Herd Genetic Profile
Improvements in dairy herd
performance can be attributed to
genetics and herd management
The challenge dairy producers
face is to breed good genetics into
the herd and then manage the herd
in a manner that will enable cows
to perform to their genetic poten
tial, and to do so profitably.
X' P
GLENN’S
UDDERINGS
By
Glenn A. Shirk
Lancaster Extension
Dairy Agent
Your DHIA records can pro
vide a clue to the genetic progress
of your herd. Table 1 is a section
of Raleigh’s DHIA Herd Sum
mary Report It shows the genetic
profile of the herds on official test
in Lancaster County. A similar
genetic profile can be found on the
Pa. DHIA Herd Summary Report
n.
Using the county avenge in
Table 1 as an example, 65% of the
services were to A.I. proven sins,
22% were to A.I. young sires, and
“other” sires accounted for the
remaining 13%. The PTAS for the
proven sires was +233 compared
to +219 for the young sires not
much difference. The PTAS of
these service sires is an estimate of
how profitable the future daught
ers of these sires will be compared
to herdmates sired by bulls with
PTAS of zero. The PTAS in Table
1 is blank, but producers can
choose 1 of 3 options: PTAS MFP
(milk, fat and protein), PTAS MF
(milk and fat) or PTAS CY
(cheese yield).
It is interesting to note that the
PTAS of the randomly used young
sires is almost equal to those of the
more selectively used proven
sires. Both of these far exceeded
the PTAS of “other” bulls, many
of which in these official herds
probably were “clean-up” bills
and “heifer settlers.”
The PTAS for “other” bulls
used in unofficial herds (not
shown) was +l4l compared to the
+6l in Table 1, These “other”
bulls probably farm bulls,
accounted for 50% of all the ser-
Table 3
NUMBER
DRY
PERIODS
ISTLACT
'NDLACT.
3 ♦ lACTS
36
LACTATIONS
PIG SAVER "DUTCH CRATE” Mating In our roMareh
(arm* tha goal waa to davalop a grata that naarly allmlnalaa eruahlng, dua to lay ana, unmatchad
durability and bo aaay to work
around. All Kite haa boon
aehlavad by a unique gravity
lilprall that torcaa aowa to ll*
down alowly and ualng atalnlaaa
ataal lor roar doora and laga,
provan horliontal and aolM ataal
tod eenatniollon. All thla at a
naaonaMa coat Crala alao can
bo Inalallad on an angle.
NURSERY PENNING
Nanny panning hu bam bnprowd
by Mia uaa ai an optional asM
UaMau aiaal panal on Ow front
gala* whMi hasps walkways
daan. Italnlaaa aiaal wrtfeala on
panning aNnHnalaa corrosion whan
panning attaehaa to tha floor.
Plaint*** aiaal MikM pfpaa 4
maundng brackala alao Inonaaa
tiurablHly.
~~~~~~
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Table 2
INTERVAL
LENGTH
OTHER
vices in the unofficial herds. The
unofficial herds probably made
more of an effort to select farm
bulls out of genetically superior
cows, but in spite of these efforts
their PTAS were still about 100
less than for the two groups of A.I.
sires in Table 1.
Not shown for the county aver
age in Table 1 are the percentile
rankings of sires used. These
should appear on herd summary
reports for individual herds. A
good goal is to choose sires in the
80 percentile group or higher.
Table 2 also contains some
information on service sire PTAS.
The average PTAS of sires used
for Ist services was 221, com
pared to 210 for 3rd and greater
services. In other words, there was
a slight tendency to not waste
expensive semen and good gene
tics on problem breeders. The
DRY COW PROFILE
NUMBER
DRY
FEWER
THAN
40 DAYS
NUMBER
DRY
40-70
DAYS
AV
DAYS
DRY
25
64
9 C * '
wV
FINISHING PENNING
Optional tlaMaaa alatl vatdeala and
laatanara aflar Improved durahHHy
ovar ettiar aimHar lypaa o* panning,
loop and flappar latch anangamanl
dlmlnalaa the uaa at drop pine.
ttaMaaa ataal lna laa^laaa
pravMa aaaadant durability and a
minimum el waala.
SERVICE OR
HEAT INTERVALS
SERVICE
NUMBER
NUMBER
INTERVALS
2ND
18*24
3RD +
TOTi
AIPL
PTAS
AVERAGE
BODY
WEIGHT
NUMBER
DRV
OVER
TODAYS
+74
1270
'll
%
CONFINEMENT
STALL
Davalopad raoantty Mi our RID tarm.
Our goal* wan aonvanlanoa, Mtaly
and durability. Tha low back and
flat lop raDa ara oaay to raaeh twr
with no aharp adgaa. Slabtlaaa alaal
roar laga and Irani hat along with
aolld ataal horiiantal rada through
punehad uprighla provlda Via
alrongaal, moat durabla ataU avar
produead by TrMCeunly (21"-24"
O.C. a M")
rrs*
Maawfewa
TOR PAST 12 MONTHS
SERVICE
SIRE
PTAS
NUMBER
SERVICES
% SUC
CESSFUL
average PTAS for .all sires used
was 218.
So far, we have been talking
about service sires. Table 3 shows
the AIPL PTAS of the cows and
their sires. These estimates are
calculated by AIPL (Animal
Improvement Programs Laborat
ory at USDA in Beltsville, Md.)
using the Animal Model method.
AIPL PTAS can be calculated on
registered or grade cows, living or
dead, if the cows have at least one
usable official record and their
sires are identified. At least 25%
of the herd must have sires with
PTAS values reported for average
PTAS of sires to be calculated.
Are You Making Genetic
Progress?
If the AIPL PTAS of the Ist lac
tation cows and their sires is grca
(Turn to P«g» A 34)
SIRES
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