Meet Holstein Canada’s new leaders for 2024-2025. How will President Gilles Côté and his team drive the future of the organization? Discover their strategic vision.
Holstein Canada is proud to introduce the new Board Executive for 2024 – 2025. Leading the way is Gilles Côté from Saint-Bruno, Quebec, as the new President. He is joined by Doug Peart from Hagersville, Ontario, who takes on the vice-presidency and the role of Chair of the Board. Rounding out the team is Karen Versloot from Keswick Ridge, New Brunswick, as the 3rd Member to the Executive. These appointments look to propel the organization’s initiatives and instill confidence in Holstein Canada’s future. With this executive in place, the Board is now working on navigating the challenges ahead.
Gilles Côté brings a wealth of experience and a solid background to his new role as President of Holstein Canada. Hailing from Saint-Bruno, Quebec, Gilles has been a dedicated member for many years. His deep understanding of Holstein breeding and genetics makes him a natural fit for this position. As a leader at Jeanri Holsteins, in Quebec, he has made notable achievements in herd improvement and dairy production efficiency. Recognized for his contributions to genetic enhancement, Gilles has helped many members improve their herd management practices. As Gilles steps into the presidency, his vision and commitment to excellence are expected to guide Holstein Canada toward achieving its strategic goals of preserving Holstein Canada’s prestigious reputation within the dairy community.
Joining Gilles in this leadership transition is Doug Peart from Hagersville, Ontario, as Vice President and Chair of the Board. Doug operates Peartome, and has extensive agriculture experience. His expertise and commitment are expected to help the Board achieve its long-term objectives, benefiting all 9,200 members.
Karen Versloot is joining as the 3rd Member of the Executive from Keswick Ridge, New Brunswick. Operating the “Combination”” farm, known” for excellence and innovation in dairy farming, Karen brings a wealth of experience. Her background and commitment to genetic improvement have advanced dairy farming techniques on her farm and the broader community. Her previous roles in Holstein Canada reflect her leadership and dedication to members’ success. Karen’s clinical genetic advancements and herd improvement will be vital as she steps into this new role, driving Holstein Canada’s objectives forward.
With their new executive team in place, Holstein Canada aims to expand their genetic improvement programs, offering members advanced tools such as enhanced genetic evaluations and personalized breeding recommendations to better evaluate and improve their herds. They also plan to leverage technology to streamline operations and enhance services, such as introducing a mobile app for easy access to member resources and services to serve our members better.
At the heart of our strategy is membership engagement. The Board is committed to opening new communication channels, such as regular town hall meetings and a dedicated member feedback portal, to ensure that every member’s voice is heard. This initiative is a testament to their belief in the strength of the community and the commitment to their 9,200 members.
Maintaining high governance standards to ensure integrity and transparency will also be a focus. With a dedicated leadership team and a clear plan, Holstein Canada is preparing to face the challenges currently facing the industry and preserve the long history of the Holstein Breed.
Let’s congratulate Gilles Côté, Doug Peart, and Karen Versloot.
Summary:
Holstein Canada has appointed Gilles Côté as the new Board Executive for 2024-2025. With extensive experience in Holstein breeding and genetics, Côté is expected to guide the organization towards preserving its prestigious reputation within the dairy community. He has made notable achievements in herd improvement and dairy production efficiency, and under his vice-presidency, Holstein Canada advanced in genetic evaluations and member services. Doug Peart, who operates Peartome, is joining Côté in this leadership transition, and Karen Versloot, known for excellence and innovation in dairy farming, brings a wealth of experience and commitment to genetic improvement. Holstein Canada is embarking on a journey of strategic initiatives, focusing on enhancing genetic programs, boosting member engagement, and improving operational efficiency. The focus will be on expanding genetic improvement programs, offering advanced tools, and leveraging technology to streamline operations and enhance services. Membership engagement is at the heart of the strategy, with the Board committed to opening new communication channels and maintaining high governance standards to ensure integrity and transparency.
Unlock the secrets to successful dairy cattle breeding. Are your decisions thoughtful enough to ensure optimal results? Discover why careful planning is essential.
Understanding the intricacies of dairy cattle breeding is not a task to be taken lightly. It’s a complex art that requires thoughtful decisions, which serve as the bedrock of a sustainable farm. These decisions, whether immediate or long-term, have a profound impact on your herd’s vitality and the economic success of your dairy farming.
Today’s decisions will affect your herd’s sustainability, health, and output for future generations. Breeding dairy cattle means choosing animals that enhance the genetic pool, guaranteeing better and more plentiful progeny. The variety of elements involved in these choices, from illness resistance to genetic diversity, cannot be overestimated.
This article is designed to empower you to make informed breeding choices. It emphasizes the importance of balancing short-term needs with long-term goals and the role of technology in modern breeding methods.
The Critical Role of Thoughtful Decisions in Dairy Cattle Breeding
Think about how closely environment, managerial techniques, and genetics interact. Your herd’s future is shaped via deliberate breeding aims. It’s not just about selecting the best-yielding bull; it’s also about matching selections with long-term goals like improving features like milk production, fertility, and health while appreciating genetic links impacting temperament and other characteristics.
Genetic enhancement in dairy breeding is a blend of science and art. It requires a deep understanding of your business’s beneficial traits. This involves a continuous commitment to change, particularly in understanding the genetic links between variables like milk production or health and temperament. The choice of sire must be intelligent and comprehensive, considering all these factors.
Including temperamental qualities in breeding plans highlights the difficulty of these choices. Environmental factors across different production systems affect trait expression, so precise data collection is essential. Informed judgments, well-defined breeding goals, and coordinated efforts toward particular goals depend on milk yield data, health records, and pedigrees.
Decisions on thoughtful breeding are vital. They call for strategy, knowledge, and awareness. By concentrating on controllable variables and employing thorough herd data, dairy farmers may guide their operations toward sustainable, lucrative results, ensuring future success.
Understanding Genetic Selection for Optimal Dairy Cattle Breeding
Choosing bulls for certain features shows the mix of science and art in dairy cow breeding. Apart from increasing output, the objectives include guaranteeing sustainability, health, and behavior and focusing on excellent productivity, health, and good behavior. Positive assortative mating, which is breeding individuals with similar traits, helps raise milk output and herd quality.
A well-organized breeding program must include explicit selection criteria and control of genetic variety to avoid inbreeding. Crucially, genomic testing finds animals with excellent genetic potential for milk output, illness resistance, and temperament. Friedrich et al.’s 2016 work underlines the relevance of genetic variations influencing milk production and behavior.
Genomic discoveries in Canada have improved milking temperament and shown the genetic linkages between temperament and other essential characteristics. Breeders must provide sires with proven genetic value as the priority, confirmed by thorough assessments so that genetic advancement fits production targets and sustainable health.
The Long-Term Benefits of Strategic Breeding Decisions
Strategic breeding decisions are not just about immediate gains; they shape your herd’s future resilience and output. By emphasizing the long-term benefits, we aim to foster a sense of foresight and future planning, ensuring sustainability and enhancing genetic development. Choosing sires with high health qualities helps save veterinary expenses and boost overall herd vitality, enabling the herd to withstand environmental challenges and diseases. This forward-thinking strategy prepares your dairy business for a prosperous future.
Genetic variety also lessens vulnerability to genetic illnesses. It improves a breeding program’s flexibility to market needs, climatic change, or newly developing diseases. While preserving conformation and fertility, setting breeding objectives such as increasing milk supply calls for careful balance but produces consistent genetic progress.
The evolution of genetic testing is revolutionizing dairy cow breeding. This method allows for precisely identifying superior animals, empowering farmers to make informed breeding choices and accelerate genetic gains. The assurance of resource optimization ensures that only the most significant genetic material is utilized, guaranteeing the best herd health and production outcome. This reassurance about the effectiveness of modern techniques aims to inspire confidence and trust in these methods.
Performance-based evaluation of breeding programs guarantees they change with the herd’s demands and industry changes. This means that your breeding program should be flexible and adaptable, responding to the needs of your herd and industry changes. Using sexed semen and implanted embryos gives more control over genetic results, enabling strategic herd growth.
Well-considered breeding choices produce a high-producing, well-rounded herd in health, fertility, and lifespan. Balancing production, sustainability, and animal welfare, this all-encompassing strategy prepares dairy farms for long-term success.
Tools and Techniques for Making Informed Breeding Decisions
Although running a successful dairy cow breeding program is a diverse task, you are not alone. Genetic testing is a method for identifying early animals with excellent illness resistance and milk output. This scientific breeding method improves genetic potential, promoting profitability and sustainability. Having such instruments helps you know that you have the means to make wise breeding selections. This section will delve into the various tools and techniques available as a breeder or dairy farmer and how they can help you make informed breeding decisions.
One cannot stress the importance of herd statistics in guiding wise breeding choices. Correct data on milk output, health, and pedigree let breeders make wise decisions. This data-centric strategy lowers negative traits by spotting and enhancing desired genetic features, producing a more robust and healthy herd.
Retaining genetic variety is also vital. Strictly concentrating on top achievers might cause inbreeding, compromising herd health. A balanced breeding program with well-defined requirements and variety guarantees a solid and efficient herd.
For guiding the gender ratio towards female calves, sexed semen technology is becoming more and more common, hence improving milk production capacities. Similarly, intentionally improving herd genetics by implanting embryos from elite donors utilizing top indexing sires enhances.
Fundamentals are regular examinations and changes in breeding strategies. Examining historical results, present performance, and new scientific discoveries helps to keep the breeding program in line.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Dairy Cattle Breeding
None of even the most incredible instruments can prevent all breeding hazards. One often-common error is depending too much on pedigree data without current performance records. Although pedigrees provide background, they need to be matched with current statistics.
Another problem is ignoring concerns about inbreeding. While this may draw attention to positive qualities, it can also cause genetic problems and lower fertility. Tracking inbreeding and promoting genetic variety is crucial.
Ignoring health in favor of more than simply production characteristics like milk output costs money. A balanced strategy values udder health and disease resistance and guarantees long-term herd sustainability.
Ignoring animal temperament is as troublesome. Choosing excellent temperaments helps handler safety and herd well-being as stress lowers output.
Adaptation and ongoing education are very vital. As welfare standards and genetics improve, the dairy sector changes. Maintaining the success of breeding programs depends on being informed by studies and professional assistance.
Avoiding these traps calls for coordinated approaches overall. Maintaining genetic variety, prioritizing health features, and pledging continuous learning help dairy herds be long-term successful and healthy using historical and modern data.
The Economics of Thoughtful Breeding: Cost vs. Benefit
Cost
Benefit
Initial Investment in High-Quality Genetics
Higher Lifetime Milk Production
Use of Genomic Testing
Improved Disease Resistance and Longevity
Training and Education for Breeding Techniques
Enhanced Breeding Efficiency and Reduced Errors
Advanced Reproductive Technologies
Accelerated Genetic Gains and Shortened Generation Intervals
Regular Health Monitoring and Veterinary Care
Decreased Mortality and Morbidity Rates
Optimized Nutritional Programs
Improved Milk Yield and Reproductive Performance
Although the first expenses of starting a strategic breeding program might appear overwhelming, the long-term financial gains often exceed these outlay. Modern methods like genetic testing, which, while expensive initially, may significantly minimize the time needed to choose the finest animals for breeding, are included in a well-considered breeding strategy. This guarantees that only the best indexing sires help produce future generations and simplifies choosing.
Furthermore, employing sexed semen and implanted embryos helps regulate the herd’s genetic direction more precisely, thus maybe increasing milk output, enhancing general productivity, and improving health. Such improvements immediately result in lower expenses on veterinarian treatments and other health-related costs and more milk production income.
One must also consider the financial consequences of juggling lifespan and health with production characteristics. Although sound milk output is crucial, neglecting elements like temperament and general health might result in more expenses for handling complex animals. Including a comprehensive breeding strategy guarantees a more resilient and productive herd, providing superior returns over time.
Furthermore, ongoing assessment and program modification of breeding initiatives enables the best use of resources. By carefully documenting economically important characteristics, dairy producers may maximize efficiency and production and make wise judgments. This data-driven strategy also helps identify areas for development, guaranteeing that the breeding program develops in line with the herd’s and the market’s requirements.
Ultimately, knowledge and use of these long-term advantages determine the financial success of a deliberate breeding plan. Although the initial outlay might be significant, the benefits—shown in a better, more efficient herd—may guarantee and even improve the financial sustainability of a dairy running for years to come.
The Future of Dairy Cattle Breeding: Trends and Innovations
Year
Expected Improvement in Milk Yield (liters/year)
Expected Increase in Longevity (months)
Projected Genetic Gains in Health Traits
2025
200
3
10%
2030
350
5
15%
2035
500
7
20%
As the dairy sector develops, new trends and ideas change cow breeding. Genomic technology has transformed genetic selection, making it possible to identify desired features such as milk production and disease resistance. This speeds up genetic advancement and increases the precision of breeding choices.
Furthermore, data analytics and machine learning are increasing, which enable breeders to examine vast performance and genetic data. These instruments allow individualized breeding techniques to fit particular herd objectives and environmental variables and, more precisely, estimate breeding results. This data-driven strategy guarantees that every choice is measured toward long-term sustainability and output.
Additionally, holistic breeding goals, including environmental sustainability and animal welfare, are increasingly stressed. These days, breeders prioritize milking temperament, lifespan, and feed efficiency. Studies like Friedrich et al. (2016) show the genetic connections between specific characteristics and general agricultural profitability.
Reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) powerfully shape dairy cow breeding. These techniques improve herd quality via the fast multiplication of superior genetics. Combined with genetic selection, these technologies provide unheard-of possibilities to fulfill farmers’ particular needs, from increasing milk output to enhancing disease resistance.
The sector is nevertheless driven forward by combining biotechnology with sophisticated breeding techniques. Precision genetic changes made possible by gene editing technologies such as CRISpen introduce desired phenotypes. From improving efficiency to reducing the environmental effects of cattle production, these developments solve essential problems in dairy farming.
Finally, the complex interaction of genetics, data analytics, reproductive technologies, and biotech developments defines the direction of dairy cow breeding. Using these instruments helps dairy farmers make wise, strategic breeding choices that guarantee their herds flourish in a changing agricultural environment.
The Bottom Line
In essence, wise decision-making determines the success of your dairy cattle production program. Understanding genetic selection, matching production features with health, and using modern methods can help you improve herd performance. A sustained business depends on avoiding typical mistakes and prioritizing economic issues.
Investing in careful breeding plans can help you turn your attention from transient profits to long-term rewards. Give characteristics that increase income priority and reduce costs. One benefits greatly from a comprehensive strategy involving efficient feed cost control and consideration of herd wellbeing.
Thinking about the long-term consequences of your breeding decisions results in a solid and profitable herd. Maintaining knowledge and initiative in breeding choices is crucial as the sector changes with fresh ideas and trends. Commit to deliberate, strategic breeding today and see how your herd performs and how your bottom line changes.
Key Takeaways:
Thoughtful breeding decisions are vital for the long-term health and productivity of dairy herds.
The selection of genetic traits should be backed by comprehensive data and rigorous analysis.
Strategic breeding can enhance milk production, disease resistance, and herd quality over generations.
Investing in high-quality genetics upfront leads to significant economic benefits over time.
Modern tools and technologies, such as genomic testing, play a crucial role in informed breeding decisions.
Summary
Dairy cattle breeding is a complex process that requires strategic decision-making and careful selection of animals to ensure healthier and more productive offspring. Genetic improvement in dairy breeding is both science and art, requiring a deep understanding of beneficial traits. Sire selection must be comprehensive and strategic, involving accurate data collection from milk yield, health records, and pedigrees. Positive assortative mating, which focuses on high productivity, health, and favorable behaviors, significantly improves milk production and herd quality. A well-structured breeding program requires clear selection criteria and genetic diversity management to prevent inbreeding. Genomic testing is critical for identifying animals with top genetic potential for milk yield, disease resistance, and temperament. Breeders must prioritize sires with proven genetic merit, validated through rigorous evaluations, to align genetic progress with sustainable health and productivity goals. The economics of thoughtful breeding include cost vs. benefit, with initial investment in high-quality genetics leading to higher lifetime milk production, improved disease resistance, enhanced breeding efficiency, reduced errors, advanced reproductive technologies, regular health monitoring, veterinary care, and optimized nutritional programs.
Learn More
In the realm of dairy cattle breeding, knowledge is power. To make informed decisions that will lead to healthier, more productive herds, it’s essential to stay updated on the latest strategies and techniques. Here are some valuable resources to deepen your understanding:
Discover how metafounders enhance genomic predictions in Uruguayan dairy cattle. Can these methods improve your herd’s genetic progress and productivity? Find out now.
Genetic improvement is not just a concept but the foundation of advancing dairy cattle herds, especially in smaller countries like Uruguay. These nations heavily rely on foreign genetics to enhance their herds, aiming to increase productivity, improve health traits, and boost resilience. However, this reliance on imported genetic material presents its own challenges, particularly regarding the unique genetic landscapes of these countries and the complexities of establishing accurate pedigrees and breeding values.
While beneficial, integrating foreign genetics into domestic herds demands meticulous modeling and evaluation. This task is not to be taken lightly, as it is crucial to ensure unbiased and accurate breeding predictions.
Let’s delve into the complex world of genetic Improvement in Uruguayan Dairy Farming. This world can often feel like a maze. We’ll explore the challenges unknown parent groups pose and the solutions we’ve developed to navigate this maze effectively. In Uruguay, the issue is compounded by a dependency on unknown parent groups (UPG), which include foreign sires with untraceable ancestries. These UPGs can introduce biases in genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV), complicating the task of selecting the best animals for breeding. Understanding how these foreign genetics interact with local populations and how to model them effectively is crucial for sustainable genetic improvement in small countries.
Genomic predictions have revolutionized dairy farming by enabling a more accurate selection of animals with desirable traits. They harness the power of DNA information, predicting an animal’s genetic potential with higher precision. This is particularly important in small countries like Uruguay, which rely heavily on imported foreign genetics.
In traditional genetic evaluations, an animal’s pedigree provides crucial information. However, dealing with Unknown Parent Groups (UPG) is a common challenge. UPG represents animals whose ancestors are unknown, which can lead to prediction biases. Here’s where Metafounders (MF) come into play. Metafounders are hypothetical ancestors that can be used to represent genetic relationships better and improve the accuracy of genetic evaluations when dealing with unknown pedigree data.
Now, let’s break down the methodologies involved:
BLUP (Best Linear Unbiased Prediction) is a statistical method for predicting breeding values based on pedigrees and performance data. It has been the cornerstone of genetic evaluations for decades. However, BLUP does not consider genomic information directly.
Conversely, ssGBLUP (Single-Step Genomic BLUP) incorporates pedigree and genomic data, offering more precise genetic evaluations. This method corrects for biases and provides a more accurate prediction of an animal’s genetic potential by combining traditional pedigree information with genomic information.
Your understanding of these concepts is not just crucial; it’s empowering. It enables you to make informed decisions in dairy farming, helping you select the best breeding animals and improve your herd’s productivity and genetic quality. This knowledge puts you in a position of strength in genetic improvement.
Navigating Genetic Evaluation for Uruguay’s Dairy Herds: The Foreign Influence Challenge
Uruguay’s small dairy populations face unique challenges regarding genetic evaluation. One significant hurdle is the substantial influence of foreign genetics. For countries that rely heavily on imported genetics, like Uruguay, integrating unknown parent groups (UPG) becomes crucial. These groups account for the genetic contributions of foreign sires whose pedigrees might be incomplete or partially unknown. However, incorporating UPG into genomic evaluations is not without its pitfalls.
One of the primary challenges involves potential biases in the genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV). These biases can emerge from inaccuracies in modeling the UPG. Different models, such as using UPG alone or combining UPG with metafounders (MF), aim to tackle these biases, but their efficacy can vary. The research found that while both approaches performed well, using bounded linear regression to establish base allele population frequencies (MFbounded) was superior in predicting GEBV. However, even the best models exhibited some biases, particularly affecting the earliest generations, whose origins were not entirely understood.
Additionally, the evaluations showed another layer of complexity with overdispersion issues, primarily in validation bulls. This means that the spread of predicted values was broader than expected, making GEBV predictions less precise. Interestingly, while biases were present across all models for bulls, in cows, they were only a problem when using UPG in traditional BLUP (best linear unbiased prediction) methods.
In summary, while Uruguay’s small dairy populations face technical challenges in accurate genetic evaluation, overcoming these issues can lead to significant benefits. Addressing these challenges is critical for farmers to make informed breeding decisions, ultimately enhancing the genetic progress of their herds. With the right strategies and tools, the future of genetic improvement in dairy cattle herds in Uruguay is promising.
Metafounders vs. Unknown Parent Groups: Navigating Genetic Evaluations in Dairy Farming
In genomic evaluations, meta founders (MF) and unknown parent groups (UPG) offer a nuanced approach to understanding genetic progress, particularly in regions heavily influenced by foreign genetics like Uruguay.
UPG: A Traditional PillarUnknown Parent Groups (UPG) have long been a cornerstone in pedigree-based evaluations. Upgrading animals with unknown parents into categories based on specific criteria—like birth year or country of origin—UPG helps mitigate bias caused by missing pedigree data. While this approach has been valuable, it has limitations, mainly when used in genomic models. The disadvantages are evident: it often leads to bias in genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV). It can result in overdispersion, particularly in populations where foreign genetic material plays a significant role.
MF: A Modern SolutionMetafounders (MF), on the other hand, offer a more advanced solution. By utilizing base allele population frequencies, MF can provide a more accurate portrayal of genetic relationships. The MFbounded estimator, in particular, has shown promising results, outperforming UPG by reducing bias and improving GEBV predictions. The robustness of MF allows for better handling of genetic diversity. It can adapt more effectively to the specific genetic background of the population. However, it’s worth noting that some bias still exists, the origins of which still need to be fully understood.
Why MF Might Be BetterThe primary advantage of MF over UPG is the enhancement in the accuracy and reliability of GEBV predictions. While UPG groups animals based on broad categories, MF takes a more granular approach by factoring in allele frequencies, offering a nuanced understanding of genetic inheritances. This makes MF a better option, especially for countries like Uruguay, where foreign genetics play a pivotal role in dairy farming. By reducing the bias and improving prediction accuracy, MF can significantly enhance genetic evaluations, providing dairy farmers with more reliable data to make informed breeding decisions.
In summary, while UPG and MF have their place in genomic evaluations, MF offers a modern, more accurate alternative that better aligns with the complexities of contemporary dairy farming genetics.
Precision in Genomic Predictions: Exploring the Gamma Matrix with MFbounded and MFrobust
In our quest to enhance the genetic evaluation systems for Uruguayan Holsteins, we delved into estimating the gamma matrix (γ) with precision. Two distinct approaches were taken: MFbounded and MFrobust. These methods essentially shape how we group and assess the influence of unknown parent groups (UPG) within our dairy population.
MFbounded Approach: This method utilizes base allele population frequencies determined by bounded linear regression. By defining these base frequencies, we could estimate γ efficiently, ensuring it echoes the actual genetic variances from our dairy herd’s population. This bounded approach allows for a more restrained estimation process that caters closely to real-world data characteristics.
MFrobust Approach: Conversely, the MFrobust method uses a generalized, robust design for the gamma matrix by applying two distinct values: one for the diagonal and another for the off-diagonal elements of γ. This dual-parameter setup aims to capture a broader range of variances and covariances, making the γ estimation more versatile but potentially less centered on actual population specifics.
Both approaches were implemented within the Uruguayan Holstein population to compare their efficacy in generating reliable Genomic Estimated Breeding Values (GEBV). While both methods performed adequately, the MFbounded technique emerged as the preferred choice due to its higher precision and closer alignment with the population’s genetic structure. However, some residual bias remained, indicating that further refinement might be necessary.
Critical Insights for Dairy Farmers: Choosing the Right Genomic Prediction Model
In sum, the study found that both gamma (Γ) estimators, MFbounded and MFrobust, produced reliable genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV) for dairy cattle. However, MFbounded emerged as the superior option due to its slightly better performance. Adopting the MFbounded approach could lead to more precise breeding predictions for dairy farmers.
Interestingly, the study did reveal some biases. While these biases were observed across all models for validation bulls, they only appeared with Unknown Parent Groups (UPG) in the traditional Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) model when validating cows. Overdispersion was a common issue, notably in validation bulls, suggesting that there might be occasional overestimates or underestimates in GEBV predictions.
A crucial takeaway for you, as a dairy farmer, is that the single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) model generally provides more accurate predictions compared to the traditional BLUP method. This could lead to improved breeding strategies and better herd management, enhancing genetic progress and overall productivity in your dairy operations.
Empowering Uruguay’s Dairy Farmers: The Metafounder Edge in Genomic Evaluations
The findings of this study have significant implications for dairy farmers in Uruguay. Adopting metafounders (MF) in your herd’s genetic evaluations can significantly enhance the accuracy of genomic predictions. Unlike traditional methods that might introduce bias or offer less reliable data, MF provides a more robust framework for accounting for unknown parent groups (UPG). This means you’re getting more apparent, more accurate genetic profiles of your cattle, even when their parentage isn’t fully known.
Improved accuracy in genomic predictions translates directly to better genetic improvement. With a more precise understanding of your cattle’s genetic worth, you can make smarter breeding decisions, leading to a more substantial, more productive herd over time. Leveraging the MFbounded approach, which has shown the best performance in the study, can help minimize bias and enhance the reliability of your genetic evaluations. This ultimately means healthier cattle, higher milk yields, and greater profitability for your dairy farm.
The Bottom Line
Accurate genomic predictions are fundamental for the continual improvement of dairy cattle. They help farmers make informed breeding decisions, ultimately boosting productivity and ensuring the vitality of their herds. Adopting metafounders (MF) in genetic evaluations offers a clear advantage, demonstrating more reliable and precise breeding values than traditional methods. By embracing MF, you can reduce bias and increase the accuracy of genetic predictions, leading to more robust and productive dairy operations.
As a dairy farmer in Uruguay, integrating MF into your genetic evaluation toolkit could be a game-changer. Not only does it account for complex genetic backgrounds and foreign genetics, but it also aids in navigating the challenges posed by unknown parent groups. So, consider leveraging this advanced approach in your breeding programs. The investment in accurate genomic predictions today will pay vital dividends in the health, efficiency, and profitability of your dairy farm tomorrow.
Key Takeaways:
Genetic improvement in small countries like Uruguay relies heavily on foreign genetics.
Considering unknown parent groups (UPG) for foreign sires is crucial to avoid bias in genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV).
Using metafounders (MF) can help model genetic progress more accurately than traditional UPG methods.
The MFbounded approach, which uses base allele population frequencies, produces the best GEBV predictions despite some minor biases.
Significant overdispersion was noted, especially in validation bulls, across all genomic prediction models tested.
Single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) models provide better prediction accuracy than traditional BLUP models.
Summary:
Genetic improvement is crucial for dairy cattle herds, especially in smaller countries like Uruguay, where they heavily rely on foreign genetics to increase productivity, improve health traits, and boost resilience. However, integrating foreign genetics into domestic herds requires meticulous modeling and evaluation to ensure unbiased and accurate breeding predictions. In Uruguay, the issue is compounded by a dependency on unknown parent groups (UPG), which can introduce biases in genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV), complicating the task of selecting the best animals for breeding.
Genomic predictions have revolutionized dairy farming by enabling more accurate selection of animals with desirable traits. Traditional genetic evaluations, such as BLUP and ssGBLUP, are often complicated by UPG. Metafounders (MF) have been adopted to represent genetic relationships better and improve the accuracy of genetic evaluations when dealing with unknown pedigree data. However, some bias still exists, which the origins of which need to be fully understood.
If you haven’t worked in a trade show booth or attended a cattle show recently, you could very well be missing important genetic improvement discussions. Discussion about which traits breeders feel are at an acceptable level and which ones need to be improved. I suspect that few of you have worked a trade show booth but I can tell you, from front line experience, that bottom line focused breeders are not shy about saying that today’s dairy cattle are not functional enough, don’t get pregnant easily (may conceive but not retain) and require too much worker time. Contrast that with the spectators at shows that talk about their ideal cow being tall, lean, tight uddered, deep ribbed and wide rumped. Often front and center in all the discussions is which total merit index to use. Is it TPI, JPI, NM$, LPI, RZG, BW, TMI, NVI or another? Is any one total merit index capable of meeting the needs of all breeders?
Who is #1?
Every breeder or owner wants to have the #1 cow or bull. And back twenty to thirty years ago many bull owners bragged about having the #1. All-be-it they had the number one for Milk, Fat %, Fat Yield, Type or whatever. For the average breeder it was very confusing. Which should they think was the #1 bull? In order to assist breeders, breed societies and genetic evaluation centers started publishing total merit indexes for bulls. Those indexes combined the production and type genetic indexes. It was reasoned that having a ranking system that combined all the traits was much superior to single trait marketing and selection.
Index Achievements & Short Falls
Recently CDN published the following genetic trends for Canadian Holsteins and Jerseys.
The average increase in LPI for both breeds is 65 LPI points per year. Undoubtedly this annual gain is more than would have been achieved without having the LPI to use for sorting animals. These gains are based on increases in both production and durability (conformation). But note that no gains have been made for health and fertility (H&F) in the past fifteen years.
Index Worship – Gone Too Far?
Having only one number to remember on an animal can be good but there can also be drawbacks to using only one number. These limitations include:
Everyone talks about the top ten TPI sires but in fact between #1 (Massey) and #20 (Goose) there are only 122 points. That is almost like getting 99% compare to 95% on a test. Not much difference. So drill down and know the facts. Indexes for these twenty bulls range from 42 to 93 lbs for fat yield and from 0.98 to 3.42 for Udder Composite.
Mating a high TPI bull to a high TPI cow without regard to where the bull and cow are strong or weak can lead to disaster.
Buying only on the TPI, even though the pedigree person announces that “this heifer is #1”, does not guarantee that you are buying the best animal for the traits important to you.
In fact we could very well have reached the point where we are limiting the advancement we will make in our herds because we do not look at all the genetic indexes for an animal. Instead of using TPI to sort out the top animals and then studying the strengths and limitations of an animal, we only consider the TPI. If you wonder about that The Bullvine suggests that you study the top TPI heifers looking at both their TPI and fertility (DPR) indexes. You will find many top heifers that have a negative DPR index. Is not reproduction the #1 reason cows are culled?
Which Index for You?
The key word in this title is YOU. What business are you in – the business of breeding and marketing of breeding stock or the business of milk production? After you make that important first decision, you are in a position to decide on which total merit index you should use.
It is important to think in terms of what you want your herd to be genetically in the future when selecting a total merit index to use. Traits beyond production and type are becoming more important to breeders. The following ICAR published table shows the relative trait emphasis for seven leading total merit indexes and the average for all total merit indexes from seventeen countries.
Relative Trait Emphasis in Total Merit Indexes*
RANK
NAME
# OF DAUGHTERS
PTAT
Udder Comp
F&L Comp
Body Comp
Dairy Comp
Stature
1
BRAEDALE GOLDWYN
55
3.03
2.59
2.56
1.93
2.03
3.1
2
REGANCREST ELTON DURHAM-ET
21
2.47
2.31
2.13
1.7
1.98
2.13
3
KHW KITE ADVENT-RED-ET
19
2.53
2.24
1.6
2.04
1.65
2.41
4
REGANCREST DUNDEE-ET
18
2.06
2.18
0.75
1.29
1.55
1.18
5
GEN-MARK STMATIC SANCHEZ
14
3.07
2.17
2.44
3.34
2.83
3.91
6
WILCOXVIEW JASPER-ET
11
2.89
1.94
0.73
2.56
2.52
3.22
7
ERBACRES DAMION
8
3.2
2.22
3.17
2.83
2.72
2.76
7
MAPLE-DOWNS-I G W ATWOOD-ET
8
4.16
3.41
3.46
3.44
2.97
4.31
9
PICSTON SHOTTLE-ET
6
2.66
1.97
1.79
2.42
2.3
2.71
9
ROYLANE JORDAN-ET
6
2.07
1.94
0.32
1.53
2.06
1.93
* Reported by J Chesnais & Associates at 2012 ICAR Meeting (Ireland)
As you develop your breeding and business plans for the future, the following points may be useful to consider:
If you do not sell animals for breeding purposes, having type at a high weighting in your total index may not be your best business decision. NM$ may be a better index for you.
In ten years will you be a breeder or a milk producer? Choose either the breeder index (i.e. TPI or LPI) or the milk producer index (i.e. NM$).
If you do not show cattle or sell cattle to showmen, then PL (Productive Life) or HL (Herd Life) rather than PTAT or CONF should be an important part of your total merit index.
Including and giving significant weighting to traits such as fertility, longevity, calving ability, milking speed and mastitis resistance in the total merit indexes will be the way of the future for breeders focused on milk production.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
Total merit indexes are designed to rank animals according a set formula. After sorting out the top bulls on a total merit basis, breeders should use corrective mating to match the bulls with the cows in their herd. Not using genetic indexes denies you the opportunity to make significant advancements both genetically and from a profit perspective. Are total merit indexes helping or hurting breeders? It depends on knowing your genetic needs and using the index that focuses attention on your most important traits. No total merit index will best serve all breeders. Use the index that suits your plans (Read more:Fact vs. Fantasy: A Realistic Approach to Sire Selection, What’s the plan? and Genomics at Work – August 2013)
Not sure what all this hype about genomics is all about?
Want to learn what it is and what it means to your breeding program?
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Meet Holstein Canada’s new leaders for 2024-2025. How will President Gilles Côté and his team drive the future of the organization? Discover their strategic vision.
Meet Holstein Canada’s new leaders for 2024-2025. How will President Gilles Côté and his team drive the future of the organization? Discover their strategic vision.
