Author
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Norman, H |
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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 3/7/2011 Publication Date: 3/15/2011 Citation: Norman, H.D. 2011. National Dairy Genetic Evaluation Program. Agriculture, Food, Nutrition, and Natural Resources R&D Round Table, Washington, DC, March 15, p. 20. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: The National Dairy Genetic Evaluation Program is a continuation of ongoing USDA collaboration with the U.S. dairy industry on genetic evaluation of dairy cattle since 1908. Data are provided by dairy records processing centers (yield, health, pedigree, and reproduction traits), breed registry societies (pedigrees and genotypes), and artificial-insemination organizations (pedigrees, reproduction data, and genotypes) for inclusion in the national dairy database maintained by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory (AIPL)). Using those genomic and phenotypic data, genetic progress of U.S. dairy animals is analyzed by AIPL for economically important traits (milk and component yields, component percentages, longevity, mastitis resistance, fertility and calving traits, and conformation) and genetic-economic indexes for overall merit, fluid milk, and cheese yield. That information is made available to the dairy industry (including individual dairy producers) through the AIPL web site for use in breeding and other management decisions to improve milk production of future generations of dairy animals and thus the efficiency of the national dairy herd and prices of dairy products. A more efficient national herd also provides dairy products with a smaller cattle population, thereby reducing any adverse environmental impacts and conserving natural resources. Annual milk yield of 9.1 million U.S. cows today is more than 21,000 pounds per cow compared with less than 9,500 pounds for 12.5 million cows in 1970; over 60% of that gain is attributable to genetics |
