Intensified Use of Reproductive Technologies and Reduced Dimensions of Breeding Schemes Put Genetic Diversity at Risk in Dairy Cattle Breeds

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Maintaining genetic diversity in dairy cattle breeds is essential to support good performance and avoid inbreeding depression. This diversity could be threatened, however, by the recent increase in the use of reproductive technologies and the limited number of bulls in dairy cattle breeds. This study aimed to investigate the effects of these practices by simulating 15 breeding schemes similar to those carried out in the main dairy cattle breeds in France. We found that intensive use of reproductive technologies resulted in improved genetic gain, but diminished genetic diversity. However, this detrimental effect could be mitigated by maintaining a sufficient number of bulls in the breeding scheme. ABSTRACT: In the management of dairy cattle breeds, two recent trends have arisen that pose potential threats to genetic diversity: the use of reproductive technologies (RT) and a reduction in the number of bulls in breeding schemes. The expected outcome of these changes, in terms of both genetic gain and genetic diversity, is not trivial to predict. Here, we simulated 15 breeding schemes similar to those carried out in large French dairy cattle breeds; breeding schemes differed with respect to their dimensions, the intensity of RT use, and the type of RT involved. We found that intensive use of RT resulted in improved genetic gain, but deteriorated genetic diversity. Specifically, a reduction in the interval between generations through the use of ovum pick-up and in vitro fertilization (OPU-IVF) resulted in a large increase in the inbreeding rate both per year and per generation, suggesting that OPU-IVF could have severe adverse effects on genetic diversity. To achieve a given level of genetic gain, the scenarios that best maintained genetic diversity were those with a higher number of sires/bulls and a medium intensity of RT use or those with a higher number of female donors to compensate for the increased intensity of RT.