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Topical summary of USDA-DHIA evaluation changes (1989–2013)  Genomics  |  U.S. yield traits  |  Foreign yield traits  |  Other traits  |  Delivery/base  |  Identification/inbreeding  |  Edits/corrections  |   Earlier history  |  Changes by year  **Topic**
**Evaluation date**
**Changes**Genomics
August 2013
Version 2 of GeneSeek Genomic Profiler chip
Foreign and genomic information in parent averagesMay 2013
Additional variables added to XML files
Information on GP2 chipApril 2013
Distribution and access to genomic evaluations
Use of a new chip with 76,867 markers
Ayrshire genomic evaluations
Weights used in genomic evaluationsDecember 2012
Correction and adjustment of health trait evaluations and reliabilities
Changes in HH1, HH3, and JH1 status
Automated processing of genotypesAugust 2012
Additional Brown Swiss genotypes from Interbull
Updated Chromosomal PTA QueryApril 2012
Adjustments to genomic evaluations and reliabilitiesDecember 2011
Genomic evaluations using 6,909 markersAugust 2011
Inclusion of British and Italian Holstein genotypes
Changes in marker editsApril 2011
Improved imputation
Genomic reliability discountDecember 2010
Evaluations using 2,900 markersAugust 2010
Validation of genomic evaluations
Improvements to imputed dam genotypes
Preliminary evaluations using 3,000 markersApril 2010
Cow adjustments in genomic evaluation of yield traits
Haplotypes used for imputing genotypes
Genotypes from Switzerland
Improved reliability for genomic evaluationsJanuary 2010
Revised genomic evaluation methods
Web query to track genotypesAugust 2009
Brown Swiss genomic evaluations
Revised marker set used in genomic predictions
Blending of genomic and current Interbull evaluationsApril 2009
Revisions to genomic calculationsJanuary 2009
Genomic evaluations become officialApril 2008
Genomic predictionU.S. yield traits
April 2011
Adjustment of yield evaluations for all cowsApril 2010
Cow adjustments in genomic evaluation of yield traitsJanuary 2010
Net merit as a measure of lifetime profit: 2010 revision [AIPL Research Report NM$4 (12-09)]January 2009
Multitrait best predictionMay 2007
All-breed animal model
Revisions to herd variance adjustmentAugust 2006
Net merit as a measure of lifetime profit: 2006 revision [AIPL Research Report NM$3 (7-06)]May 2005
Herd-by-sire interaction varianceNovember 2000
Heritability increase for Jersey and Brown SwissAugust 2000
True protein replaced crude proteinFebruary 1999
Lactation records computed from test-day data by best prediction
Factors to adjust for 3 milkings per day updatedNovember 1998
Cows in owner-sampler plans received predicted transmitting abilities (PTAs)February 1998
Reliabilities of milk, fat, and protein combined into yield reliabilityAugust 1997
Heritability increased to 30%, herd-sire interaction decreased to 10%, and permanent environment decreased to 15%
Deviations from management group mean limited to 4 standard deviationsFebruary 1997
Owner-sampler and other records with type-of-test 40 to 77 used
Future milk prices forecast with a relative protein:fat ratio of 2:1July 1996
Lactation weights computed from record standards variables instead of days in milkJanuary 1995
New adjustment factors for age, parity, season, and previous days open
Residual age-parity effects included in modelJuly 1994
Percentiles changed from milk-fat-protein dollars (MFP$) to net merit (bulls only)January 1993
Animal model computations moved from Cornell to AIPLJuly 1991
Heterogeneous variance adjustment beganJanuary 1991
New lactation weights and expansion of partial records began (RIP dip adjustment)January 1990
Records from later herds included in animal modelJuly 1989
Animal model implemented
Missing protein PTAs estimated
Percentiles changed from milk-fat dollars (MF$) to MFP$Foreign yield traits
August 2012
Specific cow adjustments by country of evaluation for HolsteinsApril 2012
Sire-dam multitrait across-country evaluation (MACE)August 2010
Mexican cow recordsJanuary 2008
Interbull evaluations on Milking Shorthorn baseAugust 2007
Parent averages for young bullsMay 2001
Officiality rules changedNovember 2000
Effective number of daughters used in Interbull reliabilitiesFebruary 2000
Foreign evaluations requested for more cow damsNovember 1999
Foreign evaluations of parents included in cow evaluationsMay 1999
Foreign evaluations of bull dams from more countries used in parent averagesFebruary 1999
Use of Canadian dam data extended to other nationsMay 1998
Interbull evaluations official for a larger number of bullsAugust 1997
Five Netherlands bulls received U.S. PTAsFebruary 1997
National and international evaluations released together
Interbull evaluations preferred when reliability is 5% higher than U.S. reliability except when U.S. reliability reaches 80%January 1996
Reliabilities for foreign bulls account for imperfect genetic correlationJuly 1995
For bulls with Canadian dams, converted Canadian data used for parent averagesJanuary 1995
Conversions for European bulls replaced with Interbull multitrait across-country evaluations (MACE)July 1993
Converted Canadian data provided on same day and in same format as U.S. dataJanuary 1993
Canadian evaluations converted and combined with U.S. PTAsOther traits
April 2013
Calving-ease format changeDecember 2012
Correction and adjustment of health trait evaluations and reliabilities
PTA for days from calving to first insemination
New reproductive status and culling annual reportsAugust 2012
Revisions to heifer and cow conception rates
Mobility for Brown Swiss and additional traits for Milking ShorthornsApril 2012
Data cutoff date for sire conception rate
Productive life field formatApril 2011
Multitrait heifer and cow conception ratesDecember 2010
Data sources for sire conception rate evaluationsAugust 2010
Conception rate evaluations for males and femalesApril 2010
Fertility dataJanuary 2010
Net merit as a measure of lifetime profit: 2010 revision [AIPL Research Report NM$4 (12-09)]
Heifer and cow conception ratesJanuary 2009
Cow and heifer conception ratesAugust 2008
Service sire conception rate
More traits of foreign sires used in cow evaluationsJanuary 2008
Interbull fertility evaluations for breeds other than Holstein
Interbull evaluations on Milking Shorthorn base
Jersey, Brown Swiss, and Guernsey conformation compositesMay 2007
All-breed animal model
Genetic trend for daughter pregnancy rate
Genetic trends for calving ease and stillbirth
Revisions to herd variance adjustmentFebruary 2007
Fertility evaluations from InterbullNovember 2006
Holstein stillbirth and Brown Swiss calving ease (CE) from InterbullAugust 2006
Productive life (PL) credits revised
Stillbirth and calving ability
CE edits
Net merit as a measure of lifetime profit: 2006 revision [AIPL Research Report NM$3 (7-06)]May 2006
Bull fertility evaluation transferred to AIPL
Milking speed evaluations for Brown Swiss
Rear legs/rear view evaluations for Brown Swiss and GuernseysFebruary 2006
Daughter pregnancy rate (DPR) for foreign bullsMay 2005
CE edits
Interbull daughter CENovember 2004
Interbull longevity evaluationsMay 2004
New variances for Jersey and and Brown Swiss type
Jersey Interbull type evaluationsFebruary 2004
Pregnancy rate excludes embryo donors
Release of Interbull type evaluations for Ayrshire bullsNovember 2003
Earlier evaluation of DPR
Fertility and CE in prediction of PLAugust 2003
Fertility and CE in net merit
New variances for Ayrshire type traitsMay 2003
New variances for type traits
Parent averages for net merit and DPRFebruary 2003
DPR evaluations introduced
Changes in type evaluations for non-HolsteinsNovember 2002
Release of Interbull type evaluations for Guernsey and Brown Swiss bullsAugust 2002
Correlations between PL and yield reduced
Sire-maternal grandsire threshold model for CE
Adjustment for heterogeneous variance in genetic evaluation of type traitsFebruary 2002
PL for embryo donorsNovember 2001
PL in discontinued herdsAugust 2001
Release of Interbull type evaluations for Jersey bullsMay 2001
Interbull SCS evaluations
Variance adjustments for Jersey type traits
Interbull conformation evaluations
Officiality rules changedEditing systemFebruary 2001
Delayed release of Interbull files
Development of comparison tables
Development of new e-mail notification listEditing systemNovember 2000
Effective number of daughters used in Interbull reliabilities
Revised correlations in multitrait PL
Heritability increase for Jersey and Brown Swiss
3-character error codes
Canadian and American ID checkingAugust 2000
Base change for production traits
Base change for non-Holstein type traits
Multitrait PL
Lifetime net merit
True protein replaced crude protein
Foreign bull pedigree added
Cross-references generated from cow control numberMay 2000
High ranking grade designation corrected
First-herd designation corrected
Usable-herd designation corrected
Reporting of test-day errors
Cross-references derived from cow control numberAugust 1999
Net merit calculated from Interbull evaluations that include SCS and PL evaluations based on 1 to 9 daughters; parent average previously used for those bullsMay 1999
Fluid and cheese merit indexes and expected inbreeding available for cowsFebruary 1999
Fluid merit and cheese merit indexes introducedFebruary 1998
Type data for breeds other than Holstein evaluated with a multitrait animal modelJanuary 1996
Missing PL and SCS added to make net merit available for all cowsJuly 1995
Net merit, PL, and SCS provided for cows with recordsJanuary 1995
New multiplicative SCS age adjustment factorsJuly 1994
Direct and indirect measures of PL combined by Holstein Association
Missing PL and SCS added to provide net merit for all bulls
Reliability of net merit addedJanuary 1994
PL, SCS, and net merit introducedDelivery and base
May 2013
Release rule changes
Additional variables added to XML filesApril 2013
Distribution and access to genomic evaluationsApril 2011
Chip type and genomic inbreeding in formats 38 and 105November 2010
Estimated 2010 genetic base changes for goats–production and type traits [AIPL Supplemental Report (07-10)]August 2009
Genetic base changes for January 2010[AIPL Research Report BASE2 (8-09)]January 2008
New evaluation schedule
Interbull evaluations on Milking Shorthorn baseMay 2007
All-breed animal modelNovember 2006
Additional release of yield evaluations for dairy goatsFebruary 2005
Genetic base changes for February 2005 [AIPL Research Report BASE1 (10-04)]August 2003
Changes to the Red-and-White elite cow listAugust 2002
New Interbull schedule
Changes to bull file formatsAugust 2001
Early release of bull ID information
Early release of official Interbull evaluationsFebruary 2001
Delayed release of Interbull files
Development of comparison tables
Development of new e-mail notification listAugust 2000
Base change for production traits
Base change for non-Holstein type traitsAugust 1999
Evaluation start moved 1 week later, allowing an additional week of data to be includedFebruary 1999
Bull rankings provided on web and automatically by e-mailMay 1997
Frequency of evaluations increased to 4 times per yearFebruary 1997
Public access to cow and bull PTAs provided at AIPL web siteJanuary 1995
Genetic base changed to cows born in 1990July 1989
Genetic base changed to cows born in 1985Identification and inbreeding
August 2013
New fertility and stillbirth haplotypes and changes in haplotype status
Six digit cow control numbersDecember 2012
Changes in HH1, HH3, and JH1 status
Automated processing of genotypesAugust 2012
Genomic and pedigree inbreeding match betterDecember 2011
Maternal grandsire detection and discoveryAugust 2011
Reporting of haplotypes that affect fertilityApril 2010
Breed-specific markersAugust 2008
Genetic evaluations for clones
Reporting genetic recessive codesAugust 2007
Breed composition file for crossbreds
Adjustments to all-breed model
Revised definition of Interbull type-of-proof codeCorrection of bull identification (ID) numbers with more than nine digitsMay 2007
All-breed animal modelFebruary 2007
Elimination of duplicate evaluations for Red-and-White bulls and related format-38 changesNovember 2006
Ayrshire and Red Dairy Cattle breed codes
Series-840 animal ID numbersNovember 2003
Measure of pedigree completenessNovember 2001
Specification of clonesAugust 2001
Determination of preferred identificationMay 2001
Increased inclusion of crossbred cows from upgrading programsNovember 2000
Canadian and American ID checkingAugust 2000
Foreign bull pedigree added
Cross-references generated from cow control numberMay 2000
Cross-references derived from cow control numberFebruary 2000
Inbreeding sample included more complete pedigrees
Error detection improved for country codes in ID numbersNovember 1999
Foreign ID may be preferred over U.S. IDMay 1999
Maternal grandsire and birth date supplied for international bullsFebruary 1999
New sampling procedures used for expected inbreedingNovember 1998
Registry status and recessive codes providedFebruary 1998
Formats displayed international ID numbers and 4-digit years
Expected inbreeding of future progeny provided to help identify outcross bullsJanuary 1994
Inbreeding calculated and used in relationship matrix inverseJuly 1989
Animal model implemented
Genetic base changed to cows born in 1985
Missing protein PTAs estimated
Percentiles changed from milk-fat dollars (MF$) to MFP$
Red-and-White breed data combined with Holstein dataEdits and corrections
December 2012
Correction and adjustment of health trait evaluations and reliabilities
Automated processing of genotypesFebruary 2007
Consistency in reporting abortions
Designation of breedings with sexed semenMay 2004
Detection of abnormally high test-day yields for goatsFebruary 2004
Pregnancy rate excludes embryo donors
Release of Interbull type evaluations for Ayrshire bullsAugust 2003
Calculation of owner-sampler percentage
Calculation of data collection ratings
Edits applied to owner-sampler herdsMay 2003
Changes in detection and adjustment of abnormal test-day yieldsAugust 2002
Detection and adjustment of outlier test-day yields
Addition of initiation code to lactation recordAugust 2001
Evaluations and edits for owner-sampler dataMay 2001
Edits for long lactations
Goat data edits and queries
Correction of protein lactation recordsFebruary 2001
Improvements in checking for twinsNovember 2000
3-character error codesMay 2000
High ranking grade designation corrected
First-herd designation corrected
Usable-herd designation corrected
Reporting of test-day errorsFebruary 2000
Editing improved for test-day dataNovember 1999
Different tests included when cows change herdsMay 1999
Cows required to be tested in first 90 instead of 75 days of lactationFebruary 1999
New test-day edits and new programs to accommodate American ID installedJanuary 1993
Improved editing system installedEarlier history
1862–2013
History of USDA dairy evaluations


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