Namnlöst dokument

Explanation of the figures

National Genetic Evaluation, Sweden (PDF)

Breeding values are published four times annually,in February, May, August and November.

Nordic Total Merit

The NTM is a tool designed to help the farmer to select sires that give maximum profit. It is a composite breeding value taking into account the correlation between traits as well as the economic impact of each trait. More than 50 breeding values are combined in 11 main traits. Each trait is given an economic weight related to actual cost or income.

Production

. Production Index: Based on amount of protein, fat and milk. Protein is valued five times as much as fat.There is a slight negative weighting applied to the milk quantity, in order to maintain concentration.
. Growth: Based on data from slaughtered male progeny. Includes carcass growth and classification

Health

. Daughter fertility: Fertility data from heifers, first, second and third calvers. Includes number of inseminations, interval between first and last insemination and fertility disorders.
. Calving index,S: Based on calving difficulties and number of stillborn calves from first calvers.
. Calving index, MGS: Expresses the ability of the bulls' daughters to give birth to a living calf at their first calving.
. Mastitis: Based on mastitis diagnoses, compulsory reported by vets and from the milk recording scheme, cell-count data and reported cullings due to mastitis.
. Other diseases: Based on diseases other than mastitis and fertility disorders, compulsory reported by vets and culling reports from the milk recording scheme.
. Longevity: Based on the proportion of daughters calving a fourth time.

Conformation

A comprehensive classification of body, legs and udder. Based on a linear description of conformation traits. NTM includes the values for legs and udder.
. Legs: A comprehensive evaluation of the legs.
. Udder: A comprehensive evaluation of the udder.
. Temperament: Based on farmers' observations.
. Milkabillity: Based on farmers' observations. Not included in NTM.

Traits included in NTM, and the respective economic weight

	Economic weight
Trait	Swedish Red (SRB)	Swedish Holstein
Production index	0,69	0,62
Growth	0	0
Daughter fertility	0,30	0,31
Calving index S(ire)	0,07	0,12
Calving index M(aternal)G(rand)S(ire)	0,09	0,23
Mastitis	0,30	0,30
Other diseases	0,04	0,04
Longevity (residual)	0,10	0,10
Stature	0	0
Legs	0,14	0,18
Udder	0,29	0,18
Temperament	0	0

Statistical method

The statistical method used is the BLUP procedure. Since April 2006 Breeding values in Denmark, Finland and Sweden for production, mastits, female fertility, confirmation, milking speed, and temperament are calculated together, with a common genetic base and standardization factors cow base for all three countries. All breeding values are expressed to a cow base and for sire model traits a sire base is used that is equivalent to the cow base. For the yield traits, type traits, milkability and temperament the base includes cows, which are 3-5 years old and have calved at least once at the publication date. For longevity, fertility traits, calving traits, mastitis, other diseases and beef production a sire based is used including sires that have official breeding values for the traits at the publication date. In Sweden we have large daughter groups (120-150 cows) for the breeding evaluation and it gives the breeding values high reliability. The base that we use is a rolling base and it is changed at every evaluation. When the base group is exchanged, the breeding values are adjusted to a new genetic level.

All breeding values are expressed with a standard deviation of 10.