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Derivation of Sustainable Breeding Goals for Dairy Cattle Using Selection Index Theory

¹ Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Research Centre Foulum, PO Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
² Department of Large Animal Sciences, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Grønnegårdsvej 8, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
³ Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, Wageningen, the Netherlands

Corresponding author: H. M. Nielsen; e-mail:hanne.marie.nielsen{at}umb.no.

The objective was to present 2 methods for the derivation of nonmarket values for functional traits in dairy cattle using deterministic simulation and selection index theory. A nonmarket value can be a value representing animal welfare and societal influences for animal production, which can be added to market economic values in the breeding goal to define sustainable breeding goals. The first method was restricted indices. A consequence of adding a nonmarket value to a market economic value for a given functional trait is less selection emphasis on milk yield. In the second method, the loss in selection response in milk resulting from greater emphasis on functional traits was quantified. The 2 methods were demonstrated using a breeding goal for dairy cattle with 4 traits (milk yield, mastitis resistance, conception rate, and stillbirth). Nonmarket values derived separately using restricted indices were 0.4 and 2.6 times the value of market economic values for mastitis resistance and conception rate, respectively. Nonmarket values for mastitis resistance and conception rate were both lower when derived simultaneously than when derived separately. This was due to the positive genetic correlation between mastitis resistance and conception rate, and because both traits are negatively correlated with milk yield. Using the second method and accepting a 5% loss in selection response for milk yield, nonmarket values for mastitis, conception rate, and stillbirth were 0.3, 1.4, and 2.9 times the market economic values. It was concluded that the 2 methods could be used to derive nonmarket values for functional traits in dairy cattle.

Key Words: dairy cattle • breeding objective • restricted index • sustainability

Abbreviation key: CONCR = conception rate, EV = market economic values, MAST = mastitis resistance, MY = milk yield, NV = nonmarket values, SR = selection response, STB = stillbirth

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. M. Nielsen, L. G. Christensen, and J. Odegard A method to define breeding goals for sustainable dairy cattle production. J Dairy Sci, September 1, 2006; 89(9): 3615 - 3625. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Karacaoren, F. Jaffrezic, and H. N. Kadarmideen Genetic Parameters for Functional Traits in Dairy Cattle from Daily Random Regression Models J Dairy Sci, February 1, 2006; 89(2): 791 - 798. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]