1. THE ISRAELI BREEDING PROGRAM

2. 1. 300 elite cows selected based on their genetic evaluations. About ½ of these cows are mated to local elite bulls, and the remainder with elite foreign bulls. 2. About 60 bulls calves sons of elite cows are purchased by the AI institutes yearly.

3. THE ISRAELI BREEDING PROGRAM 3. All first parity cows are inseminated with semen from young bulls. About 100 milk daughters are produced from each sire. 4. In addition, 20,000 cows are inseminated with semen from high P.I. Bulls.

4. THE ISRAELI BREEDING PROGRAM 5. About five elite sires are selected based on first parity daughter evaluation, and are returned to general service. 6. These five sires are mated to about 1,000 virgin calves to test for dystocia and calf mortality.

5. THE ISRAELI BREEDING PROGRAM 7. All other virgin calves are mated to proven sires with favorable evaluation for dystocia. 8. All later parity cows are inseminated with semen from proven bulls at a flat rate fixed to cover operational costs of the AI institutes and the ICBA.

6. Development of Israeli Selection Index Trait Coefficient CM - Calv Mortality DC – Difficult Calving Persis. – Persistency

7. Trait SD g Index coefficients Trait contribution Percent from index Fat Kg. 29.27.923117.8 Protein Kg. 21.823.751739.9 SCS 0.54300.016212.5 Dau. Fertilety 7.526.019515.1 Longevity 1720.61038.0 persistency 5.210.0524.0 DC 5.143.0151.2 CM 3.436.0211.6 Total 1,296100 Selection Index

8. Genetic Trends

9. Average Breeding value of cows by birth year HerdBook Genetic Trends, 2013

10. ICBA – Israel Cattle Breeders` Association Average Breeding value of cows by birth year

11. HerdBook Genetic Trends, 2013 ICBA – Israel Cattle Breeders` Association Average Breeding value of cows by birth year Percent