Sustainable Beef Systems – The Genetics Behind Calf Survival

Sustainable Beef Systems is back for series 4, focusing on one of the biggest challenges facing suckler producers – reducing losses at calving.

As a multifactorial problem that starts long before calving, this series aims to explore some of the genetic, nutritional, and management factors you can influence to maximise calf survival in the first 30 days of life in your suckler beef systems featuring practical tips from vets and geneticists.

Part One: The Genetics Behind Calf Survival

Join us for the first webinar with SRUC’s Professor Mike Coffey, who will explore how our breeding choices can improve calf survival, based on his research into the genetic and genomic improvement of farmed livestock traits valuable to the animal.

What we will cover:

• What role genetic selection could pay in improving calf survival?
• An insight into the calf survival EBV and heritability of traits that can influence calf survival
• The impact of environmental conditions during pregnancy on gene expression and calf survival.
• The role of maternal behaviour plays in calf survival and whether there isa a genetic link to this.

Linked FAS Material

https://www.fas.scot/livestock/beef-cattle/sustainable-beef-systems/