LWV20054 Accelerating genomic prediction in Breed4Food (TS-02-227-030)

Sustainable production of high-quality, healthy animal proteins for a growing world population is the key challenge for livestock industry towards 2050. At the same time important steps towards a more circular and climate neutral food production are required. Breed4Food partners are animal breeding companies that continue to have a cumulative contribution towards four of the MMIP missions (A, B, C, D) of 1 to 2% per year through genetic improvement of animals. The aim of this PPP is to increase this contribution and to strengthen the position of the companies worldwide by accelerating the innovation and impact of the core engine for genomic prediction. Accelerating the innovation and impact of genomic prediction enables the partners to create more
genetic progress for a broader range of traits, by adding novel traits to the breeding goal, by using more diverse genetics, and by being more flexible in their breeding program. Flexibility is needed to better adapt to societal
or market demands. Innovations proposed in this PPP are directly related to the key technologies mentioned under priority 44, and include i) continuous improvement of models and software and validation methods for
the core engine of genomic prediction, ii) incorporation of new bioinformatics DNA information (DNA informed breeding), iii) an interface to include high dimensional and longitudinal phenotypic data in genomic prediction,
and iv) enabling dynamic and real-time optimization of breeding programmes by integration with genomic Annex 3 2 prediction. The fifth activity is adapting and implementing the existing frameworks for the dialogue with society about responsible innovation. Valorisation of the innovations through the partners will contribute a) towards the MMIP missions A, B, C and D, b) to a more economic, sustainable and societally accepted livestock production chain and c) to strengthening the positions of the Netherlands-based animal breeding companies, and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the field of animal breeding and genomics.