Global breeding programs

European Network on Livestock Phenomics (EU-LI-PHE): an international initiative to enhance genome and phenome integration for new developments in animal breeding

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Abstract

The collection of relevant animal phenotypes is increasingly recognized as a key bottleneck in all applications of animal breeding that rely on the availability of accurate and specific phenotype data. Phenomics applied to livestock species seeks to systematically characterize the phenome - the complete set of physical and molecular traits - of animals within production systems. The European Network on Livestock Phenomics (EU-LI-PHE) is a Europe-based, multidisciplinary, interconnected and inclusive community of experts dedicated to fostering scientific collaboration, driving innovations, and promoting the application of livestock phenomics to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of the global livestock production sector. EU-LI-PHE main objectives are to: i) advance phenotyping technologies and infrastructures for livestock applications; ii) develop novel strategies for integrating genomic and phenomic data across livestock species; iii) build computational resources and analytical tools to manage and interpret large-scale datasets for applications in this field; iv) address regulatory, ethical and societal dimensions of livestock phenomics; and v) establish training opportunities to support the next generation of researchers in this emerging discipline. By integrating genomic and phenomic information, EU-LI-PHE aims to elucidate the relationships between genome/epigenome variation and phenotypic variation at multiple levels in the main livestock species. It also seeks to identify synergies with ongoing initiatives on functional analyses of livestock genomes, highlight current knowledge gaps, and define a road map for future research and applications. EU-LI-PHE currently brings together more than 450 members from over 50 countries. Funded by COST - European Cooperation in Science & Technology.

Keywords: 2026

How to Cite:

Fontanesi, L. & Norton, T., (2026) “European Network on Livestock Phenomics (EU-LI-PHE): an international initiative to enhance genome and phenome integration for new developments in animal breeding”, World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production Digital Archive 2026(1): 2285789. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/wcgalp.23793

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