Functional Traits Working Group

Objectives

  1. Provide a forum for members of ICAR to collaborate, exchange information and learn from each other on all aspects of the recording of Functional Traits.
  2. Maintain, update, promote and extend universal guidelines for the recording of Functional Traits in dairy cattle, world-wide.
  3. Conduct and report the results of periodic international surveys on Functional Traits in dairy cattle, world-wide.
  4. Develop, provide and promote a system and standards for functional trait (services) which will form the basis of the service that ICAR will provide to members of ICAR on a user-pays basis.
  5. Facilitate and co-ordinate international collaboration in research and development on the recording, herd management, benchmarking, and genetic improvement of Functional Traits.

Terms of Reference

Areas of work:  Section 07 – Bovine Functional Traits – ICAR Wiki

Activities

The objective of the working group is to write a portfolio of recommendation sheets on recording, evaluation and genetic improvement for functional traits in dairy cattle.

Recent priorities of work are:

 

Guideline (WIKI) and publications

Webinars and Workshops

  • Files and recorded videos of the ICAR FT/IDF Workshop on the “Use of Sensor Data to Monitor and Manage Welfare” held on 2 June 2026 in Verona are available here
  • Files and recorded video of the ICAR and IDF webinar on “Potential and recommendations for the use of sensor data for genetic improvement programmes” held in January 2026 are available here
  • The files presented at the workshop on “Using sensor data for animal health and welfare improvement along the dairy value chain: merits and requirement” held in Toledo in May 2023 are available here
  • The files presented at the webinar on “Recording and evaluation of BCS and its relationship with health and welfare”. 31 May 2022 are available here
  • The video of the ICAR/IDF webinar on “Recording and evaluation of Body Condition Score and its relationship with health and welfare” held during the ICAR Annual Conference in Montreal on 31 May 2022 is available here
  • The video of the ICAR/IDF webinar on “Harmonisation on animal-Based indicators to promote welfare in dairy cows” held on 26 April 2021 will be soon available here
  • The video of the ICAR/IDF webinar held on February 2021 “Frameworks for animal welfare assessment” is available here
  • The video of the ICAR/IDF webinar held in June 2020 on “Animal-based indicators to promote welfare in dairy cows” is available here

Atlas claw health and translations

The second edition of the “ICAR Claw Health Atlas” published within the ICAR Technical Series (ISSN: 92-95014-14-6 and  ISBN: 92-95014-18) is available here

In January 2020, two appendixes have been produced to integrate the Claw Atlas:

The reference providing the basis of the Claw Health Atlas, is the ICAR Claw Health Key (available here) together with its numerical code. This key is also found in the Excel file (available here) which may facilitate implementing the standardized coding in applications for claw data recording

To date, twenty translations have been produced and available in the same web page

Composition

Chairperson

  • Christa Egger-Danner (ZuchtData EDV-Dienstleistungen GmbH, Austria)

Members

  • Andrew John Bradley (Quality Milk Management Services, United Kingdom)
  • Luiz Brito (Purdue University, USA)
  • John B. Cole (Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding, USA)
  • Nicolas Gengler (University of Liège – Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Belgium)
  • Marie Haskell (Scotland’s Rural College, UK)
  • Bjorg Heringstad (Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Science, Norway)
  • Pauline Martin (Inrae, France)
  • Jennie Pryce (Victorian Department of Primary Industries, Australia)
  • Melissa Stephen (LIC, Livestock Improvement Corporation, New Zealand)
  • Kathrin F. Stock (VIT, Germany)
  • Elsa Vasseur (McGill, Canada)

ICAR team support

Useful documents

    ICAR Groups