Künzi, Niklaus

Biography

From 1978 to 2001 Niklaus Künzi was Full Professor for Quantitative Genetics and Animal Breeding at the Institute for Animal Sciences, Group of Animal Breeding, at ETH Zurich. He retired on October 1st, 2001. He was born on September 3, 1936 in Adelboden (BE). In 1963 he obtained a degree (dipl. Ing.-Agr.) from the ETH, followed by a doctoral degree in animal breeding under the guidance of Prof. H. Lörtscher. After a postdoctoral year at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, he became senior assistant at the Institute of Animal Breeding.Professor Künzi was a delegate for the research farms of the Department of Agriculture and Food Science. He was also president of the Swiss Association for Animal Production.

Research Interest

Main activities in his research and teaching were the application of quantitative genetic methods in farm animal breeding as well as livestock production systems. The research projects covered the following areas: Segregation and linkage analysis of QTLs (quantitative trait loci); estimation of genetic and environmental parameters in field and station data; development of procedures for prediction of transmitting abilities for individual animals in breeding populations (so-called individual animal BLUP procedures) as a basis for selection; estimation of economic weights for production and functional traits in farm animals; development of breeding plans (mating plans); optimization of breeding programs using gene flow techniques combined with cost benefit analysis; evaluation of breeds and lines in cattle, sheep and pigs; modeling animal production systems with respect to herd age structure and reproduction, input/output ratios in raising young stock combined with meat and milk production.