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Impact: Economic: Genomic selection has revolutionised, and is now standard practice, in the major dairy cattle, pig and chicken breeding programmes, worldwide and provides multiple quantifiable benefits to breeders, producers, consumers and animals.
Significance: Increased food production world-wide
Beneficiaries: Breeding companies, primary producers, consumers, livestock.
Attribution: Work led by Haley and Woolliams (Roslin Institute now part of UoE).
Reach: Methodologies applied worldwide in livestock improvement, and more recently applied in human genetics and plant breeding.
Fertility of dairy cows has been in decline since the 1970's and this has threatened sustainability of the dairy industry worldwide. Research led by Nottingham University (UoN) identified key drivers of fertility and provided genetic and nutritional tools for the industry, to help combat the decline. The genetic tool was the UK Fertility Index, which is used universally by breeders for national and international bull selection. The nutritional tool, which is widely applied by international feed companies, used the concept that nutritional manipulation of insulin enhances fertility. Evidence shows that use of these tools between 2008 and 2013 has reversed the decline, and fertility is being restored. This has brought commercial benefits for breeding companies, cattle food producers and farmers and had a positive impact upon animal welfare.
Impact on productivity, the economy and the environment: UK dairy farmers can select the best animals for breeding using analysis of a wide range of traits, leading to improved productivity, greater efficiency and reduced environmental impact, because of UoE research creating a UK Test Day Model (TDM) and an overall Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI)
Beneficiaries: The principal beneficiary is the dairy industry, specifically dairy farmers who are able to generate higher profits. This has benefits for UK consumers and the economy by keeping milk prices lower. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with more efficient dairy farming practices has global benefits.
Significance and Reach: The genetic evaluation system enabled by the PLI and TDM has resulted in a financial benefit to the UK dairy industry of an estimated £440M over the period 2008-2013.
Attribution: The quantitative genetic research was led by Dr Sue Brotherstone and Professor Bill Hill of the School of Biological Sciences, UoE, with colleagues at Roslin Institute (UoE; UoA6) and SRUC (also returned with UoE in UoA6) as described below.
In the UK, one in seven dairy calves dies annually during rearing. Herd profitability is reduced further by calfhood disease and suboptimal growth rates, delaying age at first calving and reducing milk output. Professor Claire Wathes's longstanding scientific interests in dairy cattle reproduction and development have led to a broader farming industry appreciation of this issue, and to new approaches that address the economic loss and welfare issue it represents. Her results are now incorporated into professional and practical advice from DairyCo (industry levy board); Defra; farm veterinarians; commercial feed companies; opinion leaders in dairy farming; and the specialist farming media.
BEAA research on high sugar grasses (HSG's) led to the breeding of HSG varieties that have had a significant impact on the contribution of grassland to livestock feeding across the UK. Their impact on the economy, commerce and the production of livestock products has been significant in the UK and increasingly in other countries. HSG varieties currently account for over 28% of the perennial ryegrass seed sales in the UK, with over 150,000 ha sown in the UK alone of these varieties since 2008, as their positive benefit on the economics of livestock production from grass and environmental benefit through reduced N pollution from livestock production is recognised.
Oats are recognised as a healthy grain reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and as a valuable grain for livestock feed. Research within BEAA has provided the genetic, physiological and agronomic knowledge that underpins the breeding of high yielding husked and naked oat varieties that meets the needs of end-users in the human food and livestock sectors. BEAA bred oat varieties account for approximately 65% of the UK market and have a significant impact on health and welfare, the economy and on production and support the expanding instant oat breakfast market sector that alone is worth £160million per annum.
Impact: Economic, public policy and animal health and welfare: Selective breeding based upon identification of PRNP genotypes can eliminate animals that are susceptible to scrapie from the flock.
Significance: UK sheep meat exports are worth >£380million. Breeding for scrapie resistance protected the sheep industry from similar damage to that inflicted by BSE on cattle and the UK economy.
Beneficiaries: Farmers, animals, consumers
Attribution: Professor Hunter and Dr. Goldmann (Roslin Institute, now part of UoE) identified polymorphisms of the PrP (PRNP) gene linked to scrapie susceptibility and resistance in sheep.
Reach: International, programmes breeding for resistance to scrapie in sheep are now used in the UK, Europe and USA.
Impact: Economic, animal health and welfare: Genetic markers have enabled selection of salmon lines with improved virus resistance
Significance: UK salmon industry benefit estimated at ~£26 million/annum GVA following identification of a genetic trait conferring resistance to an economically devastating viral disease.
Beneficiaries: Salmon farming industry, consumers
Attribution: Work performed by Houston, Bishop, Woolliams and Haley (Roslin Institute, now part of UoE).
Reach: Aquaculture industry internationally, i.e. Europe and South America (Chile).
BEAA has created a world leading collection of Miscanthus genetic resources. This collection and associated expertise has led to an impact on commerce through investments by industry in Miscanthus science and plant breeding. Miscanthus is a highly productive grass which naturally occurs in Asia and is of interest as an energy crop worldwide. A second impact has therefore also been achieved through the implementation of international policy on the fair and equitable use of natural resources. The experience and knowledge gained through this impact has provided an example for others to follow and is being used to support UK and EU legislation and policymaking.
Since 2011, an estimated 3 million UK milk consumers have benefitted each year from research conducted at the University of Reading, which has helped reduce saturated fatty acids (SFAs) in milk and milk products. The research, which was carried out between 2004 and 2013, manipulated dairy cows' diets to produce milk with reduced saturated fat and increased unsaturated fat content. Leading UK retailer, Marks and Spencer (M&S), used this research to support its suppliers in providing a new diet regime for their dairy cows, launching a new low saturated fat M&S milk in October 2011. The launch of this healthier milk product has led to (i) improved diets and reduced associated health risks (heart disease, obesity and cancer) for M&S customers (ii) reduced use of non-sustainable palm oil in cow diets (iii) reduced harmful greenhouse gas emissions (iv) increased sales for M&S and enhanced reputation in terms of quality and corporate social responsibility (v) increased payment contracts for milk producers and (vi) new techniques to measure fatty acids in milk for the dairy industry.