Carbon footprint based on lifetime productivity for future cows selected for resilience to climate-related disturbances

TY - JOUR

T1 - Carbon footprint based on lifetime productivity for future cows selected for resilience to climate-related disturbances

AU - Zira, Stanley

AU - Bouquet, Alban Etienne René

AU - Rydhmer, L

AU - Kargo, Morten

AU - Puillet, Laurence

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - Droughts, which can affect feed production, are projected to become more common under future climate conditions. In light of this, breeding cattle resilient to changes in feeding regimens is increasingly becoming an important topic. Body reserves can play a crucial role when feed resources are limited. We simulated populations of dairy cows selected with 2 different breeding goals: one reflecting the current breeding goal and the other placing weight on minimum level of body reserves in early lactation and change in body reserves during lactation. We considered this latter as a breeding goal for resilience. We used the 2 dynamic simulation programs ADAM and AQAL to predict performance of the cows after selection. In AQAL, we modeled moderate and severe drought by decreasing feed quality and quantity offered to cows during one year. We compared cows selected with the 2 breeding goals under 3 environments: without disturbances related to climate and with moderate and severe drought. In the environments without disturbances and the moderate drought, the cows selected with the current breeding goal had higher lifetime lactation efficiency (energy invested in milk/energy acquired from feed) and lower carbon footprint per kilogram of protein in milk and meat than cows selected for resilience. However, with severe drought, cows selected for resilience had higher lifetime lactation efficiency and lower carbon footprint per kilogram of protein in milk and meat than those selected with the current breeding goal. This suggests that cows selected for high productive performance do not perform well under very limiting conditions, leading to increased climate impact. The importance of inclusion of body reserves as a resilience trait in dairy cattle breeding depends on the future environment in which the cows will be used.

AB - Droughts, which can affect feed production, are projected to become more common under future climate conditions. In light of this, breeding cattle resilient to changes in feeding regimens is increasingly becoming an important topic. Body reserves can play a crucial role when feed resources are limited. We simulated populations of dairy cows selected with 2 different breeding goals: one reflecting the current breeding goal and the other placing weight on minimum level of body reserves in early lactation and change in body reserves during lactation. We considered this latter as a breeding goal for resilience. We used the 2 dynamic simulation programs ADAM and AQAL to predict performance of the cows after selection. In AQAL, we modeled moderate and severe drought by decreasing feed quality and quantity offered to cows during one year. We compared cows selected with the 2 breeding goals under 3 environments: without disturbances related to climate and with moderate and severe drought. In the environments without disturbances and the moderate drought, the cows selected with the current breeding goal had higher lifetime lactation efficiency (energy invested in milk/energy acquired from feed) and lower carbon footprint per kilogram of protein in milk and meat than cows selected for resilience. However, with severe drought, cows selected for resilience had higher lifetime lactation efficiency and lower carbon footprint per kilogram of protein in milk and meat than those selected with the current breeding goal. This suggests that cows selected for high productive performance do not perform well under very limiting conditions, leading to increased climate impact. The importance of inclusion of body reserves as a resilience trait in dairy cattle breeding depends on the future environment in which the cows will be used.

KW - dairy cows

KW - body reserves

KW - drought

KW - breeding goal

KW - simulation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85180403132&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3168/jds.2023-23492

DO - 10.3168/jds.2023-23492

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37690721

SN - 0022-0302

VL - 106

SP - 8953

EP - 8968

JO - Journal of Dairy Science

JF - Journal of Dairy Science

IS - 12

ER -