GENOTYPE (BREED) AND ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO CATTLE IN THE TROPICS - Review

Genotype $\times$ environment (G $\times$ E) interactions must be understood if they are to be exploited to improve animal production, particularly in production systems associated with large environmental variations. The measurement and evaluation of G $\times$ E are discussed. Examples are presented that demonstrate G $\times$ E in different breeds of beef cattle for high temperatures, internal and external parasites and changes in quantity and quality of nutrition. It is demonstrated that productivity differences between genotypes or breeds under grazing conditions arise because of differences between genotypes in the combination of production potential and resistance to environmental stresses in relation to the levels of the relevant environmental stresses that are operating at the time. The $F_1$ cross between genotypes with high production potential (e.g. European Bos Taurus breeds) and those with high resistance to environmental stress (e.g. Asian and African Bos indicus and sanga breeds) is an exceptional genotype with a unique combination of these two sets of attributes. The principles for G $\times$ E developed for beef cattle are briefly discussed in relation to dairy cattle, pigs, poultry and buffalo.