Studying the adaptation of bovine to climate change

Studying the adaptation of bovine to climate change

In the current context of climate change, one of the challenges in breeding is the adaptation of animals to heat. Cattle are particularly sensitive to heat stress which affects their welfare and their performances. The CAICalor (financed by Apis-Gene) and Rumigen (H2020) projects are aimed at studying the adaptation of cattle to climate change at both phenotypic and genetic levels.

The studies carried forth as part of both projects are based on combining data from the national zootechnical database with daily local meteorological data from Météo France.

Their objectives are as follows:

  • Identifying the most critical climate conditions in terms of criteria and length for the evaluation of animal adaptation;
  • Evaluating the consequences of higher temperatures on the different production and reproduction traits;
  • Gaining a better understanding of the genetic determinism of heat-tolerance in cattle and estimating the intensity of genotype x heat interactions and deducing what adaptations are necessary for selection in anticipation of these needs;
  • Estimating the impact of heat-stress that parents undergo on fetal programmation and progeny performances.

Rumigen (H2020) targets dairy cows whereas CAICalor (Characterization of Adaptation to Impacts of Heat Stress in cattle) is focused on heifers and bulls for semen production.
Contact :

  • Aurélie Vinet (aurelie.vinet(at)inrae.fr
  • Roxane Vallée (roxane.vallee(at)idele.fr
  • Chris Hoze (chris.hoze(at)allice.fr

Modification date : 05 October 2023 | Publication date : 21 May 2021 | Redactor : G2B - Edition P. HUAN - Translation W. Brand-Williams