Advances in breeding of dairy cattle

Part 1 Managing genetic diversity
1.Genetic and phenotypic improvements in temperate dairy systems: an overview: Allison Fleming, Canadian Dairy Network, Canada; Tatiane Chud, University of Guelph, Canada; Luiz Brito, Purdue University, USA; Francesca Malchiodi, Semex, Canada; and Christine Baes and Filippo Miglior, University of Guelph, Canada;
2.Assessing inbreeding and genetic diversity in the Holstein breed using pedigree and genomic approaches: Christine Baes, University of Guelph, Canada and University of Bern, Switzerland; and Bayode Makanjuola and Larry Schaeffer, University of Guelph, Canada;
3.Genetic diversity in dairy cattle: variation within and between breeds: Kor Oldenbroek, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands;
4.The use of genomic information to improve selection response while controlling inbreeding in dairy cattle breeding programs: C. Maltecca, North Carolina State University, USA; C. Baes, University of Guelph, Canada; and F. Tiezzi, North Carolina State University, USA;
5.Opportunities and challenges in crossbreeding dairy cattle in temperate regions: Bradley J. Heins, University of Minnesota, USA;

Part 2 Breeding objectives and genetics of new traits
6.Recent developments in multi-trait selection in dairy cattle breeding: Peter Amer, AbacusBio Ltd, New Zealand; and Tim Byrne, AbacusBio International Ltd, UK;
7.Advances in dairy cattle breeding to improve fertility/reproductive efficiency: Mekonnen Haile-Mariam, Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Australia; and Jennie Pryce, Agriculture Victoria and La Trobe University, Australia;
8.Advances in dairy cattle breeding to incorporate feed conversion efficiency in national genetic evaluations Mike Coffey, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), UK;
9.Improving phenotypic prediction in dairy cattle breeding using the metagenome: Oscar González-Recio, Alejandro Saborio-Montero, Adrián López-García, Beatriz Delgado and Cristina Óvilo, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Spain;
10.Advances in dairy cattle breeding to improve resistance to mastitis: John Cole, USDA-ARS, USA;
11.Advances in dairy cattle breeding to improve resistance to claw disorders/lameness: C. Egger-Danner, ZuchtData EDV-Dienstleistungen GmbH, Austria; and B. Heringstad, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Norway;
12.The use of mid-infrared spectral data to predict traits for genetic selection in dairy cattle: Nicolas Gengler and Hélène Soyeurt, University of Liège, Belgium;
13.Advances in dairy cattle breeding to improve heat tolerance: Thuy T. T. Nguyen, Agriculture Victoria, Australia;
14.Advances in dairy cattle breeding to improve longevity: Roel Veerkamp, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands; and Mathijs van Pelt, CRV Cooperation, The Netherlands;

Part 3 Genetic selection and evaluation
15.Developments in genomic predictions in dairy cattle breeding: a historical overview of methods, technologies, and applications: Luiz F. Brito and Hinayah R. Oliveira, Purdue University, USA and University of Guelph, Canada; Fabyano F. Silva, Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil; and Flavio S. Schenkel, University of Guelph, Canada;
16.Linking genotype to phenotype: functional annotation as a tool to advance dairy cattle breeding: James E. Koltes, Iowa State University, USA; and Francisco Peñagaricano, University of Florida, USA;
17.Finding causal variants for monogenic traits in dairy cattle breeding: Matt Littlejohn, Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) and Massey University, New Zealand; and Chad Harland, Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), New Zealand;
18.Genetic evaluation: use of genomic data in large-scale genetic evaluations in dairy cattle breeding: Joel Ira Weller, The Volcani Center, Israel;
19.International genomic evaluation methods for dairy cattle: Peter Sullivan, Canadian Dairy Network, Canada;
20.Genetic and genomic dairy cattle evaluations in developing countries: Raphael Mrode, Scotland’s Rural College, UK and International Livestock Research Institute, Kenya;

Part 4 Reproductive technologies and breeding programmes
21.Developments in the use of embryo technologies in dairy cows: Trudee Fair and Pat Lonergan, University of College Dublin, Ireland;
22.The use of gene editing techniques in dairy cattle breeding: Alison L. Van Eenennaam and Amy E. Young, University of California-Davis, USA;
23.Development of dairy breeding programmes: Didier Boichard, INRA, AgroParisTech and Université Paris-Saclay, France;

"Professor van de Werf and Dr Pryce are leading experts and have assembled an excellent team for a book describing the current state-of-the-art. This volume will contribute to the dissemination of advanced breeding technology to breeders, scientists and other stakeholders in the dairy industry. There is no doubt that it will also stimulate new developments in an exciting field of research."
Prof. J. A. Lenstra, Utrecht University, The Netherlands; Editor-in-Chief of Animal Genetics