Margot Slagboom: Breeding for organic dairy production – optimization of breeding goals and breeding strategies
PhD defence, Friday 22 March 2019. Margot Slagboom.
During her studies, Margot Slagboom researched the value of specific breeding lines for organic dairy cattle. Current breeding practices in organic production are inconsistent with what organic regulations state about breeding, which suggests the need for alternative breeding practices. Margot looked at the effect of implementing different breeding goals such as breeding goals based on economic models, preferences of farmers, and relatedness to organic regulations and principles. In addition, Margot researched the effect of certain breeding strategies, such as the implementation of an environment-specific breeding goal, the usage of embryo transfer, and the selection of breeding bulls that originate from a conventional environment.
The new research findings can be used as valuable input for the practical implementation of breeding lines specifically for organic dairy production.
The PhD degree was completed at the Centre of Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science and Technology, Aarhus University.
This résumé was prepared by the PhD student.
Time: Friday 22 March 2019 at 10.00
Place: Building 8814, room 3075, Lecture Theatre, AU-Foulum, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, 8830 Tjele
Title of dissertation: Quantifying the value of specific breeding lines for organic dairy cattle
Contact information: Margot Slagboom, e-mail: margotslagboom@mbg.au.dk, tel.: +45 71605871
Members of the assessment committee:
Assistant Professor Piter Bijma, Wageningen University & Research Animal Breeding and Genomics, the Netherlands
Senior Lecturer Birgit Fürst-Waltl, Division of Livestock Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Austria
Professor Just Jensen (chair), Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Main supervisor:
Senior Researcher Morten Kargo, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark; and SEGES Cattle, Denmark
Co-supervisors:
Project Manager Jørn Rind Thomasen, VikingGenetics, Denmark; and Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark
Post Doc Line Hjortø, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark
Senior Lecturer Anna Wallenbeck, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden; and Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
Assistant Professor Han Mulder, Wageningen University & Research Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen, the Netherlands
Language: The PhD 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 and 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.