The Genetic Improvement Program is the Zootechnical Program the EU pays special attention due to its inherent importance.
UCTL genetic improvement, selection and preservation program
Program´s goals:
- Achievement of an improvement of the specimens regarding their behaviour in bullfights on foot where the specimen is lanced. This selection is carried out by genetic tools which allows the participating breeder to go forward in the selection of the type of behaviour he is after and it also allows other livestock farmers to purchase high-value genetic specimens through having better quality information towards improving their livestock in the desired way.
- To maintain genetic diversity in those breeding farms or associations of breeding farms in a precarious situation due to their reduced stocks.
- To feature genetically and morphologically the animal population that can form new castes due to their peculiar origin and reproductive isolation.
- The 4 or 9 Feature Evaluation forms will be filled by the breeder and sent to the UCTL where they will be filed into the system and then sent by the UCTL to the Laboratory of Genetics of the Veterinary School of the Complutense University of Madrid(UCM)
- The UCM will return the information related to the genetic evaluations as they are carried out, which will be delivered to each breeding brand individually.
Furthermore, such laboratory will be responsible for sample safekeeping and custody in the DNA bank, affiliation analytics, design of mating, degree of relativity and endogamy estimate as requested by the breeders and population features.
Information Privacy.
The genealogy and fenotypical-related information about the testd animals is absolutely confidential, the authorizing person being the only one privy to it.
Complutense University advisory.
Either the female candidates for reproduction as well as the males aspiring for stud status iwll be classified according to the available information about their relatives, plus information about their own. In the case of brands with genetic links, conjoined evaluations will take place.
Scientific information obtained as such will include the singular value of every animal accounted for in the herd for each of the behavioural features evaluated as well as the statistical reliability and accuracy of the evaluation, such as the combinations of each female with one of the studs related to the evaluated features besides the interbreeding degree of each of the prospective candidates for breeding.
Breeder´s tasks.
The special features of this singular breed makes the most qualified and interested tester out of the breeder themselves, who is the one in charge of bull pen operations and the one observing the animals´ behaviout and the only person who will make the decisions regarding selection.
The Genetics department will make ready for the breeder detailed information about assorted selection parameters, but the selection will be carried out the breeder exclusively, choosing its breeding stock, designing mating(Mating lots) and evaluating their stock behaviour.
