Prediction of energy balance from milk traits of Holsteins in Japan.

We predicted the energy balance (EB) of Holstein cows in Japan from milk traits obtained by herd testing. Records covered 156 lactations of 102 cows. The number of artificial inseminations was highest, and the first conception rate was lowest in the low-EB group. Four prediction models were developed-for the whole lactation and for the early, middle, and late stages of lactation-with 20 variables, covering days in milk (DIM), milk yield, and milk composition traits. The actual and predicted EB means agreed well within DIM classes; the means of the residuals were smaller in the lactation stage models than in the all-lactation model, but the standard deviations (SDs) of the residuals were similar among models. After data reduction, the SDs of the residuals for 100 iterations were <1 throughout lactation in both types of models when n = 100. After model reduction, including the daily change of milk yield as a variable minimized the SDs of the residuals. Our equations for herd-level EB prediction have potential for use in genetic evaluation.

The economic value of days open in Holstein cows in Japan based on simulated changes in conception rate.

Increasing herd-life length and culling parity with increasing conception rate (CR) is necessary to increase lifetime profit from dairy cow production. Economic values of days open (DO) were determined by calculating changes in fertility traits, herd-life length, and milk yield when the simulated CR were changed in increments of 1% from -5% to 5% from the basal levels, which were obtained for Hokkaido and regions other than Hokkaido separately. When CR increased, number of artificial inseminations, DO, and milking length decreased. Furthermore, culling parity, and annual milk yield increased. Herd-life length increased in Hokkaido and decreased in the other regions. The economic values of CR were 1,623.8 to 946.8 yen and of DO were 857.4 to 399.0 yen. Relative economic values of milk yield to days open per genetic standard deviation were higher in the other regions than in Hokkaido where the economic effect of selection for DO was expected to be equal to selection for 305-day milk yield and herd life. If the survival rate of multipara cows in the other regions increases, then the economic value of DO would similarly increase in Hokkaido.

Estimation of the economic value of herd-life length based on simulated changes in survival rate.

Functional traits are an important aspect of long-term breeding strategies for dairy cattle. In this regard, it is necessary to develop simple methods for estimating the economic value of herd life. In this study, the economic daily value of herd life was estimated when survival rate varied between -0.05 and 0.05 from the basal survival rate. The extension days per survival rate were 26.5 days in Hokkaido and 20.3 days in other regions. The increases in values of annual income per day of herd life were 95.18 yen in Hokkaido and 101.80 yen in other regions. The relative economic weights of milk yield to herd life per genetic standard deviation were 0.668 in Hokkaido and 1.03 in other regions. Estimated increments in yearly profits based on young sire selection for herd life were 963 yen in Hokkaido and 1,030 yen in other regions. The estimated increments in annual profits based on young sire selection for milk yield were 1,268 yen in Hokkaido and 2,097 yen in other regions. Given that economic value was linearly correlated with herd-life length, the linear regression coefficients between these factors could be used to estimate the economic value of herd-life length.

Genetic analysis of fat-to-protein ratio, milk yield and somatic cell score of Holstein cows in Japan in the first three lactations by using a random regression model.

We estimated the genetic parameters of fat-to-protein ratio (FPR) and the genetic correlations between FPR and milk yield or somatic cell score in the first three lactations in dairy cows. Data included 3,079,517 test-day records of 201,138 Holstein cows in Japan from 2006 to 2011. Genetic parameters were estimated with a multiple-trait random regression model in which the records within and between parities were treated as separate traits. The phenotypic values of FPR increased soon after parturition and peaked at 10 to 20 days in milk, then decreased slowly in mid- and late lactation. Heritability estimates for FPR yielded moderate values. Genetic correlations of FPR among parities were low in early lactation. Genetic correlations between FPR and milk yield were positive and low in early lactation, but only in the first lactation. Genetic correlations between FPR and somatic cell score were positive in early lactation and decreased to become negative in mid- to late lactation. By using these results for genetic evaluation it should be possible to improve energy balance in dairy cows.

Genetic evaluation of the longevity of the Holstein population in Japan using a Weibull proportional hazard model.

The objective of this study was to confirm the stability of the genetic estimation of longevity of the Holstein population in Japan. Data on the first 10 lactation periods were obtained from the Livestock Improvement Association of Japan. Longevity was defined as the number of days from first calving until culling or censoring. DATA1 and DATA2 included the survival records for the periods 1991-2003 and 1991-2005, respectively. The proportional hazard model included the effects of the region-parity-lactation stage-milk yield class, age at first calving, the herd-year-season, and sire. The heritabilities on an original scale of DATA1 and DATA2 were 0.119 and 0.123, respectively. The estimated transmitting abilities (ETAs) of young sires in DATA1 may have been underestimated, but coefficient δ, which indicated the bias of genetic trend between DATA1 and DATA2, was not significant. The regression coefficient of ETAs between DATA1 and DATA2 was very close to 1. The proportional hazard model could steadily estimate the ETA for longevity of the sires in Japan.

Relationship between the lactation curve and udder disease incidence in different lactation stages in first-lactation Holstein cows.

We examined the relationships between the shape of the first parity lactation curve and udder disease incidence at different stages of lactation in 538 Holstein cows. Data used were first-parity daily milk yields and treatment records. Each cow was classified according to whether or not it had had udder disease at least once over the whole lactation period or in one of three stages within the lactation period. We then examined the differences in the shapes of the lactation curves between the disease incidence and non-incidence group in each stage. Cows that had high rates of increase in milk yield and high milk yields in early lactation were predisposed to udder disease afterwards. Cows with high milk production over a long period but with low lactation persistency were predisposed to udder disease after the peak of lactation. There was no difference in total milk yield between incidence and non-incidence groups in all stages, suggesting that, for a comparable level of lactation, cows without udder diseases have flatter lactation curves.