The latest NAV routine evaluation for yield, fertility, type, udder health, other diseases, calving traits, milk ability, temperament, growth, longevity, claw health and NTM took place as scheduled. NAV carried out three evaluations per trait group:
Holstein evaluation, including data from: Danish Holstein, Danish Red Holstein, Swedish Holstein, Finnish Holstein, Finnish Ayrshire and Finn Cattle.
Red Dairy Cattle evaluation, including data from: Danish Red, Swedish Red, Finnish Ayrshire, Finnish Holstein and Finn Cattle.
Jersey evaluation, including data from: Danish Jersey and Swedish Jersey (only yield and type).
Extraction dates
Dates for extraction of data from national databases are given in table 1.
Table 1. Dates for extraction of data from the national databases
|
Trait
|
Denmark
|
Finland
|
Sweden
|
|
Yield
|
22.06.2011
|
12.06.2011
|
19.06.2011
|
|
Type, milk ability and temperament
|
23.06.2011
|
12.06.2011
|
13.06.2011
|
|
Fertility
|
23.06.2011
|
12.06.2011
|
18.06.2011
|
|
Udder health and other disease
|
23.06.2011
|
12.06.2011
|
18.06.2011
|
|
Calving
|
23.06.2011
|
12.06.2011
|
18.06.2011
|
|
Longevity
|
23.06.2011
|
12.06.2011
|
18.06.2011
|
|
Growth
|
23.06.2011
|
12.06.2011
|
17.06.2011
|
|
Claw health
|
23.06.2011
|
12.06.2011
|
22.06.2011
|
News in relation to NAV genetic evaluation
NTM
Claw health is included in the NTM for the first time.
Genomic EBVs (GEBVs)
NAV published for the first time GEBVs for all linear type traits. At the routine evaluation in May GEBVs were estimated for all combined traits in NTM and for NTM.
Other traits
No changes
Genetic base
EBVs for bulls and females are expressed on the same cow base. This genetic evaluation included cows born from 09.08.2006 to 09.08.2008 in the genetic base (average 100).
Table 2. Definition of genetic base for cows and bulls
|
Trait
|
Genetic base
|
|
Yield, type, milk ability, temperament, longevity, mastitis resistance, growth*, fertility, calving, claw health and resistance against other diseases
|
Cows born 09.08.2006 - 09.08.2008
|
*Bull calves born in the same period
Genomic EBVs (GEBVs)
GEBVs combine genomic and phenotypic information. GEBVs are estimated for all combined traits in NTM, single type traits, and NTM. Table 3 describes how different categories of genotyped animals are handled in the evaluation. All non genotyped animals get traditional EBVs.
Table 3 Publication of Genomic breeding values (GEBVs) for different categories of animals
|
Category of animals
|
Status
|
Published Breeding value
|
|
Genotyped males
|
Bulls without a progeny test
|
Culled
|
None
|
|
AI bulls with a Nordic herd book number
|
GEBV when at least 20 month old at publication date
|
|
Bulls with a Nordic or a progeny test abroad
|
AI bulls with a Nordic progeny test
|
EBV
|
|
Foreign AI bulls with a Nordic herd book number and a progeny test abroad
|
IB EBV for all international traits available. GEBV for traits with pedigree information only
|
|
Genotyped females
|
Heifers
|
GEBV
|
|
Cows
|
GEBV for traits with pedigree information only (e.g. Other disease, fertility, calving) and EBVs for all other traits
|
· EBV=Estimated breeding value based on phenotypic data only
· IB EBV = Interbull breeding value based on phenotypic data only
· GEBV=Genomic Enhanced breeding value – based on phenotypic data and genomic information
For animals having a GEBVs the GEBV is published as the official index instead of the EBV
NAV will in the coming months work with:
· GEBVs for DRH
· GEBVs for genotyped bulls with daughters
· Genotyped cows with own records
Reliabilities
The reliability of genomic information varies between traits and breeds. Table 4 give a general picture of the reliability of the genomic information used when weighting genomic information and phenotypic information together in GEBV.
Table 4 Reliability of genomic information
|
|
Reliability genomic information
|
|
RDC
|
0.30-0.40
|
|
Holstein
|
0.40-0.50
|
|
Jersey
|
0.20-0.30
|
NTM
Claw health is included in the NTM for the first time in august 2011. For females a pedigree index for claw health is used.
Table 5. Holstein weight factors for the old NTM – and the new NTM with claw health included
|
|
Old
|
New August 2011
|
|
Yield*
|
0.75/0.68
|
0.75/0.68
|
|
Growth
|
0.06
|
0.06
|
|
Fertility
|
0.31
|
0.31
|
|
Birth index
|
0.15
|
0.15
|
|
Calving index
|
0.17
|
0.17
|
|
Udder health
|
0.35
|
0.35
|
|
Other diseases
|
0.12
|
0.11
|
|
Body
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
Feet&Legs
|
0.15
|
0.12
|
|
Udder
|
0.18
|
0.18
|
|
Milk ability
|
0.08
|
0.08
|
|
Temperament
|
0.03
|
0.03
|
|
Longevity
|
0.11
|
0.11
|
|
Claw health
|
|
0.08
|
*Weight factor for bulls/weight factor for cows with own yield record
Table 6. RDC weight factors for the current NTM – and the new NTM with claw health included
|
|
Old
|
New August 2011
|
|
Yield*
|
0.92/0.84
|
0.92/0.84
|
|
Growth
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
Fertility
|
0.26
|
0.26
|
|
Birth index
|
0.14
|
0.14
|
|
Calving index
|
0.12
|
0.12
|
|
Udder health
|
0.32
|
0.32
|
|
Other diseases
|
0.12
|
0.12
|
|
Body
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
Feet&Legs
|
0.09
|
0.09
|
|
Udder
|
0.32
|
0.32
|
|
Milk ability
|
0.06
|
0.06
|
|
Temperament
|
0.03
|
0.03
|
|
Longevity
|
0.08
|
0.08
|
|
Claw health
|
|
0.05
|
*Weight factor for bulls/weight factor for cows with own yield record
Table 7. Jersey weight factors for the current NTM – and the new NTM with claw health included
|
|
Old
|
New August 2011
|
|
Yield*
|
0.87/0.78
|
0.87/0.78
|
|
Growth
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
Fertility
|
0.26
|
0.26
|
|
Birth index
|
0.06
|
0.06
|
|
Calving index
|
0.06
|
0.06
|
|
Udder health
|
0.49
|
0.49
|
|
Other diseases
|
0.04
|
0.04
|
|
Body
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
Feet&Legs
|
0.05
|
0.04
|
|
Udder
|
0.15
|
0.15
|
|
Milk ability
|
0.10
|
0.10
|
|
Temperament
|
0.03
|
0.03
|
|
Longevity
|
0.12
|
0.12
|
|
Claw health
|
|
0.05
|
*Weight factor for bulls/weight factor for cows with own yield record
Table 8. Red Holstein weight factors for the current NTM – and the new NTM with claw health included
|
|
Old
|
New August 2011
|
|
Yield*
|
0.75/0.68
|
0.75/0.68
|
|
Growth
|
0.11
|
0.11
|
|
Fertility
|
0.23
|
0.23
|
|
Birth index
|
0.17
|
0.17
|
|
Calving index
|
0.17
|
0.17
|
|
Udder health
|
0.35
|
0.35
|
|
Other diseases
|
0.12
|
0.12
|
|
Body
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
Feet&Legs
|
0.15
|
0.15
|
|
Udder
|
0.24
|
0.24
|
|
Milk ability
|
0.08
|
0.08
|
|
Temperament
|
0.03
|
0.03
|
|
Longevity
|
0.11
|
0.11
|
|
Claw health
|
|
0.10
|
*Weight factor for bulls/weight factor for cows with own yield record
More information about economic value of claw health see http://www.nordicebv.info/Forside.htm
Publication of NTM for Nordic and foreign bulls
A NTM is published if the bull has official EBVs (NAV EBV or international EBV) for Yield, Mastitis and Type. By official means for NAV EBVs that the NAV thresholds are met and for international EBVs (IB EBVs) that Interbull estimates EBVs for the single bull. EBVs are used in the following priority NAV EBVs, IB EBVs and Pedigree index. For traits without a NAV EBV or an IB EBV a NAV pedigree index is calculated.
For bulls with a Nordic herd book number the pedigree index follows the principles described in the October 2008 routine information. For foreign bulls without a Nordic herd book number the pedigree index is calculated in as ½(EBVsire-100) +1/4(EBVmgs-100) +100. If EBVsire or EBVmgs is not official NAV EBVs then 100 is used.
NAV – frequency and timing of routine runs
NAV has 4 evaluations per year including all phenotypic data. In Table 9 the future NAV and Interbull release dates are shown. NAV does four extra genomic predictions to get GEBVs based on the newest information for all genotyped bull calves and females. The extra runs take place 15.9, 15.12, 15.3 and 15.6. After the extra runs GEBVs for females are published on national data bases
Table 9. NAV and Interbull release dates in 2011. EBVs released at NAV dates in bold will be delivered to international genetic evaluation.
|
|
2011
|
|
Month
|
NAV
|
Interbull
|
|
January 2011
|
|
|
|
February 2011
|
2
|
|
|
March 2011
|
|
|
|
April 2011
|
|
5
|
|
May 2011
|
2
|
|
|
August 2011
|
9
|
9
|
|
September 2011
|
|
|
|
October 2011
|
|
|
|
November 2011
|
2
|
|
|
December 2011
|
|
6
|
You can get more information about the joint Nordic evaluation:
General about Nordic Cattle Genetic Evaluation: www.nordicebv.info
Contact person: Gert Pedersen Aamand, Ph.: +45 87405288 gap@vfl.dk
Denmark: www.landscentret.dk/nav
Contact person: Ulrik Sander Nielsen, Danish Cattle, Ph. +45 87405289, usn@vfl.dk
Sweden: www.sweebv.info, www.svenskmjolk.se
Contact person: Jan-Åke Eriksson, Swedish Dairy Association, Ph. +46 08-790 58 67
jan-ake.eriksson@svenskmjolk.se
Finland: www.faba.fi
Contact person: Jukka Pösö, Faba, Ph +358-(0)207472071 jukka.poso@faba.fi