SYDNEY, May 5 (Xinhua) -- A new Australian-developed genetic index is helping dairy farmers breed cattle with greater heat tolerance, as the industry faces the growing challenge of climate-related heat stress in livestock, local media reported on Monday.
The Heat Tolerance Australian Breeding Value, developed by Melbourne-based scientist Thuy Nguyen, is a genetic index designed to identify cattle that can better withstand heat stress, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
The tool uses a simple DNA sample, such as a tuft of hair, to rate animals on a scale centered at 100, with higher scores indicating greater tolerance to hot conditions, the ABC reported.
About 20 percent of his herd now has better genetic resilience to heat, New South Wales dairy farmer Trevor Parrish, who was among the first to adopt the technology, told the ABC.
According to Dairy Australia, the national body for the dairy industry, heat stress can reduce milk yields by up to 40 percent as overheated cattle often do not eat enough, or stop eating altogether.
"So it's about maintaining the cow's welfare as much as it is maintaining the productivity effects," said Stephanie Bullen, Dairy Australia's lead for national animal health and welfare. ■