1. Net Merit Changes
April 2017

2. What is Changing?
CDCB is updating the Merit formulas (NM$, CM$, etc.) in April 2017
The biggest change is the addition of Cow Livability (LIV), a new trait developed last year (defined on following slide)
LIV will be assigned weight removed from PL

3. Cow Livability (New CDCB Trait August 2016)
LIV differentiates between culling (as in PL) and dying (LIV).
Death claims many cows in the U.S. milking herd; those that remain alive permit producers to recoup disposal income.
LIV values range from approximately -5 to +5.
A bull with a LIV of +2.1 will sire 2.6% more of his daughters that will remain alive, compared to a bull that is This 2.6% difference in a 400-cow dairy herd, with cull cows valued at $1,200, would produce $12,480 in additional income.
In April 2017, LIV will be incorporated into NM$/CM$. PL relative emphasis will decline from 19 to 13%, and LIV will be near 7%. The total emphasis of longevity will increase to 20%.

4. What Else is Changing?
Other changes include lower milk price, a shift from protein to fat, and a new Body Weight Composite that rewards thinner/lighter cows
Impact of these changes:
Some re-ranking of bulls
Lower Net Merit values of high-ranking bulls, the result of the lower milk price used and less progress in LIV than PL

5. Net Merit Formula Trait Relative value (%) NM$ 2014 NM$ 2017 Protein18
Fat 22 24
Milk -1
Productive Life 19 13
SCS -7
Udders 8 7
Feet & Legs 3
Body Size ('14)/Weight ('17) -5 -6
Daughter Pregnancy Rate
Heifer Conception Rate 2 1
Cow Conception Rate
Calving Ability$ 5
Livability -

6. Net Merit Examples
NAAB
Bull
Old NM$
Expected NM$ Change PL
LIV
Fat
Pro
STA
STR
BDE
DFM
TRW
Old Body Size
New Body Weight
29HO16955
MONTEREY
684 +4
5.3
1.5 63 41
2.99
1.20
1.49
2.66
2.39
2.26
0.83
29HO17964
SOLARIS
837
7.7
3.2 77 56
0.25
-0.31
-0.09
1.66
1.13
0.15
-0.76
29HO18071
ALAN
851
-27
6.7
1.0 96 50
0.78
1.11
0.75
0.72
0.54
0.79
29HO18165
GRAY
800
-40
6.2
-0.5 81
1.53
0.98
0.65
1.00
0.96
0.80
These examples show that some bulls could change very little for NM$ while a bigger group of bulls will drop by about 20 NM$ on average.
Changes can occur due to shifting weight from PL to LIV, Protein to Fat or the old Body Composite to the new.
Please note that Holstein USA implemented the new Body Weight formula in their publications in August of 2016, while CDCB is introducing the new Body Weight formula into NM$ in April 2017

7. Thoughts from ABS
The addition of Cow Livability should offer a more complete view of a cow’s longevity and profitability
Increased weight on Fat makes sense in light of milk pricing trends
Emphasis on the revised Body Composite is more challenging as it rewards cows with low Body Condition Score and penalizes cows that have more strength/condition
While it may better predict a young cow’s weight, it is a poorer predictor of her lifetime profitability