Opportunities of Genomic Selection in the Improvement of Dairy Cattle Productivity: A Review

Abstract

This review is aimed to summarize and synthesize the fragmented information in the area of genomic selection in the improvement of productivity in dairy cattle. Genomic selection has been a valuable tool for increasing the rate of genetic improvement with reduced generation interval. In addition, it can be used for selection based on genomic breeding values at an early age for superior breed with great accuracy resulting in enhanced productivity of dairy cattle populations. Genomic selection is particularly used to improve those traits with lowheritability values such as feed efficiency, reproductive traits, especially fertility including adaptation traits. The implementation of genomic selection in developed countries mainly uses purebred and hybrid of Bos taurus cattle. Most studies have found that genomic evaluation of pure breeds that serve as a large reference population for high milk production in dairy cows can bring more benefits. Since, most of the research works have been conducted using Bos taurus cattle, research focusing on the application of genomic selection on Bos indicus cattle is needed to evaluate its impact on the productivity of tropical cattle breeds.