Breeding Value for Dry Matter Intake for Dutch Bulls based on DGV for DMI and BV for Predictors

Abstract Text: Dry matter intake (DMI) was available for (part of) 3,179 lactations in the Netherlands. Genetic variances were estimated for yield and DMI in parity 1, 2 and 3+, and stature, body depth and chest width in parity 1. The combined pedigree and genomic relationship matrix was used to predict genomic breeding values (DGV) for DMI and used to back solve the solutions to obtain SNP effects. Using genetic correlations with predictor traits, combined breeding values (GEBV) for DMI were produced. The s.d. of the combined GEBV was 1.2 kg/d and the median for the reliability was 0.56. For DGV s.d. was 0.45 and median reliability was 0.18. Genetic trend showed an increase of 1.1 kg DMI/d per decade for the combined GEBV, versus 0.12 for the DGV. Future developments include the expansion of the reference population in collaboration with other partners worldwide

Keywords:

Dairy

Feed intake

Genomic selection