The official August genetic proofs are officially available.
This month’s evaluation includes the introduction of health trait genetic information for Brown Swiss animals. Six health traits — milk fever, displaced abomasum, ketosis, mastitis, metritis, and retained placenta — will now be evaluated by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) for Brown Swiss. The new traits will be incorporated into the breed’s Net Merit (NM$) with a total weight of approximately 2%, said CDCB.
Evaluations for the same six traits have been available for Holsteins since April 2018 and Jerseys since April 2020. CDCB determined that the same processes used for those breeds’ data can be used for Brown Swiss, too.
Additional changes to the August evaluations were introducing genomic Predicted Transmitting Abilities (PTAs) for rear leg rear view in the Guernsey breed and updating the Holstein Feet and Legs Composite and Udder Composite to match the Holstein Association USA formulas more closely.
For the most part, there was little change at the top of the rankings when compared to April. Among genomic Holsteins, STgen Cowen Thorson-ET held the positions atop the NM$, Cheese Merit (CM$), and GTPI lists he reached in the last triannual evaluation. Mr T-Spruce Frazz Lionel-ET did the same on the proven side.
The situation was similar in the Jersey breed, as Jx Vierra Theboss {6}-ET remained the top young bull for both CM$ and JPI. Jx River Valley Chief {6}-ET held his spot from April as the top proven CM$ bull, but there is a new leader in JPI in VJ Tudvad Samson Steno.
By the numbers
A.I. organizations reported 6,087 bulls active in August. Of these, 4,216 were genomic young bulls, giving genomic sires a 69% market share. This is up from the 59% they held in the April 2022 evaluations but on track with the 68% share they realized in both December 2021 and April 2021. Holstein sires numbered 4,958 in all, and 828 Jersey bulls were included, meaning the two breeds made up 95% of all bulls reported.
You can access the full sire rankings for genomic and proven bulls of all breeds now.
