Making breeding decisions is complicated and time consuming.  Traits such as fertility, calving ability, and inbreeding make mating decisions challenging.  Having said that, there are great tools available to analyze animals and assist in making breeding decisions.  However, the challenge with these tools is that they are based on analysis of the visual observation of an animal, and do not take into account the rising challenges and opportunities of today’s genomic and advanced genetic evaluation era.  To help leverage the greatly improved evaluation data that is available, we at the Bullvine have developed gPs – Genetic Profile System, to help modern dairy breeders simplify breeding decisions.

gPs looks at six key areas: Production; Components; Durability; Fertility; Calving Ability and Inbreeding.  These areas directly represent the key areas that all breeders need to consider when making their mating decisions.

For a bull, gPs letters show the qualities he adds to  a mating listed in order of improvement priority, from left to right.  For example the letters CPADIF shows that the bull’s greatest gPs qualities are his ability to improve C-Components, P-Production, A-Calving Ability, D-Durability, I-Inbreeding and F-Fertility.  gPs assigns a percentage to each bull in comparison to the best one available.

For a cow, gPs shows the qualities that she needs, in order of improvement priority, from left to right.  The letters PACDIF for example, show that a particular cow’s gPs prioritized needs are P-Production, A – Calving Ability, Components, D-Durability, I-Inbreeding, F – Fertility.

Determining and then matching a cows gPs letters to  those of a bull will  accelerate the rate of genetic gain in the  herd, while making  mating decisions much faster and simpler.  For example if you have a cow that needs improvement in C-Components, D-Durability and A-Calving Ability, consider using bulls with gPs letters that start with CDA, CAD, DAC, DCA, ACD or ADC.  This is a fast and effective way to correctively mate, using all genetically rated traits that directly influence the profitability of the dairy operation.

Let’s take a look at a couple of sires and see how this applies.  The current highest genomic Net Merit $ sire in the world is Supershot.  Supershot’s gPs letters break down as follows: P-Production 86.4%, C-Components 86.1%, D-Durability 79.5%, F-Fertility 49.2%, A – Calving Ability 76.5%, I-Inbreeding 42.1% resulting in a gPs value of PCDAFI.  This is achieved by ordering his letters from that of his greatest strengths, P-Production, C- Components,  and D – Durability, to those areas that he is likely to have the least improvement, A – Calving Ability, F – Fertility and I – Inbreeding.  This does not mean that he will not be able to improve these areas. It simply highlights that these are the areas that he will have the least improvement impact upon.  In fact sires with a value of 80% or higher for a specific letter will  provide significant improvement in that area, 60-79% will provide  moderate improvement, 40-59% will provide little to no improvement for that area , and below 40% could actually decrease the performance of the resulting progeny relative to other possible mattings.  Robust, the popular sire of sons and the #1 proven TPI sire in the world,has a gPs code of DCAPIF.  That means he sires daughters that are durable, with high components and strong calving ability.  The area that you need to protect Robuston is his fertility.  It  is not surprising that Massey also has a gPs code of DCAPIF, as they tend to sire similar patterns in their progeny.

Notable Proven Sires gPs codes

Notable Genomic Sires gPs codes

The following is a listing of the top genomic and proven sires in each of the key areas.

P – Production

Key Traits: Milk lbs,  Fat lbs. & Protein lbs

C – Components

Key Traits: Fat lbs., %Fat, Protein lbs. & %P