1. H. Duane Norman Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD dnorman@aipl.arsusda.gov Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (1) 2007 Genetic selection for reproduction: Current reproductive status of the national herd; Application of selection indexes for dairy producers

2. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (2) H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (2) Current reproductive status of the national herd

3. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (3) Bull fertility l Estimated Relative Conception Rate (ERCR) w 70-day nonreturn rate (NRR) w Phenotypic evaluation w Source: − DRMS (Raleigh, NC), 1986−2005 − USDA (Beltsville, MD), 2006−present l Western Bull Fertility Analysis w 75-d veterinary-confirmed conception rate w Source: AgriTech (Visalia, CA), 2003 −present

4. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (4) ERCR distribution (Aug. 2007)

5. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (5) Survey of AI organizations l Does your organization rate bulls on fertility from field data? l Where do you obtain the data you use to evaluate them? l How long a time period is included in your evaluation? l What do you publish? l How many nonreturn days are in your calculation? l Is your evaluation derived from first or all services? l Do you eliminate cows sold before a specific number of days after insemination? l Do you eliminate cows in herds that go off test before a specific number of days after insemination? l Is information on services from natural service bulls that follow AI breedings available to you to document failures of those AI breedings?

6. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (6) Survey results l All had programs to monitor bull fertility, but few relied completely on in-house information w Most received some information from technician breedings w One purchased breeding records from a dairy records processing center w Another obtained breeding records directly from cooperating herds l Most common fertility measure was NRR w Varied from 59 to 90 days for first breeding w Some organizations used a range of days

7. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (7) Survey results (cont.) l Conception rate (CR) used by one because of availability of pregnancy-check records l Time period for data included in a bull’s fertility evaluation varied from 1 year to no limit l Equal number included only first services compared with all services l Data from technician breedings w Not adjusted for cow departures because of culling or when a herd discontinued production testing w No access to data that showed when natural service followed an AI mating

8. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (8) New USDA service sire evaluation l Based on conception rate rather than NRR l More accurate w Inseminations from most of the United States w All services (not just first) w Additional model effects included l Available early 2008 l Documentation at ftp://aipl.arsusda.gov/pub/outgoing/BullFert/

9. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (9) Cow fertility trends Year bred Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-d NRR for 1st service (%) 1st service CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) HolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJersey 19968982 19979184 19989185 19999285 20009084 20019285 20028881 20038883 20048684 20058684 20068583

10. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (10) Cow fertility trends Year bred Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-d NRR for 1st service (%) 1st service CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) HolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJersey 199689825457 199791845557 199891855456 199992855355 200090845355 200192855256 200288815053 200388834853 200486844853 200586844652 20068583……

11. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (11) Cow fertility trends Year bred Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-d NRR for 1st service (%) 1st service CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) HolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJersey 1996898254573639 1997918455573437 1998918554563236 1999928553553135 2000908453553135 2001928552563136 2002888150532935 2003888348533036 2004868448533136 2005868446523035 20068583…………

12. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (12) Cow fertility trends Year bred Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-d NRR for 1st service (%) 1st service CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) HolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJersey 19968982545736392.12.0 19979184555734372.1 19989185545632362.22.1 19999285535531352.32.1 20009084535531352.32.1 20019285525631362.32.1 20028881505329352.52.2 20038883485330362.52.3 20048684485331362.52.3 20058684465230352.62.4 20068583………………

13. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (13) Parity averages (2005 breedings) Parity Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-day NRR for 1st service (%) 1st-service CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) HolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJersey 185 2 83 38782 48884 59085 >59288

14. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (14) Parity averages (2005 breedings) Parity Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-day NRR for 1st service (%) 1st-service CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) HolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJersey 185 4854 285834552 387824552 488844550 590854551 >592884549

15. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (15) Parity averages (2005 breedings) Parity Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-day NRR for 1st service (%) 1st-service CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) HolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJersey 185 48543237 2858345522936 3878245522935 4888445502834 5908545512732 >5928845492530

16. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (16) Parity averages (2005 breedings) Parity Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-day NRR for 1st service (%) 1st-service CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) HolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJerseyHolsteinJersey 185 485432372.62.3 28583455229362.72.3 38782455229352.62.4 48884455028342.62.4 59085455127322.62.4 >59288454925302.72.5

17. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (17) Holstein NRR (2005 breedings) Parity 70-day NRR (%) 1st service 2nd service 3rd service 4th service 5th service 14846434139 24543414038 34544424139 44544434139 54543424140 >54543 4139

18. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (18) Holstein CR (2005 breedings) Parity CR (%) 1st service 2nd service 3rd service 4th service 5th service 13233312926 22930292826 32930 2826 42830292726 52728 2625 >52526 25

19. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (19) Holstein regional averages (2005 breedings) Region Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-day NRR for 1st service (%) CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) Preg- nancy rate (%) Mideast92 Midwest86 Mountain93 Northeast85 Northwest76 Southeast89 Southwest73

20. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (20) Holstein regional averages (2005 breedings) Region Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-day NRR for 1st service (%) CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) Preg- nancy rate (%) Mideast9247 Midwest8646 Mountain9348 Northeast8546 Northwest7642 Southeast8944 Southwest7336

21. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (21) Holstein regional averages (2005 breedings) Region Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-day NRR for 1st service (%) CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) Preg- nancy rate (%) Mideast924729 Midwest864630 Mountain934827 Northeast854631 Northwest764229 Southeast894423 Southwest733627

22. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (22) Holstein regional averages (2005 breedings) Region Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-day NRR for 1st service (%) CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) Preg- nancy rate (%) Mideast9247292.7 Midwest8646302.7 Mountain9348272.8 Northeast8546312.6 Northwest7642292.8 Southeast8944233.0 Southwest7336272.8

23. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (23) Pregnancy rate (PR) l Percentage of nonpregnant cows that become pregnant during each 21-day period l Advantages over days open (DO) w Easily defined w Information from nonpregnant cows included more easily w Larger (rather than smaller) values desirable l PR = [21/(DO − voluntary waiting period + 11)]100 w Voluntary waiting period assumed to be 60 days w Factor of +11 adjusts to middle day of 21-day cycle l Examples w Herd with average of 133 DO has PR of 25% w Herd with average of 154 DO has PR of 20%

24. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (24) Holstein regional averages (2005 breedings) Region Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-day NRR for 1st service (%) CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) Preg- nancy rate (%) Mideast9247292.719.0 Midwest8646302.721.5 Mountain9348272.819.6 Northeast8546312.622.4 Northwest7642292.823.4 Southeast8944233.017.3 Southwest7336272.823.7

25. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (25) Herds with synchronized breeding Synchroni- zation status Calving to 1st breeding (d) 70-day NRR for 1st service (%) CR (%) Services per lactation (no.) Preg- nancy rate (%) None9046302.620.2 Possible7840272.921.8 Probable7438272.922.4 Synchronized7235253.121.7

26. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (26) Current breed averages BreedPR (%)DO (d) Gestation length (d) Calving interval (d) Ayrshire23.2140281.7422 Brown Swiss20.3152287.5440 Guernsey19.1157285.8443 Holstein22.0145279.5425 Jersey26.4127280.0407 Milking Shorthorn 24.8134281.3415

27. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (27) USDA pregnancy rate l Linear approximation l PR = 0.25 (233 − DO) l 1% higher PR = 4 days fewer open

28. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (28) Daughter pregnancy rate (DPR) l First USDA genetic evaluations in 2003 l Same across-breed animal model as for yield traits, productive life (PL), and somatic cell score (SCS) l Heritability of 4% l Predicted transmitting abilities (PTAs) reported as percentages w Daughters of bull with PTA DPR of 1 expected to be 1% more likely to become pregnant during estrous cycle than if bull had PTA DPR of 0 w Each increase of 1% in PTA DPR equivalent to decrease of 4 days in PTA DO l PTA DO approximated by −4 × PTA DPR l Example: Bull with PTA DPR of +2.0 would have PTA DO of −8

29. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (29) DPR trend (August 2007 base)

30. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (30) Bull PTA DPR frequency (Aug. 2007)

31. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (31) H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (31) Application of selection indexes for dairy producers

32. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (32) Lifetime merit indexes TraitUnits Relative value (%) Net merit Cheese merit Fluid merit ProteinPounds23280 FatPounds231823 MilkPounds0−1224 PLMonths171317 SCSLog−9−7−9 UdderComposite656 Feet/legsComposite333 Body sizeComposite−4−3−4 DPRPercent978 Calving abilityDollars646

33. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (33) Genetic merit of high-DPR Holstein bulls Trait All active AI bulls Active AI bulls with PTA DPR of ≥2.0 % Top 50% of active AI bulls based on lifetime net merit (>$245) Top 50% of active AI bulls with PTA DPR of ≥2.0% based on PTA DPR (>2.3 %) Bulls (no.)684 PTA milk (lb)838 PTA fat (lb)32 PTA protein (lb)25 PTA SCS2.94 PTA PL (mo)1.1 PTA DPR (%)−0.4 PTA DO (derived)1.6 Net merit ($)242 Semen price ($/unit)24

34. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (34) Genetic merit of high-DPR Holstein bulls Trait All active AI bulls Active AI bulls with PTA DPR of ≥2.0 % Top 50% of active AI bulls based on lifetime net merit (>$245) Top 50% of active AI bulls with PTA DPR of ≥2.0% based on PTA DPR (>2.3 %) Bulls (no.)68441 PTA milk (lb)838287 PTA fat (lb)3214 PTA protein (lb)2517 PTA SCS2.942.86 PTA PL (mo)1.14.2 PTA DPR (%)−0.42.5 PTA DO (derived)1.6−10.0 Net merit ($)242346 Semen price ($/unit)2425

35. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (35) Genetic merit of high-DPR Holstein bulls Trait All active AI bulls Active AI bulls with PTA DPR of ≥2.0 % Top 50% of active AI bulls based on lifetime net merit (>$245) Top 50% of active AI bulls with PTA DPR of ≥2.0% based on PTA DPR (>2.3 %) Bulls (no.)68441342 PTA milk (lb)8382871,125 PTA fat (lb)321443 PTA protein (lb)251734 PTA SCS2.942.862.88 PTA PL (mo)1.14.22.1 PTA DPR (%)−0.42.5−0.1 PTA DO (derived)1.6−10.00.4 Net merit ($)242346357 Semen price ($/unit)2425

36. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (36) Genetic merit of high-DPR Holstein bulls Trait All active AI bulls Active AI bulls with PTA DPR of ≥2.0 % Top 50% of active AI bulls based on lifetime net merit (>$245) Top 50% of active AI bulls with PTA DPR of ≥2.0% based on PTA DPR (>2.3 %) Bulls (no.)6844134220 PTA milk (lb)8382871,125179 PTA fat (lb)32144313 PTA protein (lb)25173416 PTA SCS2.942.862.882.84 PTA PL (mo)1.14.22.14.4 PTA DPR (%)−0.42.5−0.12.9 PTA DO (derived)1.6−10.00.4−11.6 Net merit ($)242346357350 Semen price ($/unit)2425 21

37. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (37) Genetic merit of high-DPR Holstein bulls Trait All active AI bulls Active AI bulls with PTA DPR of ≥2.0 % Top 50% of active AI bulls based on lifetime net merit (>$245) Top 50% of active AI bulls with PTA DPR of ≥2.0% based on lifetime net merit (>$386) Bulls (no.)6844134220 PTA milk (lb)8382871,125735 PTA fat (lb)32144331 PTA protein (lb)25173430 PTA SCS2.942.862.882.84 PTA PL (mo)1.14.22.15.1 PTA DPR (%)−0.42.5−0.12.6 PTA DO (derived)1.6−10.00.4−10.4 Net merit ($)242346357476 Semen price ($/unit)2425 26

38. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (38) DPR benefits over productive life l Additional calves produced l Decreased units of semen needed per pregnancy l Decreased labor and supplies for heat detection, inseminations, and pregnancy checks l Higher yields because more ideal lactation lengths

39. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (39) Lifetime value l Factors in determining economic value w Loss of about $1.50/DO w 2.8 lactations per cow w No breedings for half of cows during final lactation w Correlation of heifer and cow fertility (0.3) w Value of extra calves w Other unmeasured health expenses l Total lifetime merit value of $21/PTA DPR unit

40. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (40) Total Performance Index (TPI) l Calculated by Holstein Association USA (Brattleboro, VT) l Emphasis of 19% on early breeding w 10% on PL w 8% on DPR w −1% on dairy form l 95% correlation between USDA lifetime net merit and Holstein TPI

41. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (41) H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (41) Conclusions

42. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (42) Service sires l Using bulls with higher conception rates returns profit fairly quickly w Premium of $2 could be paid for semen per 1% improvement in fertility w Unit of semen from bull with ERCR of +2 worth $8 more than unit from bull with ERCR of −2 l Little genetic improvement in male fertility expected over time l Use bull fertility as a secondary selection trait after production and economic indexes

43. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (43) Selection for cow fertility l Selection for improved fertility possible and recommended l Most benefits delayed for 2 years or more l Select service sires for overall lifetime merit that includes daughter fertility rather than for daughter fertility alone l Producers with herd fertility problems may choose to emphasize DPR extensively, which can be done with little loss in overall net merit

44. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (44) Benefits of improved reproduction l Lower semen cost l Improved ability to optimize lactation and lifetime yields l Reduced culling due to delayed or failed conception l More herd replacements

45. H.D. Norman 2007 Dairy Cattle Reproductive Council Convention (45) Fertility emphasis l Service-sire fertility and DPR important for all management systems, but most important for grazing herds with seasonal calving l Use of a few bulls that average 3.0% for PTA DPR (equivalent to a decrease of 12 DO) could recover much of genetic decline in fertility from use of high- yield bulls for 40 years l General recommendation still is to select for overall merit based on genetic-economic index appropriate for current milk market