Impact case study database

Economic impact

Our research described above has led to improved efficiency of UK beef and dairy production, which translates to significant economic benefits. A model based on publicly available data collected by AHDB and previously published methodology [5.1] estimated that the benefit of being able to select for additional traits is worth between GBP60,000,000 and GBP80,000,000 per year for the dairy industry and GBP24,000,000 per year for the beef industry, based on genetic change at industry level. Furthermore, AHDB projects that: “ Using industry data sources and genetic trends from population data we produce, the changes described in the ICS are estimated to be worth an additional GBP750,000,000 over the next 5 years.” [5.2a]. This economic impact is derived from 1) the availability of novel genomic tools based on our research, 2) uptake of these tools by farmers, and 3) consequent improvements in cattle performance, as described below.

Impact on cattle farming industry: Novel tools available for farmers

Our findings that more key production and fitness traits are amenable to genetic improvement than previously realised have led to the development of more comprehensive suites of tools that are now being used by farmers to make informed breeding decisions.

Working together with key industry bodies, including AHDB, Signet (the breeding services arm of AHDB) and the British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS), we have developed, and routinely release, genetic selection tools, chiefly Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs), to help farmers rank the genetic merit of animals, i.e. predict whether offspring will have desirable traits, and therefore make the best-informed decisions on which animals to use for breeding the next generation [5.2 a, b, c]. These EBVs are generally combined into a weighted index to help rank animals for selection across a range of traits (e.g., £PLI in dairy cattle; Figure 1). The process of producing these individual trait results and overall rankings is part of the routine national genetic evaluations.

Figure 1. Increased profit potential of animals selected by our data-driven tools, incorporating our research for ranking animals on their genetic merit £PLI

In the UK, AHDB is the independent national source of genetic evaluations, breeding indices and analysis for all major breeds of dairy cattle. The Head of Animal Genetics at AHDB confirms the role of our research in their services: “ Without the research that SRUC has undertaken on methods to integrate new data for the development of new genetic evaluations, we would not have had many of the transformations we have introduced since 2013 in our national genetic and genomic evaluation systems. *These results are used across the industry through individual bull, cow and herd reports.*” [5.2a]. Furthermore, AHDB’s Beef Breeding Projects Manager highlights the impact of our data-driven tools they promote and deploy in the industry: *“SRUC research has helped show that we can integrate data from a range of sources which has been instrumental in the tools and services we provide to UK beef industry leading to real change in the industry.*” [5.2b].

Overall, as a result of incorporating traits identified through our data-driven research, the number of traits included in routine genetic evaluations has risen from 9 traits across 5 breeds in 2013, to up to 38 traits across 9 breeds in 2019 [5.3]. The most widely used tools developed from our data-driven research include:

• EBVs for carcase weight, carcase conformation and fat class, days to slaughter and average daily carcass gain (available since 2017). These form a key component of AHDB’s National Beef Genetic Evaluations, a programme they promote to farmers as “ Helping you breed for the traits you get paid for” [5.4.a] as well as their Better Returns knowledge transfer programme, which encourages producers to identify where improvements can be made in terms of cost reduction, environmental impact and animal performance [5.4b]. In addition, AHDB Dairy publishes a Dairy Carcase Index (since 2018) to help farmers select for improved carcases in the dairy herd [5.5], where 55% of commercial beef originates. The BLCS Technical Manager notes that the ability to select for these key performance traits “ presents an essential and critical resource to exploit at a time when positive margins are becoming increasingly difficult to achieve through good practice alone, and at a time when market instability demands rapid response to change” [5.2c].

• Tools to improve lifetime survival of dairy and beef cows: In 2015, building on our research elucidating the genetic control of full (as opposed to productive) lifespan, AHDB incorporated the prediction of survival across the full lifespan of dairy animals into this EBV [5.6] and updated the survival component in £PLI. Similarly, for beef cows, following our demonstration that lifetime fertility is heritable, in 2017, the BCLS introduced cow lifetime fertility into their genetic improvement programme [5.2c; 5.7].

Impact on cattle farmer practice: uptake of the data-enabled tools

The genetic/genomic information enabled by these tools has permeated the UK dairy and beef cattle herd through widespread use of artificial insemination (AI; used for 90-95% breeding in the dairy herd). Use of AI allows farmers to take advantage of the best bull genetics, as 95% of the sellers of semen in the UK comply with AHDB’s Dairy Semen Code of Advertising [5.2a]; a scheme that ensures the most comprehensive suite of national genetic evaluations available at the time has been performed on the marketed semen and the results provided as part of advertising. Thus, by providing farmers with clear, up-to-date and easily comparable data on the genetic merit of the marketed semen, the Code of Advertising ensures that genomic information is built into farmers’ semen-buying decisions.

AHDB data shows that farmers have indeed shifted towards relying on genomic information in their breeding decisions. Before genomic evaluations were introduced in 2012, farmers typically purchased semen from older bulls whose genetic merit was estimated through the performance of their daughters milking in the national herd (average age of bull: 5 years). Genetic evaluations make the same accuracy of estimation of genetic merit possible for younger bulls, and farmers have switched to buying their semen instead: semen from young bulls accounted for 70% of all inseminations in the UK in 2020, compared with less than 25% in 2013 [5.8]. Using younger bulls has the additional benefit of shortening the interval between generations, further accelerating the rates of genetic gain.

In addition, AHDB provide individual herd reports for 65% of the national dairy herd, i.e. to 800,000 milking cows at any one time [5.2a], enabling farmers to see the genetic potential of the cows in their herd to select the best individuals for breeding. Thus, at these farms, information from genetic evaluations informs the selection of both the males (predominantly through AI) and females for breeding.

Another demonstration of the uptake of our tools comes from a recent increase in sire recording in beef cattle passports. Historically, only 23% of beef cattle passports contained a record of the animal’s sire (its biological father). Without this information, genetic evaluations cannot be done. In 2019, AHDB launched a campaign called “Shout About the Sire”, with the explicit purpose of increasing sire recording so that farmers can reap the benefits of the national beef evaluations, which incorporate our data-enabled tools. After just 1 year, sires were recorded in approximately 32% cattle passports. The AHDB Beef Breeding Projects Manager notes that: “This demonstrates the growing importance commercial beef farmers are placing on incorporating breeding information into their animal management.” [5.2b].

Impact on cattle performance and productivity

The above described widespread uptake of the data-driven genetic evaluations in both beef and dairy cattle has resulted in improved rates of genetic gain in breeding. The impact of faster rates of genetic gain is most clearly observed in the dairy industry, as in the beef industry the generation interval of 8 years creates time-lag between a breeding decision and an improved carcass. In dairy cattle, uptake of our data-driven tools has led to the following improvements:

• Dairy cow survival has improved such that in 2019 cows were producing milk for an average of 4-6 months longer than in 2013 (corresponding to 0.3 of a lactation), as they were less likely to be culled for non-production reasons such as poor health or fertility [5.9].

• The overall value of each bull to the production system can be derived from the trends in £PLI since 2013 to quantify the overall economic benefit of the ongoing genetic change (Figure 1, [5.9]). The current value of £PLI indicates that each daughter of a bull available in 2020 was approximately GBP313 more profitable than a daughter of a bull available in 2013.

The value of this impact has been recognised in prestigious national awards for our unit [5.10a, b] with the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers citing our research as “ invaluable in helping our farmers produce cows that are productive, profitable, healthy and providing a product the consumer wants.”