Modern genomic selection in livestock can improve welfare traits alongside productivity, reducing disease susceptibility and stress responses across generations.
Traditional selective breeding has often prioritized production traits at the expense of welfare, resulting in animals prone to metabolic disorders, skeletal problems and chronic stress. Genomic selection now makes it possible to explicitly include welfare indicators — such as calm temperament, robust immune function and structural soundness — as breeding objectives alongside yield. This approach offers a chance to reverse decades of welfare-negative selection pressure and produce animals that are inherently healthier and better adapted to farm environments.