From the reference population to the cooperative

The European collaboration started in 2009, when multiple Holstein cattle breeders in Europe opted to pool their genomic data into one reference population, initially with members from six counties, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, later joined by Spain and Poland. Nowadays, this reference population is the largest one in Holstein breed with more than 35,000 genotyped bulls (*),all daughter proven across Europe. These efforts increased the reliability of genomic breeding values in 11 countries comprising more than 10 million of Holstein cows: Finland, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Poland, France and Spain.

In 2014, the exchange of genomic information was expanded by including also young bulls, from the age of 10 months at the time of publication allowing an increased reliability of Genomic Enhanced Breeding Values on the different national scales.

In April 2016, players involved in this European collaboration formed a legal entity under the form of a cooperative to optimize processes around mutual policy making and joint execution of activities. The name of the organization is: EuroGenomics Coöperative U.A..

Members of EuroGenomics Coöperative U.A. are Viking Genetics, Evolution, CRV, CONAFE, MCB Krasne and The Polish Federation of Cattle Breeders and Dairy Farmers, the German Livestock Association (BRS) and IT Solutions for Animal Production (vit) , representing Denmark, Finland, Sweden, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Poland and Germany.

The EuroGenomics Members are driven by innovation and continuously looking for new ways to improve the effectiveness of bovine breeding. 

 (*) Contributors of the EuroGenomics reference population: Allice (on behalf of EVOLUTION, Origen Plus, Gènes Diffusion), CRV, Viking Genetics, vit and BRS (former DHV), CONAFE and Genomika Polska (on behalf of the Polish federation of cattle breeders and dairy farmers and the 4 Polish AI centres).