THE ANIMAL SELECTION, GENETICS AND GENOMICS NETWORK (ASSGN) IS A NETWORK OF SCIENTISTS, WHICH IS ENDORSED BY THE LIVESTOCK RESEARCH GROUP (LRG) OF THE GLOBAL RESEARCH ALLIANCE ON AGRICULTURAL GREENHOUSE GASES (GRA).
The GLOBAL RESEARCH ALLIANCE on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases was launched in December 2009 and currently has 33 MEMBER COUNTRIES. Participation in the Alliance is voluntary and each country determines the nature and extent of its own participation in any Alliance activities.
The LIVESTOCK RESEARCH GROUP (LRG), jointly coordinated by New Zealand and the Netherlands, is one of three groups established under the Alliance in April 2010. The other two Research Groups are ‘CROPLANDS’ and ‘PADDY RICE’.
Within these Research Groups, dedicated networks and databases have been identified as useful tools to accelerate research efforts and achieve outcomes that no country could achieve on its own.
The LRG endorses several international research networks including the Animal Selection, Genetics and Genomics Network (ASSGN), which is managed by Dr Hutton Oddy (Agriculture New South Wales, Australia) and Grant Shackell (AgResearch, Invermay, Mosgiel, New Zealand). The ASGGN is focused on bringing together scientists working in the area of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ruminant livestock using animal selection, genetics and genomics techniques.
There are also five OTHER NETWORKS endorsed by the LRG:
- Rumen Microbial Genomics Network
- Feed and Nutrition Network and Database
- Manure Management Network
- Animal Health and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity
- Livestock Emissions Abatement Research Network
In addition, there are two CROSS-CUTTING GROUPS.
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling
- Inventories and Management
