The Brazilian Dairy Gir Breeding Programme aims to improve the Gir breed for milk production in tropical regions. Established in 1985, it is the first breeding programme of its kind in the world and has made use of various technical innovations, including genomic predictions. The Gir breed is native to India and is better adapted to tropical conditions than European breeds. The breeding programme has had notable success in improving the productivity and reproductive performance of the Gir breed, with average milk yield increasing by 25% over the past two decades. It has also developed a genetic improvement programme for beef production using Gir, and there are now more than seven million Gir cows in Brazil.
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Genetic diversity in Gyr, Nellore, Guzerat, and Holstein Cattle
A study by Machado et al. analysed the genetic diversity of four cattle breeds using microsatellite markers. The results showed that the Holstein breed was the most distinct from the other breeds. A total of 64 alleles were detected across all four breeds, with each breed showing 53% of the total number of alleles. The average number of alleles per locus was 7.11 ± 3.21. The study provides valuable insight into the genetic diversity of different cattle breeds and has implications for breeding decisions and the preservation of genetic resources.
Cattle : GIR | RARE BREEDS TRUST OF AUSTRALIA | TidyHQ
Historic Infomation
Excerpts from ‘Zebu Cattle of India and Pakistan FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANISATION Of THE UNITED NATIONS’, Rome 1953
Gyr Cattle 