Modern approaches and prospects for the genetic evaluation of dairy cattle in breeding programmes

The evaluation of breeding value for economically important traits is a key tool in modern systems of genetic improvement in dairy cattle. This analytical study aimed to describe the current algorithm for genetic evaluation in dairy cattle and to identify promising directions for potential improvement in the near future. Genetic evaluation methods have undergone significant development, evolving from mass daughter-dam comparisons, direct and improved herdmate comparisons, and modified contemporary comparison, to more complex approaches such as the Animal Model and genomic evaluation using mathematical techniques such as BLUP and REML. The implementation of modern genomic selection programmes requires a substantial restructuring of the entire organisational system of breeding. The presence of reference populations, with ongoing monitoring of genetic and phenotypic traits, is a fundamental requirement. It is noted that a general trend in modern dairy farming is the increasing number of traits considered in selection to account for both observable traits (such as milk yield and composition) and “hidden” traits (such as health status, reproductive efficiency, productive longevity, and feed conversion efficiency), all of which significantly influence production economics. A comparative analysis of the monitored livestock population and productivity indicators in Ukraine and ICAR member countries was carried out, revealing key limitations within the national breeding system. It was established that genomic evaluation enables the shortening of generation intervals and the doubling of the rate of genetic progress in milk yield. The practical value of the study lies in providing scientifically grounded guidelines for developing an effective system of genetic evaluation and breeding resource management in Ukraine