Teagasc’s Dr Noirín McHugh: Cows can be bred for docility

Bovine studies can be used to to breed cattle for docility, Teagasc’s Dr Noirín McHugh has told a livestock safety seminar in Teagasc Moorepark, Co Cork.

“Breeding from aggressive animals should be avoided and such animals should be culled from herds,” said Dr McHugh.

“Genetic studies show heritability of genetic factors controlling docility is in the 0.2-0.4 range, which allows considerable scope to breed for docility over a number of generations.”