From grass to cheese: a coherent system serving the Abondance PDO sector
5 May 2026You may have wondered how a tarin or abondance calf makes its way from its stall to the AURIVA stud farm to become one of the future stars of insemination catalogs.
Behind every breeding bull lies a story that begins long before his birth. A story made up of genetic choices, rigorous monitoring and demanding selection, where only the best candidates reach the status of elite sire.
It all starts with a carefully thought-out coupling
Even before it sees the light of day, the future candidate is already the focus of attention. Indeed, when a female is identified as particularly interesting in the selection scheme of either of the two Alpine breeds, a mating is programmed with a “sire to sire” carefully chosen for his genetic qualities and his potential complementarity with the female.
The aim is clear: to produce the next generation of elite animals capable of driving the breed forward. Behind each mating is the profile of the future sires who will carry the genetics of the Abondance and Tarine breeds into the years to come.
One month before calving: everything is ready
Approximately one month before the expected calving date, the breeder receives a calving notice (AVMB) from AURIVA’s genetic services. This document contains all the information needed to ensure the traceability of the future calf and prepare its entry into the selection scheme. In particular, it mentions the sire, dam and, if applicable, the recipient in the case of embryo transfer.
The shipment also includes documents to be completed after birth, as well as envelopes for returning information to AURIVA and sending samples to the laboratory: an organization that saves precious time when the calf arrives.
Birth: the start of selection
The big day has finally arrived! Barely born, the calf is already entering the selection process. To quickly assess his genetic potential, he needs to be genotyped as soon as possible.
The breeder then contacts his inseminator to arrange for the sample to be taken. The documents are completed and returned to AURIVA, while the sample is sent to the LABOGENA laboratory for analysis.
At this point, everything comes down to genomic data. Production, morphology, functional aptitudes, ease of birth, longevity… the results will make it possible to estimate the real potential of the young animal very early on, and to compare it with the whole of its generation and the population as a whole.
When genetics renders its verdict
Once the samples have been received and declared by AURIVA, analysis can begin. On average, it takes 11 days from sampling to laboratory analysis, and a further 5 working days to calculate the genomic results.
Genetic results are therefore generally available 16 days after sampling.
The main room for improvement therefore remains the speed with which genotyping can be carried out after birth. Today, the final answer is known on average 27 days after the calf’s birth.
The moment of truth
Just a few weeks after birth, the animal’s future is decided at the genetic commission. Together, the breed experts from the SOs and AURIVA analyze the results and determine the animal’s future direction:
- station entrance ;
- orientation towards the quarantine station and then the bullfighting facility;
- or departure for fattening.
For the best of them, the adventure is just beginning. They’ll continue their journey within the selection program and, perhaps, tomorrow become bulls distributed to hundreds of breeders.
The moment of truth
D0: birth of calf
D3: genotyping by inseminator
D10: reception at the laboratory and AURIVA declaration
D15: sample analysis
D22: return of geno LPI results
D25: genetic commission and orientation decision
Demanding selection for genetic progress
From mating selection to genomic analysis, every step helps to identify the most promising animals.
This organization, combined with the responsiveness of our breeders, inseminators, technicians, AURIVA and OS teams, enables us to detect at an early stage the future breeding stock that will drive the Abondance and Tarine breeds forward. Because behind every insemination bull lies a calf… and a few decisive weeks that will shape its destiny!
