Genotype by environment interaction (G×E) is one of the issues the dairy farming industry faces due to the globalisation of using artificial insemination (AI) with genetically superior bulls to improve the performance of their herds. The major concern is that animal rank may change across the environments, which means that the best animals in one environment are not the best in another environment.

In his PhD project, Ahmed Ismael worked with different models to study G×E interaction for traditional female fertility traits based on AI and automated fertility traits based on physical activity recording. The results showed that selection for female fertility may be improved by using activity based traits. Furthermore, there was genetic variation for fertility traits due to the season of calving and the level of production environment, whereas the effect of geographic location was less important. Results from this project could be used in routine genetic evaluation for fertility traits between Denmark and Sweden.

The PhD degree was completed at the Centre for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science and Technology, Aarhus University, and the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden.

This résumé was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Wednesday 30 March 2016 at 12.00
Place: Lecture Theatre, Aarhus University Foulum, Blichers Allé 20, 8830 Tjele
Title of dissertation: Genotype by environment interaction for automated and traditional fertility traits in dairy cattle
Contact information: Ahmed Ismael, ahmed.ismael@mbg.au.dk, +45 8715 7972
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Ignacy Misztal, Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, USA
Dr Björg Heringstad, Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Norway
Professor Dirk-Jan de Koning, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
Associate Professor Vivi Hunnicke Nielsen, DCA – Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture, Aarhus University
Senior Scientist Bernt Guldbrandtsen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Main supervisors:
Senior Scientist Peter Løvendahl, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Professor Erling Strandberg, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
Co-supervisors:
Senior Adviser Morten Kargo, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Senior Scientist Per Madsen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Senior Scientist Guosheng Su, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Professor Britt Berglund, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
Language: The dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The dissertation is available for reading at the Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1520, rooms 128–134, 8000 Aarhus C.