U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Vanraden, Paulitem
                                            Tooker, Melvin
  Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
                                    Publication Type: Abstract Only
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 2/17/2006
                                    Publication  Date: 7/9/2006
                                    Citation: Van Raden, P.M., Tooker, M.E. 2006. Revised estimates of lifetime net merit for dairy breeds and breed crosses [abstract]. Journal of Dairy Science. 89(Suppl. 1):246-247(abstr. 255).Interpretive Summary:
                                Technical Abstract: Dairy breeds and breed crosses were compared using updated net merit (NM), cheese merit (CM), and fluid merit (FM) formulas that include calving ease and daughter pregnancy rate (DPR). National data for milk, fat, protein, productive life, somatic cell score, and DPR were each evaluated using an all-breed animal model. New estimates of breed differences were compared to phenotypic breed differences and to previous estimates from studies that only included herds containing crossbred cows. Estimates of general heterosis from previous studies were used in the current research and not re-estimated. New estimates of breed effects were generally intermediate between the previous estimates and the phenotypic breed differences; all three estimates were similar. For calving ease, percentages of difficult births in first parity (%DBH) were estimated to be 7.9% for over 3.5 million Holstein (HO), 0.8% for 22,318 Jersey (JE), 4.7% for 5,909 Brown Swiss (BS), 3.3% for 1,418 Guernsey, 4.4% for 520 Ayrshire and 7.8% for 205 Milking Shorthorn. First generation crosses of JE x HO exceeded HO by $22 for NM and by $123 for CM, and BS x HO crosses exceeded HO by $32 for NM and by $102 for CM. All comparisons were at the genetic base of zero for each breed, and no crossbreds exceeded HO for FM. For later generations, backcrosses to HO are preferred for NM, whereas for CM, three-breed crosses may provide profit equal to HO backcrosses. Economic values were from 2003 and included relative emphasis of 33% on protein, 22% on fat, 11% on productive life, 9% against somatic cell score, 7% on daughter pregnancy rate, 7% on udder composite, 4% on feet and leg composite, 4% on calving ease, and 3% against body size composite. Economic values may need revision again during 2006 to account for a new definition of productive life, a new evaluation of calf livability, higher prices for butterfat relative to protein, and higher replacement heifer costs. Routine updates of economic values and breed differences can help producers to manage crossbreeding programs.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov