Increasing sheep herd heat resistance score by developing and implementing selection index towards higher

Cofinanciado por:

Acronym | SheepHeatIT

Project title | Increasing sheep herd heat resistance score by developing and implementing selection index towards higher

Project Code | 101290220

Main objective | SheepHeatIT project proposes a breakthrough, multi-player international research-driven strategy: breeding sheep with enhanced resilience to heat stress while safeguarding productivity, biodiversity, and farmer income. We will develop rapid, low-cost phenotyping tools and integrate them with high-throughput genotyping to build multi-breed datasets across diverse regions (~18,000 animals, 24 breeds, and 8 regions). We will uncover the physiological, molecular, and genetic mechanisms involved in heat response by applying advanced multi-omics approaches. These insights will enable adding newly discovered SNPs to existing chips to guide breeding programs aiming to increase herd heat resistance score (hHRS). This strategy will be supported by exploring genome editing for higher heat resilience by targeting potential alleles. Outcomes will raise hHRS, reduce the risk of agricultural collapse, and deliver a long-term, climate-ready future for sheep farming worldwide. The research will ensure conservation of local breeds, secure animal welfare and promise better sustainability. Outcomes will include a new SNP-based selection index, practical breeding guidelines, and an open-access Information Technology Centre Platform hosting data, tools, and protocols.

Region of intervention | Europa, Turquia e Israel

Beneficiary entity |

The Agricultural Research Organisation of Israel - The Volcani Centre(líder)
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute(parceiro)
Agrotikos Ktinotrofikos Synetairismos Dytikis Ellados(parceiro)
Associação Biopolis(parceiro)
Aydin Adnan Menderes University(parceiro)
Croatian Association of Sheep and Goat Breeders(parceiro)
Cyborg Interfaces Ltd.(parceiro)
FIBES Consulting - Association for Business Modelling(parceiro)
GEOPONIKO PANEPISTIMION ATHINON (AUA)(parceiro)
Hellenic Agricultural Organization "DEMETER" (ELGO)(parceiro)
Hrvatska Agencija za Poljoprivredu i Hranu - Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food(parceiro)
Institute of Animal Biology, NAAS(parceiro)
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem(parceiro)
Udruzenje za Preduzetnistvo i Inovacije Foodscale Hub(parceiro)
Universidade de Évora(parceiro)
University of Zagreb(parceiro)