1. 2003 P.M. VanRaden Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD paul@aipl.arsusda.gov Genetic Evaluations for Fitness and Fertility in the US and Other Nations Genetic Evaluations for Fitness and Fertility in the US and Other Nations

2. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (2)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Which Traits?  “A key priority in research and education should be to identify those traits that really affect cost of producing milk and concentrate selection on them” (McDaniel, 1976 National Workshop)  Still good advice today

3. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (3)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Genetic progress  G =accuracy  genetic SD  selection intensity  generation interval (Dickerson & Hazel, 1944)

4. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (4)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Heritability of N Records = N h**2 / [1 + (N – 1) Repeatability] (Lush, 1948) Trait Repeat- ability Lactations 12345 Protein.55.30.39.43.45.47 SCS.35.10.15.18.20.21 DPR.13.04.07.10.12.13 PL .04.07.08.085

5. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (5)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Average accuracy = square root of reliability / 100 Cows born 1995 Bulls born 1994-98 Protein (kg).71.92 SCS.60.77 PL.58.78 DPR.57.75 Service sire CE.55.85 Daughter CE.54.77 Feet & Legs.62.84

6. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (6)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Coefficients of variation (CV) TraitMean Pheno- typic SD CV (%) Pheno typic Gen- etic Protein (lb)69291137 Stature (in)571.6 3 2 PL (mo)24135416 DPR (%)23156513 DPR = daughter pregnancy rate, PL = productive life,

7. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (7)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Trait Harmonization Mark, 2003 EAAP meeting Trait Countries Average corr. Avg. cor w / USA Protein27.87.89 Stature21.89.90 Fore Udd.21.75.79 SCS20.85.86 Longevity14.59.74 SCE10.83.86 DCE10.58.64

8. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (8)P.M. VanRaden 2003 MACE Longevity Correlations Jakobsen, 2003 Interbull meeting USADEUFRANZLNLDCANGBR USA.83.61.55.80.93.83 DEU.65.44.83.81.74 FRA.40.68.62.51 NZL.43.52.58 NLD.80.70 CAN.89 Avg (14).74.69.62.49.68.73.67

9. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (9)P.M. VanRaden 2003 MACE for Calving Ease Jakobsen, 2003 Interbull meeting Avg. cor (10 x 10)USADEUFRANZLNLDCANDNK Service sire CE.86.87.85.69.81.75.90 Daugh- ter CE.64.54.68….78.59 USA corDEUFRANZLNLDCANDNK SCE.70.82.72.86.82.94 DCE.61.92….93.88.76

10. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (10)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Pregnancy Rate  Rate that cows become pregnant  Can be derived from days open  Non-linear: 21 / (DO – VWP + 11)  Linear approx: (233 – DO) / 4  Advantages over days open  Positive numbers are desirable  Earlier measure of herd fertility

11. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (11)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Pregnancy Rate vs Days Open 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 6081102123144165186207228249 Number of Chances Pregnancy Rate 987654321 Days Open

12. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (12)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Cow Fertility Traits Evaluated in Largest Holstein Populations Country TraitUSADEUFRANZLNLDCANGBRAUS Ability to cycleYes Ability to conceiveYes Combined traitYes Emphasis7%2%13%10%7%8%

13. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (13)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Prediction of UK Calving Interval Wall et al, 2003 Interbull meeting Country, traitBulls Min Rel UK Rel PTA Corr. USA preg rate1087065.76 AUS preg rate657050.73 NLD fert. index4660.71 IRL calv. int.686570.69 DNK fert. index1037060.51 NZL fert. index426050.51

14. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (14)P.M. VanRaden 2003 International Fertility Correlations  UK, DEU, FRA, NLD (Wall, 2003)  Non-return, PTA correlation avg =.54  DNK, FIN, SWE (Mark, 2001)  Days to 1 st AI, genetic cor avg =.67  Non-return rate, genetic cor avg =.44  Ayr from NOR, DNK, FIN, SWE (Svendsen, 2001)  Fertility index, genetic cor avg =.73

15. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (15)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Value of Cow Fertility  Optimum days open  Pregnancy rate affects mean and variance  Reduced yield/day vs longer lactations  Fertility expenses per day open  Heat detection ($20 / lact .005)= $.10  Semen ($15 / unit + $5 labor) *.025= $.50  Pregnancy exam ($10 / exam)*.012= $.12  Lactations too long or short= $.75  Relative value of DPR = 7% of total

16. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (16)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Value of Calving Ease  Daughter CE value / difficult birth  Veterinary, labor costs= $50  Calf death (20% prob)= $25  Cow deaths before 1 st test (1% prob)= $15  Service sire CE also includes  Yield losses / lactation= $40  Fertility and longevity losses= $30  Relative values of each are 2% of total

17. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (17)P.M. VanRaden 2003 National Selection Indexes: Yield and Health Traits Country (Interbull Code) USA DEUFRANZLNLDCANGBRAUSITADNKSWE % of Interbull Population 17.415.312.310.69.34.7 4.54.34.1 1.5 Index NameNM$NewRZGISUBWDPSLPIPLIAPRPFTS – ITMI Trait Protein 3633363534354357364221 Fat 2122910138141112 104 Milk 50-17-14-19-20-3-4 % Protein 423 % Fat 122 Longevity 1411251381281512866 SCS / mastitis 995131137101512 Fertility 72131079 Other diseases 23

18. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (18)P.M. VanRaden 2003 National Selection Indexes: Conformation and Management Traits Country (Interbull Code) USA DEUFRANZLNLDCANGBRAUSITADNKSWE % of Interbull Population 17.415.312.310.69.34.7 4.54.34.11.5 Index NameNM$NewRZGISUBWDPSLPIPLIAPRPFTS – ITMI Trait Udder traits77681713912 Feet / legs4441311659 Size-4-322-184-42 Dairy character2 Rump11 Final score42 Calving ease4410612 Growth / meat46 Milking Speed <146 Temperament523

19. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (19)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Response to NM$ Selection Trait NM$ 2000 NM$ 2003 Trait NM$ 2000 NM$ 2003 Protein.81.74Udder.19.22 Fat.68.67F & L.17.16 Milk.68.58Size-.10 PL.51.58SCE-.13-.23 SCS-.35-.38DCE-.11-.21 DPR.00.15

20. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (20)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Changes for November 2003  Earlier evaluation of DPR  Records in progress used at 130 instead of 250 DIM  6% gain in REL of DPR for new bulls  Developed by Melvin Kuhn  Use of DPR, SCE, DCE to predict PL  4% gain in REL of PL for recent bulls

21. National Dairy Genetics Workshop – Fertility Evaluations (21)P.M. VanRaden 2003 Conclusions  Most fitness traits are less heritable but more variable than yield and type  In August 2003 NM$, cow fertility receives 7% and calving ease traits each receive 2% of total selection  Reasonable progress is expected  National fitness trait evaluations need to reach foreign customers