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The ideal dairy cow for pasture-based systems
1Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 P302, Ireland.
JDS Communications
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Developing the ideal grazing dairy cow requires selecting for traits like high output, health, and low environmental impact. Genotype-by-environment interactions can alter rankings, emphasizing the need for robust genetic evaluation systems for pasture-based production.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Genetics
- Dairy Production
Background:
- The ideal grazing dairy cow possesses numerous desirable traits, including reproductive efficiency, high feed intake and conversion, superior product output per area, excellent health, ease of care, and a minimal environmental footprint.
- Genotype-by-environment interaction (GxE) describes how the performance differences between genotypes vary across different environments, such as pasture versus confinement systems.
- GxE can lead to reranking of genotypes or rescaling of trait differences, influencing overall suitability for specific production systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key characteristics of the ideal grazing dairy cow.
- To explore the implications of genotype-by-environment interactions on dairy cow suitability for pasture-based systems.
- To assess the potential for genetic improvement in traits relevant to grazing dairy production.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing knowledge on ideal grazing dairy cow traits.
- Analysis of the phenomenon of genotype-by-environment interaction and its impact on trait performance.
- Discussion of genetic variation and data limitations in breeding for pasture-based systems.
Main Results:
- The ideal grazing dairy cow is characterized by a combination of production, health, efficiency, environmental, and progeny traits.
- While individual trait reranking due to GxE is limited, changes in trait importance across environments can significantly impact overall merit indexes.
- Substantial genetic variation exists for traits crucial to pasture-based systems.
Conclusions:
- Breeding programs must account for GxE to effectively develop dairy cows suited for pasture-based production.
- Improving access to phenotypic data for key traits is essential for accelerating genetic progress.
- Selection strategies should consider the dynamic interplay between genotype and environment to achieve optimal outcomes.
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