Genetics for Bovine sustainability

GBOS's main mission is to provide knowledge and tools that contribute, through genetics, to the sustainability of dairy and beef bovine production in its economic, social and environmental dimensions. Our activity is built on a strong synergy between population management and genetic variability analysis, two themes strongly influenced by genomic selection and genotyping, sequencing and bioinformatics technologies. The team is made up of INRAE, Idele and Eliance agents within the eBIS Joint Technology Unit, which was renewed in 2022 for 5 years..

Scientific issues

To optimize the economic, environmental and societal performance of French cattle farming, both at individual farm level and globally, a gradual transition to agroecological practices is essential. This implies a diversification of farming systems to adapt to local soil and climate conditions, thus promoting the regeneration of matter cycles and strengthening farm autonomy and resilience.

Understanding and characterizing bovine genomes

This axis is part of the general effort to understand genomes, through systematic sequencing to identify all the polymorphisms that make up genetic variability, and by researching their impact (or annotation) and their effects on the traits of interest.

Studying traits and functions  

Increasingly diversified and complex biological information, combined with varied phenotypes, often obtained on a large scale, will enable us to deepen our knowledge of the genetic determinism of key traits for agro-ecological transition, and to select animals better adapted to diversified environments. Our work is therefore focusing on traits such as health and robustness, efficiency and adaptation to climate change.

Prediction and selection  

The team has developed “Single Step” genomic evaluation software capable of simultaneously exploiting the information provided by genotyped and non-genotyped animals to estimate the genetic value of selection candidates. This work has enabled research work on new traits to be carried through to the deployment of genomic evaluations (e.g. acetonemia, paratuberculosis, leg lesions, precocity, methane emissions) by GenEval, and to maintain (and demonstrate) our skills in this cutting-edge field at the interface with applications.

Research devices

• The phenotypes at the basis of our activity come from the national animal breeding database and the Le Pin experimental farm.
• The CTIG computer centre is a close partner, providing both data access and IT resources.
• Genotyping data originate from research projects or from French genomic selection activity.
• The sequences are produced on the GetPlage platform in Toulouse
• The bioinformatics work is carried out in collaboration with Sigenae.

Collaborations and partners

• Collaborations with France Génétique Elevage and numerous French genetic and animal breeding organizations, as well as with Apisgene as a funding body
• Within INRAE, collaborations with various laboratories in the Animal Genetics division (in particular GenPhySe Toulouse), and with Phase, Animal Health, and Social Sciences.
• Collaboration with veterinary schools within the framework of the ONAB
• International collaboration in genomic selection (Eurogenomics, Eurogenetics, Intergenomics, Interbull, Interbeef) and with India (GIMIC international lab) and South Africa
• Founding member and important contributor to the "1000 bull genomes" consortium leaded by Melbourne University.