GenTORE

Background and purpose of this project

GenTORE – “Genomic tools for optimising resilience and efficiency” – was a five-year EU-funded project under H2020. The aim of GenTORE was to develop innovative genomic tools for selection and production monitoring at farm level, with a view to optimising the sustainability and efficiency of cattle in different environments. These tools will be used across entire production systems (milk and beef) and thereby increase the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of European food production. To achieve this, GenTORE brought together:

• Scientific expertise in genomics, environmental assessment, nutritional physiology, preventive animal health care, precision farming, mathematical modeling, and socioeconomics
• Collaborators and stakeholders representing breeding organizations, agricultural technology companies, agricultural and veterinary advisory services
• A unique database containing over 1 million genotypes

Results

Together, we developed tools for:

• Breed selection and selection of breeding animals
• Characterization of different agricultural environments
• Large-scale phenotyping using new technology
• Management of recruitment and culling at farm level
• Impact assessment in terms of farm resilience as animal genetic capacity and
• management practices change

The tools in GenTORE have been designed to be used under commercial conditions, which can lead to better use of livestock genetic resources, e.g., the use of crossbreeding to make the best use of the local production environment. They also enable farmers, their advisors, and policymakers to assess the relative importance of breeding for resilience versus breeding for efficiency, with regard to the resilience of the entire production system.

GenTORE thus not only facilitated the use of genomic information for the evaluation of traits that are important for animal resilience and efficiency, but also contributed to increasing the resilience of food production in relation to future challenges such as climate change and food supply.