performance recording and bull evaluation: contrasting experiences

© Natural Resources Institute Finland© Natural Resources Institute Finland

Enyew Negussie

Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

African Dairy Genetic Gains Program Annual Planning Meeting, 20-23 February 2017

Performance recording and bull evaluation: Contrasting experiences

© Natural Resources Institute Finland

Luke = Luonnonvarakeskus = Natural Resources Center

05/02/2023

© Natural Resources Institute Finland05/02/2023

Genetics Research - Luke• Animal genomics

– Gene mapping of traits connected to animal health, productivity and quality, and genomic selection

– Bovine embryo production – Nutrigenomics

• Biometrical genetics– Genetic evaluation methodology– Design of breeding programs– Genomic selection

• Genetic diversity– Conservation, management and utilization of genetic

diversity of cultivated plants and domestic animals– economic and cultural values of genetic diversity

• Plant genomics – Genetic diversity of crop plants– Marker systems for fingerprinting and selection – Doubled-haploid methodology– Cryo preservation methodology


Biometrical Genetics Genetic evaluationmethodology

Fish

Pigs

Fur Animals

Dairy cattle

Healthy CowUdder health evaluation forNordic dairy cattle

Genomic SelectionGenomic selection and genomic breeding value estimation

Test-day modelMilk yield evaluation forNordic dairy cattle

Farm compassTools for farmmanagement monitoring

BLUP ShopAnimal evaluation and genetic models - Toolbox

FurGeneticsGenetics of economically importanttraits in fur animals

Pig-SNiPUtilization of animal models and genomic information:Pork in human diet. PigBreedsBreed differences in pro-duction and quality traits

Productive PigNew applications in pig breeding

Fish SurvivalNew breeding traits to reduce nutrient effluent

DiversitySustainable farm animalselection and genomics

Across-Country EvaluationVariance component estimation methodfor international across-country evaluation

NobleFish breeding programmes

GREEN DAIRYGenetic and nutritional toolsto mitigate methane emission -Energy balance and feed efficiency

Dairy Dev’tDairy recording & farm advisory animal evaluation


Development of genetic evaluations for industry

• Milk yield evaluation for Nordic dairy cattle – Nordic Test Day Model– Dairy cattle of Denmark, Finland and Sweden (Norway)– Holstein, Red Cattle, Jersey– Developing a model that utilizes over 100 million observations on milk, protein

and fat yield from over 3 million cows of over 50 000 dairy herds to predict genetic values for over 7 million animals

– Developing a model to describe the environmental variation within and across the dairy herds

• Udder health evaluation for Nordic dairy cattle– Utilizing observations on milk somatic cell count, clinical mastitis incidences, and

on udder conformation to predict genetic values for Nordic dairy cattle

READY

APPROVED BY INTERBULL


Prediction of animals’ genetic values

• Animal evaluation and genetic models – ToolboxDeveloping computationally efficient computing programs for animal genetic evaluation– MiX99 General software package for analysis of large and complex

mixed models

– Best linear unbiased prediction software for breeding companies and universities

– Development of a stochastic method for estimation of genetic parameters significant reduction in computational time (days in stead of months)

• Genetic parameters estimation method for international across-country evaluation

– Method to estimate all genetic correlations between 26 countries in one single analysis

• Genomic selection and genomic breeding value estimation– Blending/Combining of direct genetic values and estimated breeding values– ClubWare (http//:genomicselection.net) software development for genomic selection


Example about transfer of expertiseHerd management monitoring tool - MAITOISA


CONTRASTING EXPERIENCES

05/02/2023


PERFORMANCE RECORDING

INFORMATION COLLECTED

05/02/2023


Feed intake & Feed Efficiency


Carbon foot-print & Environmental impact traits

Next 5-10


Performance recording : Organization

05/02/2023

• Milk recording – • ~ 80% of herds under milk recording• those under MR gets advisory, AI, periodic farmers trainings at discounted price

• Milk recordings are done by farmers themselves/family members and sent to the MLOY

• Edition and checking incoming records done at MLOY with edition rules


Summary : Information collected

05/02/2023

• Production as well as functional traits – correlated traits• Functional traits: udder health Nordics

• Start with few core traits and build stepwisely • Don’t overstreach

• Standardize/harmonize traits and recording systems across boundaries

• Harness advances in digital and ICT


BULL EVALUATION

05/02/2023


VikingGenetics International DenmarkVikingGenetics International Sweden

VikingGenetics International Finland

• VG coordinates AI, ET, AI business and also finance R&D


ACROSS COUNTRY EVALUATION

05/02/2023


Udder health


The breeding goal is described in the NTM, which is an economic index,

~ 70 traits


Summary : Animal evaluations

05/02/2023

• Start simple • Ethiopian experience • 15000 animals & ~100,000 TD records• Simple RPT TD model

• Strong national developments are a plus for future across country evaluations

• Training in animal breeding & programing

• Advances in genomic selection – Reference popn


Important Issues

05/02/2023

• Data and data quality

• Realistic assumptions• across country evaluations• HV

• Improved statistical models & suitable softwares and • HV corrections


Thank you!

performance recording and bull evaluation: contrasting experiences

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