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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #111602
Title: HERE, THERE AND IN ALL OTHER PLACES

Author
item HANSEN, LES - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item Powell, Rex
item SIEBER, MARTIN - NAAB
item CASANOVA, DANIEL - UNIVERSIDAD DE TANDIL

Submitted to: Infortambo
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Holstein genetics from the US have been broadly disseminated around the globe over the past 25 years. While they have performed very well, questions still arise. Will bulls selected for daughter performance in the US be effective in improving production in diverse management systems (climate, concentrate feeding, housing)? Research in Ireland showed that even though milk production differed considerable between herds with low versus high concentrate feeding, the sire rankings were similar. This result was supported by recent research in Wisconsin although the environmental differences were not as extreme. There, national evaluations predicted differences in daughter milk yield very well in both management situations. Two other studies suggesting reranking of sires in different environments have various limitations. The Canada-New Zealand study from the 1980's included only 20 bulls with an average of 21 daughters each. Although reranking was reported, the daughters of Canadian sires produced 7.5% more milk than did daughters of New Zealand sires. So even if there is some reranking, the best bulls for use in a grazing environment like New Zealand might still come from North America. For this report, sires from the US, Canada, and Argentina were compared based on the bull evaluation results in Argentina where grazing is extensive. Average predicted transmitting abilities (PTA) milk for the three groups of sires showed the US bulls well ahead. Most of the top 300 cows were by US sires (89%). Regardless of some evidence of reranking in different environments, most of the genes of the top Holstein sires throughout the world come from the US. Daughters of US sires have demonstrated that they are efficient producers of milk in a broad range of environments.

Technical Abstract: Holstein genetics from the US have been broadly disseminated around the globe over the past 25 years. While they have performed very well, questions still arise about the applicability to environments not typical in the US. Research in Ireland and Wisconsin showed genetic correlations of +.92. National US evaluations predicted differences in daughter milk yield very well in both grazing and non-grazing management situations. A few other studies suggested reranking of sires in different environments but these studies have various limitations. The Canada-New Zealand study from the 1980's included only 20 bulls with an average of 21 daughters each. Although reranking was reported, the daughters of Canadian sires produced 7.5% more milk than did daughters of New Zealand sires. So even if there is some reranking, the best bulls for use in a grazing environment like New Zealand might still come from North America. New to this report is the comparison of sires from the US, Canada, and Argentina based on bull evaluation results in Argentina. Average predicted transmitting abilities (PTA) milk for the three groups of sires were 306, 148, and 58 kg. Most of the top 300 cows were by US sires (89%) and average PTA milk for cows born in the 1990's were 165, 83, and 52 kg for the three sources of sires. Regardless of some evidence of reranking in different environments, most of the genes of the top Holstein sires throughout the world come from the US. Daughters of US sires have demonstrated that they are efficient producers of milk in a broad range of environments.