INRAE

CAICalor Project GABI

Study of the adaptation of cattle to climate change

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

These studies are part of two projects based on the combination of data from the national zootechnical data base with daily meteorological data and local data from Météo France.

Their objectives are the following:

  • Identifying the most critical climate conditions, in terms of criteria and length, allowing the evaluation of animal adaptation;
  • Evaluating the consequences of an increase in heat on different production and reproduction traits;
  • Acquiring a better understanding of genetic determinism of thermo-tolerance in cattle, estimating the intensity of genotype x heat interactions, and identifying the adaptations necessary for the orientation of selection in order to anticipate needs
  • Estimating the impact of heat stress experienced by parents on fetal programming and progeny performances.

Rumigen (H2020) targets dairy cattle whereas CAICalor (Characterization of Adaptation to the Impact of heat stress in cattle) concerns both cows and bulls undergoing 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 : 02 November 2023 | Publication date : 05 July 2021 | Redactor : G2B - Edition P. HUAN - Translation W. Brand-Williams