Information on exports of milk and meat and trade agreements with the US, Europe and other countries in Latin America. History and evolution of the Brown Swiss in Latin America through specific cases in four countries of the regions.
Identifying challenges overcome and technologies implemented up to the latest technologies in genomics. Crossbreeding model of the Brown Swiss breed with Zebu breeds for dairy farming in the Colombian low tropics, characterized by hot, humid climate and external parasites. Additionally, the experiences that have been had in dual-purpose livestock will be commented through numbers and figures. Vision of the future of profitable dairy farming with Brown Swiss cattle in Colombia and LATAM.
Learner Objectives:
- Get to know how developed activities are in Latin America
- Learn why the Brown Swiss breed is successful and profitable in the milk and meat production in geographies with adverse climates (the Tropics)
- Learn about insights of the Crossbreeding model with Zebu breeds
- The importance and effects of Genomics in the process of functional and genetic improvements for the future in the Dairy industry in Columbia
Session (2:00pm - 2:20pm): Dairy cows resistance to heat: a challenge and an opportunity
Speaker: Enrico Santus, Italian Brown Swiss Association & Synergy, Italy (biography)
Session Description: The mitigation of global climate change in dairy farming could need a new strategy for finding livestock breeds that are resistant to High temperature. It is well known that heat stress affect dairy performance in multiple ways, physiological, behavioral, reproductive, and productive. The idea behind some studies has been to check if a threshold in temperature and humidity (summarized by a index called THI) exists for multiple milk production traits.
When Brown swiss cows start to suffer from heat? Are Brown swiss cows more resistant than other breeds? What are the main physiological mechanisms behind heat stress? And more in general what is heat stress? These will be some of the topics covered in this session.
Session (2:20pm - 2:45pm): Strategies to Expand the Benefits of Brown Swiss Genetics through Crossbreeding
Speaker: Kevin Ziemba, ST Genetics, USA (biography)
Session Description: Overview of the benefits of genetic progress seen within the Brown Swiss breed and how these translate to crossbreeding programs. Crossbreeding has become a staple on many United States dairies as well as worldwide to capture added-value through heterosis. Whether utilizing a 2-way or 3-way cross strategy the Brown Swiss value must be explored. Added longevity, herd health, reduced culling and added solids all come from using Brown Swiss as a cross option.
Learning Objectives:
- Understanding Heterosis/Hybrid Vigor
- Traits that make Brown Swiss unique as an added-value genetic stream to crossbreeding
- The benefits of Brown Swiss in beef x dairy cross calves values
3:00pm - 3:30pm: PM Break with Sponsors
3:30pm - 5:15pm: Dairyman Roundtable: Why Brown Swiss in your program?
Session: A successful experience of Brown Swiss pure cross strategy starting from Holstein
Speaker: Clement Sevin, BGS, France (biography)
Session Development:
- A brief history of the farm located in West France
- Why start crossing with Brown Swiss?
- First steps with my crossing strategy
- Technical and economical results of the pure cross process
- Pros and cons of the pure cross process
Learning Objectives:
- Understand farm goals in the crossing strategy
- Estimate the benefits of crossing with Brown Swiss
- Being able to identify the potential farms that could benefit from BS crosses
Speakers:
Tanner Mashek, USA (biography)
Josef Muller, Germany (biography)
"CASH-COW" BROWN SWISS - Our family business
Jonny Lockhead, UK - Scotland (biography)
Joe Loehr, USA (biography)
GALA SPEAKER
