FECUND
From 2013-02-01 to 2017-01-31; closed project
Good fertility and reproduction are essential for a viable dairy industry. Improving the fertility of dairy cattle will significantly increase the efficiency of dairy production. This is necessary to ensure food security with reduced impact on the environment.
In line with the increase of milk production in the past decades, fertility of dairy cattle has decreased. This has become a major concern for farmers and the dairy industry. Many factors may be involved in this decline in reproductive success. The FundamEntal Cattle ReprodUctioN StuDy (FECUND) project will address the problems of reproductive success in the cow using a systems biology approach to develop molecular indicators of the ability of the cow to support early stages of reproduction, when most embryonic loss occurs, to underpin genomic selection for better fertility and to improve advanced reproductive biotechnologies.
Together with PROLIFIC, FECUND will contribute to a better understanding of factors influencing the reproductive performances of dairy cattle.
The aim of this project is to improve breeding programmes and subsequently ensure a more sustainable and competitive European cattle industry.
Expected results:
For more information visit the website of FECUND, the joint website of FECUND and PROLIFIC or http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/104599_en.html and sign up for the FECUND newsletter at Cattle Fertility.
In line with the increase of milk production in the past decades, fertility of dairy cattle has decreased. This has become a major concern for farmers and the dairy industry. Many factors may be involved in this decline in reproductive success. The FundamEntal Cattle ReprodUctioN StuDy (FECUND) project will address the problems of reproductive success in the cow using a systems biology approach to develop molecular indicators of the ability of the cow to support early stages of reproduction, when most embryonic loss occurs, to underpin genomic selection for better fertility and to improve advanced reproductive biotechnologies.
Together with PROLIFIC, FECUND will contribute to a better understanding of factors influencing the reproductive performances of dairy cattle.
The aim of this project is to improve breeding programmes and subsequently ensure a more sustainable and competitive European cattle industry.
Expected results:
- Better understanding of the physiology of early reproduction, the definition of novel fertility phenotypes and the identification of biomarkers for improved reproduction.
- Protocols for improved advanced productive biotechnologies
- Novel indicative traits and markers for use in genetic improvement programmes.
- Knowledge transfer, dissemination and sustainability
For more information visit the website of FECUND, the joint website of FECUND and PROLIFIC or http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/104599_en.html and sign up for the FECUND newsletter at Cattle Fertility.
FECUND WEBINAR WEBCAST
View the Project Stakeholder Webinar below which took place on Tuesday January 17:
Improving dairy cattle fertility: "Results from the Fecund Project".
View the Project Stakeholder Webinar below which took place on Tuesday January 17:
Improving dairy cattle fertility: "Results from the Fecund Project".
Partners:
- Fondazione Parco Tecnologico Padano (FPTP)
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen (LMU)
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
- University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Dublin (NUID-UCD)
- Veterinaermedizinische Universitaet Wien (VUW)
- Instytut Genetyki i Hodowli Zwierzat Polskiej Akademii Nauk (IGHZ-PAS)
- AVANTEA srl (AVANTEA)
- Bayern Genetik Gmbh (BG)
- National Cattle Breeding Centre Limited (NCBC)
- Union Nationale des Cooperatives Agricoles d’Elevage et d’Insemination Animale (UNCEIA)
- Osrodek Hodowli Zarodowej Osiecinysp Zoo (OBF)
- European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders (EFFAB)
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC)
- Fondazione Parco Tecnologico Padano (FPTP)
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen (LMU)
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
- University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Dublin (NUID-UCD)
- Veterinaermedizinische Universitaet Wien (VUW)
- Instytut Genetyki i Hodowli Zwierzat Polskiej Akademii Nauk (IGHZ-PAS)
- AVANTEA srl (AVANTEA)
- Bayern Genetik Gmbh (BG)
- National Cattle Breeding Centre Limited (NCBC)
- Union Nationale des Cooperatives Agricoles d’Elevage et d’Insemination Animale (UNCEIA)
- Osrodek Hodowli Zarodowej Osiecinysp Zoo (OBF)
- European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders (EFFAB)
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC)