Lifetime profitability measures for dairy cows and their relationships to lifetime performance traits

1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 609-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. K. Kulak ◽  
J. C. M. Dekkers ◽  
A. J. McAllister ◽  
A. J. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Cattle Breeding ◽  
Productive Life ◽  
Lifetime Performance ◽  
Dairy Cattle Breeding ◽  
Alternative Measures ◽  
Feed Costs ◽  
National Cooperative ◽  
Total Life

The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare alternative measures of individual cow lifetime profitability and to determine what lifetime traits are significantly related to profitability of dairy cattle. Profitability measures considered were: 1) lifetime milk revenue minus lifetime feed costs (MMF); 2) lifetime profit (LP); 3) discounted lifetime profit (DLP); 4) annualized DLP per year of total life (ADLPLTL); 5) annualized DLP per year of productive life (ADLPLPL); 6) DLP adjusted for opportunity cost of postponed replacement (DLPOC), and 7) economic efficiency (EF). Data for this study consisted of 1112 lifetime performance records of Holstein cows from the National Cooperative Dairy Cattle Breeding Project, which was implemented by Agriculture Canada in 1972. Correlations were highest among MMF, LP, and DLP. EF had slightly lower correlations with MMF, LP, and DLP, but higher with ADLPLTL and ADLPLPL. ADLPLPL and DLPOC had low correlations with all other measures. DLPOC was recommended as the best because it considered the opportunity costs of postponed replacement.For DLPOC, average milk revenue per lactation was found to be the most important income trait, followed by length of productive life. Days dry (average over completed lactations) had the greatest negative impact on profitability. Age at first calving and average number of veterinary treatments for reproductive diseases over lactations were both negative contributions to profit. Lifetime traits accounted for 65% of variation in DLPOC. Key words: Dairy cow, profitability, lifetime traits

A comparison of Canadian Holstein bulls with those in the National Cooperative Dairy Cattle Breeding Project

1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-221
Author(s):  
A. J. Lee ◽  
A. J. McAllister ◽  
C. Y. Lin ◽  
T. R. Batra
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Protein Yield ◽  
Production Traits ◽  
Cattle Breeding ◽  
Calving Ease ◽  
Dairy Cattle Breeding ◽  
Holstein Bulls ◽  
Selection For ◽  
National Cooperative

Direct comparisons of industry Holsteins to project Holsteins and to crossbred C lines in the National Cooperative Dairy Cattle Breeding Project were made at Ottawa. The industry Holstein group was composed of the eight Holstein young bulls in AI units awaiting proof in 1984, which had the highest pedigree indexes for protein yield. They were mated to both Holstein and crossbred C line females at Ottawa. Project Holstein and C line bulls were mated to females of their respective lines. Matings within the crossbred C line resulted in greater calving ease and fewer retained placentae (P < 0.05) than matings of Holsteins to either Holstein or C line females. Crossbred C line cattle were smaller and produced less milk, fat and protein in the first 24 wk of first lactation than Holsteins. Project and industry Holstein progeny were equivalent in early first lactation, milk fat and protein yield, but progeny of industry bulls were larger at all ages. Selection for protein yield over 14 yr in a 300 milking cow population produced young bulls of comparable genetic merit for production traits to that of intensely pedigree selected industry bulls. Key words: Holstein, selection, crossbred, yield, heifer

COMPARISON OF THE HEIFER REPRODUCTION TRAITS OF THE DAUGHTERS OF SEVERAL SIRE GROUPS

1983 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. BATRA ◽  
A. J. McALLISTER ◽  
A. J. LEE ◽  
J. P. CHESNAIS ◽  
J. P. F. DARISSE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Birth Season ◽  
Cattle Breeding ◽  
Retained Placenta ◽  
Brown Swiss ◽  
Reproduction Traits ◽  
Dairy Cattle Breeding ◽  
Sire Group ◽  
National Cooperative

Ages at first heat and first conception, age and weight at first calving, number of services per conception, and incidence of difficult calving and retained placenta were obtained from 853 heifers of the National Cooperative Dairy Cattle Breeding project of the Research Branch of Agriculture Canada. Among these, 483 heifers were from Agriculture Canada Research Branch Holstein cows and by Research Branch, Canadian and U.S. Holstein sires (H line). The other heifers were from Research Branch Ayrshire cows and by Research Branch, Canadian, U.S. and Finnish Ayrshire as well as Brown Swiss and Norwegian Red sires (A line). The data were analyzed by least squares analysis of variance using a model containing fixed effects of station, year of birth, season of birth, line, sire groups within line, and sires within sire group within line. The effects of station and line were significant for most of the heifer reproduction traits studied while the effect of year of birth was only significant for age at first conception and weight at first calving. H line heifers on the average showed first heat 27 days earlier, were 11 days younger at first conception, were 13 days younger at first calving, were 33 kg heavier at first calving, had 30% more difficult calving and 9% fewer retained placenta than the A line heifers. Differences among the sire groups within the H line were small and nonsignificant while within the A line they were significant for age at first heat and weight at first calving. Key words: Heifer reproduction traits, dairy cattle

RELATIONSHIPS AMONG UDDER MEASUREMENTS, MILKING SPEED, MILK YIELD AND CMT SCORES IN YOUNG DAIRY COWS

1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 807-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. BATRA ◽  
A. J. McALLISTER
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Cattle Breeding ◽  
California Mastitis Test ◽  
Dairy Cattle Breeding ◽  
Heritability Estimates ◽  
National Cooperative

Heritabilities, phenotypic and genetic correlations among udder measurements (front teat length, front teat diameter, rear teat length, rear teat diameter, teat distance, udder height), milking speed, and milk yield were estimated for a Holstein line (H) and an Ayrshire-based line (A). Data from 1159 first lactation heifers in the National Cooperative Dairy Cattle Breeding Project were used. A subset of these data from 385 cows measured for the above traits plus California Mastitis Test (CMT) Score were analyzed to estimate relationships among udder measurements, milking speed, milk yield, and CMT score. Front teats were on the average 0.7 cm longer than rear teats. Heritability estimates of udder measurements, milking speed, and milk yield were moderate and ranged from 24% to 57% for the H line, 22% to 61% for the A line and 16% to 51% for the subset of data, except for teat distance in the H line which had a heritability of 5%. Heritability of CMT score was zero. Udders that were closer to the ground tended to have longer and wider teats. High-producing cows milked faster, had lower CMT score, and had udders closer to the ground than low producing cows. Genetic correlations of udder measurements with milking speed and milk yield were small and nonsignificant except for front teat diameter and teat distance which were negatively correlated with milk yield in H line heifers. Key words: Udder measurements, milking speed, milk yield, CMT score, dairy cattle

BODY WEIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS OF PURELINE AND CROSSLINE HEIFERS OF THE CANADIAN DAIRY CATTLE BREEDING PROJECT

1983 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. BATRA ◽  
A. J. McALLISTER ◽  
A. J. LEE ◽  
C. Y. LIN ◽  
G. L. ROY ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Genetic Effect ◽  
The Body ◽  
Additive Genetic Effect ◽  
Cattle Breeding ◽  
Linear Unbiased Prediction ◽  
Body Weights ◽  
Dairy Cattle Breeding ◽  
Best Linear Unbiased ◽  
National Cooperative

Data on body weights and dimensions from birth to 82 wk of age on 1216 heifers of the National Cooperative Dairy Cattle Breeding Project were analyzed using best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) procedures. The effects of station, year of birth, dam's parity, line of sire, line of dam, interaction between line of sire and line of dam and sires within sire line were estimated. Age at first calving was included in the model as a covariate for body weights and dimensions taken after 50 wk of age. All effects except sire were assumed to be fixed. The effect of station was significant (P < 0.01) for all traits studied. The effects of year of birth and dam's parity were significant (P < 0.05) for more than half of the traits studied. Line of sire, line of dam and their interaction effects were significant (P < 0.05) for most of the body weights and dimensions. The effect of line of dam was much greater than line of sire for all traits. The non-additive genetic effect from crossing lines H and A resulted in a 1.9–3.8% increase in body weights and up to 1.6% increase in body dimensions taken from birth to 82 wk of age. Key words: Body weights, dimensions, pureline, crossline, dairy cattle

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE EVALUATION RESULTS OF HOLSTEIN BLACK-MOTLEY BREEDING BULLS BY THEIR DAUGHTERS’ PRODUCTIVITY BASED ON OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS AND BLUP MODEL

2020 ◽  
pp. 155-163
Author(s):  
K.ZH. ZHUMANOV ◽  
◽  
T.N. KARYMSAKOV ◽  
M.A. KINEEV ◽  
M.V. TAMAROVSKIY ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Cattle Breed ◽  
Breeding Value ◽  
Cattle Breeding ◽  
Lower Efficiency ◽  
Dairy Cattle Breeding ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Current Instruction ◽  
The Republic

According to the current “Instruction” used in dairy cattle selection and breeding in the Republic of Kazakhstan, bulls-producers of dairy breeds are assessed according to the their offspring quality based on the principle of “peer daughter”. This means that the phenotypic indicators of the daughters of the tested bulls are compared with the corresponding indicators of their peers. In European countries with developed dairy cattle breeding, as well as in Canada, the USA, etc., to ensure a reliable forecast of the genetic value of individuals (primarily, bulls-producers), use is made of the best linear unbiased forecast method (BLUP method). This method implies that the breeding value of producers is determined by the deviation values of the development of traits of the examined animal from its average values in the population. Especially urgent area is the research aimed at improving breeding programs, including assessing the breeding value of bulls-producers of dairy breeds using BLUP methods based on the productive qualities of the mass of dairy cattle in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The research material included the data on the phenotypic indicators of the milk productivity of first-calf cows (the amount of milk yield, the content of fat and protein in milk, the yield of milk fat and protein) of the Holstein black-motley dairy cattle breed, obtained from the information and analytical database of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2016–2017. It was found that when evaluating according to the official “Instruction”, 16 sires out of 256 bulls (6.2%) got the stud category in 2016, 14 sires (9.2%) out of 152 bulls in 2017, and – 30 sires of 249 bulls (12.0%) over the cumulative period. The results of the conducted research prove that the use of the classic “Instructions” in dairy cattle breeding has lower efficiency (by 42.8–90.0%) as compared with the assessment of the breeding value of bulls based on the BLUP method.The selection of sire bulls into breeding groups based on the “peer daughter” methodology is not reliable enough and rather ineffective. Comparing the results of assessing the breeding qualities of sire bulls, obtianed using two methods in all compared periods (2016, 2017, 2016–2017), the authors established a clear superiority of the BLUP method over the current Instruction used in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

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