Video: Improving health in native dual-purpose cattle (2-Org-Cows)

Summary

The principle of organic breeding is to adapt the cow towards the local and natural production system. The one-sided genetic selection, preferring increased milk yield, complicates feeding and management of modern Holstein genetics when confronted with the strict rules defined for organic milk production. This requires a reformulation of existing dairy cattle breeding goals, or the utilization of alternative and locally adapted breeds that historically emphasized functionality, robustness, and longevity.
In this video, Maria Jaeger and Sven König, both from the University of Kassel, explain how the characterization of pasture based production systems, novel data recording, and genetic evaluations will lead to optimized breeding programs for dual-purpose cattle in pasture based systems
This video was produced at the second project meeting held at the end of February 2016 at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL in Frick.