Longevity and Fertility PAUL VANRADEN Animal Improvement Programs

Longevity and Fertility PAUL VANRADEN Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD paul@aipl. arsusda. gov PLACE, DATE (1) 2001

History of Productive Life January 1994 – Single-trait PL for bulls July 1994 – Multi-trait PL at HA for all bulls January 1995 – Base change of 0. 9 months January 1996 – Cow PL PTA’s first published August 2000 – New multi-trait methods at USDA August 2000 – Base change of 0. 8 months November 2000 – Genetic correlations reduced HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (2) Paul Van. Raden 2001

PTA Productive Life Ø Productive Life (PL) = Total months in milk by seven years of age, including up to 10 months per lactation. Ø Multi-trait PL includes correlated traits · Milk, fat, protein · SCS · Type composites (udder, feet & legs, size) · Cull rate gradually replaces correlated traits HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (3) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Calculation of Multi-trait PL PTA PL = PA PL + Cov(true PL – PA, PTA – PA) Var -1(PTA – PA) Ø Begin with PA, regress on PTA – PA Ø Direct (single trait) PL and 7 indirect traits included in vectors Ø Weight on PTA – PA for each trait is determined by correlations, heritabilities, and reliabilities · Decline to zero as single-trait REL for PL approaches 99% HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (4) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Heritabilities and Correlations Milk Fat Protein PL SCS Size Udder F&L . 65. 30. 82 . 90. 76. 30 . 29. 26. 30 . 20. 20 . 01. 01 -. 20 -. 02 . 34. 29 -. 10. 06 -. 10. 01 . 34 -. 10. 06 -. 10. 01 . 085 -. 30. 03. 08. 19 -. 40. 10 -. 11 -. 33 -. 02 -. 04 -. 11. 40. 26. 22 . 30 -. 33. 26. 27. 10 . 19 -. 02. 22. 10. 15 . 30. 77. 93 Genetic Correlation above diagonal Heritabilities on the diagonal (for Holsteins) Phenotypic Correlation below diagonal HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (5) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Example Data for PL Fat Milk (lb) PTA +1, 947 +61 REL % 81 81 PA +588 +44 RELPAb % 48 48 Protein (lb) PLa (mo) SCS Size Udder F&L +61 +1. 1 +3. 38 +. 52 +. 90 +. 99 81 +28 48 61 66 -. 4 +3. 31 46 47 75 +. 73 48 71 67 +. 56 +. 81 48 47 a. PTA is single trait, PA is multi-trait b. REL PA max = 50% HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (6) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Example Weights for PL Fat Milk (lb) PTA +1, 947 +61 REL % 81 81 PA +588 +44 RELPAb % 48 48 Relative wt. % 3 4 Protein (lb) PLa (mo) SCS Size Udder F&L +61 +1. 1 +3. 38 +. 52 +. 90 81 +28 48 61 66 -. 4 +3. 31 46 47 75 +. 73 48 71 67 +. 56 +. 81 48 47 5 Multi-Trait PTA RELMT % 54 +1. 4 63 -5 -8 16 +. 99 4 a. PTA is single trait, PA is multi-trait b. REL PA max = 50% HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (7) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Stability of PL Evaluations Ø Update of 1997 study by Ryan Starkenburg Ø August 2001 evaluations compared for: · January 1995 active AI bulls · February 1997 active AI bulls Ø PTA protein adjusted to true protein Ø Bulls with sample code ‘ 0’ excluded Ø August 2001 PL reliability 90% Ø Regressions (expected to be 1) Ø Correlations (hoped to be high) HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (8) Paul Van. Raden 2001

High PTA PL Bulls from 1995 Bull C-E Bell Jake P-R Roebuck E S-W-D Eagle B-H Mark. OPolo B Ethan V-V Cleitus Bert L-B Abel J Secret Kody PL 19951 Daus REL 103. 72 50. 63 10, 823. 99 538. 86 39. 57 42. 56 50. 57 28. 48 PL 20012 PTA PL Daus REL 19951 20012 8461. 99 3. 4 2. 8 21, 282. 99 3. 4 2. 0 13, 542. 99 3. 3 2. 5 11, 520. 99 3. 2 2. 3 9687. 99 3. 0 1. 4 12, 956. 99 2. 9 1. 4 3013. 98 2. 8 1. 2 1410. 96 2. 8 1. 1 1 January 1995 Evaluation 2 August 2001 Evaluation HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (9) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Low PTA PL Bulls from 1995 Bull P Ijon Dakota Big. Al. Lou. Rahls M Enhanc. Tater W-R Chalet-Red S Ijon Vision L-Ro-D Reid R Rotate Jimmy O Rambo PL 19951 Daus REL 2817. 94 47. 53 49. 57 131. 73 86. 68 120. 73 66. 62 199. 66 PL 20012 PTA PL Daus REL 19951 20012 4086. 99 -2. 0 -4. 0 809. 94 -1. 3 -0. 5 650. 92 -1. 1 -3. 5 3346. 98 -1. 0 -1. 2 1363. 96 -0. 9 -1. 4 1124. 96 -0. 8 706. 92 -0. 8 -0. 5 1839. 96 -0. 6 0. 0 1 January 1995 Evaluation 2 August 2001 Evaluation HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (10) Paul Van. Raden 2001

High PTA PL Bulls from 1997 Bull E Meadowlord R-VU Emperor SFL Sndwtr Itm Ked Juror I-C B Troy Cash Prices Bonus H-B Clei Aspen H Aristides PL 19971 Daus REL 73 65 64 63 97 66 80 68 71 67 54 65 56 65 87 69 PL 20012 PTA PL Daus REL 19971 20012 93 3. 4 1. 0 7016 99 3. 3 2. 6 2396 97 3. 2 2. 8 9766 99 3. 2 1. 1 1348 95 3. 1 3. 2 5142 99 3. 1 1. 2 1154 94 3. 1 1. 9 10, 428 99 3. 0 2. 0 1 February 1997 Evaluation 2 August 2001 Evaluation HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (11) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Low PTA PL Bulls from 1997 Bull M-B C Geoffry Peticote Lance S-B N-B Mascot Q-P Madison L Rex Richard J Rotate Jed P Desperado R Rte Juggler PL 19971 Daus REL 64 64 1803 95 10, 460 99 320 81 117 74 429 85 621 89 2249 96 PL 20012 PTA PL Daus REL 19971 20012 3299 98 -1. 4 -1. 8 22, 298 99 -1. 2 -3. 1 31, 021 99 -1. 0 -2. 7 637 92 -1. 0 -2. 8 6581 99 -0. 9 -1. 5 8951 99 -0. 8 -0. 7 1027 94 -0. 6 -1. 1 13, 486 99 -0. 6 -1. 7 1 February 1997 Evaluation 2 August 2001 Evaluation HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (12) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Current and Past Evaluations Regressions and Correlations August 2001 Regressions February 1997 January 1995 Milk Fat Protein PL SCS . 90. 92 . 93 . 85. 88. 87 . 94. 96 . 81. 78 . 86. 85 . 82. 81 . 62. 58 . 83. 80 August 2001 Correlations February 1997 January 1995 HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (13) Paul Van. Raden 2001

PL and Lifespan Defined Ø PL · Credit for maximum 10 mo per lactation · Records 305 d weren’t stored in database · Long calving intervals unprofitable Ø Lifespan · Credit for months between lactations · Higher yield and b. ST allow longer lactations · Embryo donors not penalized HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (14) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Lifespan and PL Compared Ø Heritability · 6. 7% for lifespan · 7. 6% for PL · (8. 5% official PL estimate since 1994) Ø Genetic correlations of lifespan ·. 986 with PL · More correlated than PL with yield · Less correlated than PL with SCS · Less correlated with fertility (-. 46 vs -. 59) HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (15) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Cow Fertility Ø Days Open · Calving interval – 280 days · Lower limit of 50 days, upper limit 250 · Sold for reproductive problems = 250 Ø Genetic parameters · 3. 7% heritability ·. 32 correlation with protein ·. 30 correlation with SCS HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (16) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Bulls with Low Daughter Fertility PTA Days Bull Open 15. 9 P Lance 11. 1 J Rte Jed 11. 0 K-M Bell Joy 10. 9 E Rte Duke 9. 7 R Rte Juggler 9. 5 J-S Mark Anthony 9. 0 H Mr Mark Cinder 8. 0 A-R Ever-Ready HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (17) PTA PL -3. 0 -0. 6 -0. 5 -1. 4 -1. 7 -1. 8 -0. 1 -0. 7 Paul Van. Raden 2001

Bulls with High Daughter Fertility PTA Days Bull Open E C Valiant -7. 2 S Mark Arthur -6. 0 O Chrmn Monitor -5. 4 S Valiant Winken -5. 3 T-H Valiant Rockie -5. 2 C-W Valour -5. 1 C Emerald Target -5. 0 L-M Centurian -4. 8 HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (18) PTA PL 1. 2 3. 4 0. 7 0. 9 1. 5 1. 6 0. 7 Paul Van. Raden 2001

Foreign Longevity Evaluations Ø Measures of longevity: Survival, herd life, stayability, durability, PL Ø Most countries adjust for yield Ø Evaluated in 13 Countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, USA HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (19) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Foreign Bull Productive Life Ø Options · Set PL equal to zero or breed average · Simple regressions on yield (1995 -2000) · Use parent average from domestic PL data (August 2000) · Combine PA with Interbull yield and type (November 2000) · Include also Interbull SCS (May 2001) · MACE for longevity (Dutch research) HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (20) Paul Van. Raden 2001

Conclusions Ø Longevity rankings have high value but lower accuracy than other traits. Ø Cow fertility has low heritability (3. 7%) but high genetic correlation with PL (-. 59). Ø Selection on PL is effective, but cow fertility evaluations could increase lifetime profit. Credit for embryo donors may be needed. HOLSTEIN GAC, 2001 (21) Paul Van. Raden 2001