The latest NAV routine evaluation for yield, fertility, type, udder health, other diseases, calving traits, milk ability, temperament, growth 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

News in relation to NAV genetic evaluation

Growth

Growth EBVs for females are now used in the calculation of NTM instead of the pedigree index. The change has only a minor effect and only effect for Holstein.

No other changes are introduced

Genetic base
EBVs for bulls and females are expressed on the same cow base. This genetic evaluation included cows born from 15.05.2005 to 15.05.2007 in the genetic base (average 100).

For functional traits, sire models are used and EBVs for cows are not estimated. For functional traits, the genetic base includes bulls, which are sires of present cows – see table 2.

Table 2. Definition of genetic base for cows and bulls

*Bull calves born in the same period

Publication of NTM for Nordic and foreign bulls
We have made some changes in the NTM calculation for foreign bulls to use the information more efficient. For bulls having a Nordic herd book number the NTM calculation is unchanged.

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 so far performed 6 evaluations per year for all traits. Starting in August 2010 NAV will have 4 evaluations per year. Interbull change the timing of international evaluations in the autumn 2010. In Table 3, the future NAV and Interbull release dates are shown.

Table 3. NAV and Interbull release dates in 2010/2011. EBVs released at NAV dates in bold will be delivered to international genetic evaluation.

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.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 Service, Ph +358-(0)207472071 jukka.poso@faba.fi