Breeds investigated in this study: MRY from the Netherlands (dierenbeeldbank), Norwegian Red from Norway (Els Korsten), Abondance (OS_RAR, Giorgio Soldi), Tarentaise (OS Tarentaise), and Vosgienne (OS Vosgienne, Aegirsson Pies) from France. Credit: Journal of Dairy Science (2026). DOI: 10.3168/jds.2025-27562
Genomic selection has revolutionized animal breeding and accelerated genetic gains in breeding programs. However, the introduction of genomic selection in some cosmopolitan breeds has also been associated with increased inbreeding rates, raising concerns about the potential effects of genomic selection on genetic diversity in smaller or local breeds.
Researchers from Wageningen University & Research, Animal Breeding and Genomics (WUR-ABG), in collaboration with colleagues from research institutions in Norway (NMBU) and France (INRAE and Institut de l'Elevage), published a study in the Journal of Dairy Science titled "Impact of genomic selection on genetic diversity in 5 local cattle breeds" involving animals from three European countries: Meuse Rhine Yssel from the Netherlands, Norwegian Red from Norway, and Abondance, Tarentaise and Vosgienne from France. They investigated changes in population demographic structure, as well as trends and rates of kinship and inbreeding, using both pedigree- and genomic-based measures.
