Smart breeding for the future

Katharina sees the next big leap in smart breeding and

genome editing.

“With future technologies, we could strengthen the

resilience of our cows — for instance, making them more

tolerant to heat or changing weather conditions,” she

mentions.

“Right now, each country still operates with its own

breeding values. Bringing these data sets together across

Europe would be a huge step toward sustainability in dairy

farming.”

For Katharina, innovation and animal welfare go hand in

hand. “We want to work with nature, not against it — and

genetics can help us do that smarter.”

Katharina Leyschulte

Young dairy farmer in Westerkappeln,

Seeste, Germany

Betting on genetics

Katharina Leyschulte is part of a new generation of farmers

combining science, empathy and long-term vision. Her

herd participates in KuhVision, a nationwide genetics

project launched by the German Holstein associations in

2016.

Millions of cows across Germany have been genetically

analysed to help farmers better understand and improve

herd health.

“Every calf born on our farm is genetically tested,”

Katharina explains: “We receive individual

breeding values for each animal —

data that helps us make smarter

decisions about breeding, selling

or improving herd health. We

can identify inbreeding risks or

harmful mutations early and

continuously enhance animal

well-being and productivity.”

Katharina’s farm

The Leyschulte family runs a modern

dairy farm in Westerkappeln,

Northwest Germany. Their 300

cows graze on around 80 hectares of

permanent grassland, part of which

lies in a protected nature reserve,

complemented by 90 hectares of

forage crops they cultivate themselves.

Sustainability here means balance —

between technology and tradition,

productivity and respect for nature.

“ We need to work

together in breeding

values because I think

it’s a great tool for

sustainability.„

#KuhVision

#SmartFarming

Watch Katharina’s interview

INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Sommaire Introduction 10 farmers case studies Expert’s interviews FAQ Conclusion