Online inbreeding service launched by MDC breeding+

In response to the need for dairy farmers to consider inbreeding levels when choosing bulls for their herds, MDC breeding+ has added an inbreeding component to its regular online service.

Inbreeding percentages for individual animals as well as whole herd summaries will now be routinely included as part of the Herd Genetic Report, available free of charge to all milk recorded herds.

This move reflects the steady increase in inbreeding seen in all dairy breeds in Britain, which has the potential to impair dairy cow fitness and performance.

"It's important to note that inbreeding is not a serious concern in Britain," remarks geneticist Marco Winters, director of MDC breeding+. "But it is something every farmer should be aware of when making breeding decisions.

"UK levels for all breeds currently stand at around 2%," he observes, "which is somewhat lower than those in North America, where inbreeding is closer to 5%.

"Only above 6% are levels considered to be critical," he adds, noting that most UK herds have at least one cow with an inbreeding percentage above this level.

"Failure to pay any attention to inbreeding could see levels rise unacceptably, impacting on general health and vigour," he warns. "We have therefore designed this service - which is the only one of its kind available in the UK - to help British farmers avoid reaching this level."

Farmers can see their herds' inbreeding levels through the breeding+ section of the MDC's website where new users can register for a password before they can use the Herd Genetic Report. This report also shows genetic information on production and PLI (Profitable Lifetime Index).