We would like to inform you that as of the April publication of the genetic evaluation results, the Polish Federation of Cattle Breeders and Milk Producers is taking over full responsibility for conducting the routine genetic evaluation of Polish Holstein-Friesian cattle.
This change results from Decision No. 50/2024 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Czesław Siekierski, of 16 December 2024, approving changes to the breeding programme, enabling the implementation of single-step evaluation in Poland starting from the April 2025 evaluation.
At the same time, we would like to inform you that the National Research Institute of Animal Production continues to actively participate in the development of the national genetic evaluation of the Polish Holstein-Friesian breed of cattle. It maintains and jointly maintains databases such as the Polish Cattle Genotype Database (cSNP) and pedigree databases. The Institute participates in accreditation and certification tests (https://www.icar.org/list-of-certified-dna-data-interpretation-centres) and continues its cooperation with the EuroGenomics cooperative. It also continues to participate in routine genetic evaluation as the centre responsible for receiving and preparing all genotypes for the estimation of genetic value by the single-step method. In addition, cooperation with breeders, insemination companies and National Support Centre for Agriculture farms will continue as before.
Under the agreement concluded with the Polish Federation of Cattle Breeders and Dairy Farmers, the scope of the Institute’s activities will be focused on the further development of the national genetic evaluation, including its expansion to include new traits.