Validation of Dairy Genetic Models
In its role of European Reference Centre providing further assistance to the European Competence Authorities, in line with the current European breeding law, Interbull Centre will offer the possibility to all European’s genetic centers and breeding associations to assess the correctness of their genetic evaluation models (in matter of level of bias detected) by using an EURC validation software. This service will be rendered to all genetic centers and/or breeding associations, officially recognized by their Competent Authority (https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/zootechnics/member_states_en), whether they participate to an international genetic evaluation offered by Interbull Centre or not.
Conventional Validation tests provide reassurance to the evaluation center, cattle organizations and farmers that the bias in their statistical models applied for a given breed/trait are within a tolerated threshold of 2%. This is an assurance that their statistical models applied are sound and fitting well their data avoiding any under/over estimation of their animals’ genetic worth.
Validation tests have been available for breeds and countries involved in Interbull’s international evaluations for many years. Now, in its function of European Union Reference Centre (EURC) for Zootechnics, the Interbull Centre is making such validation tests, namely validation model I and III (https://interbull.org/ib/cop_appendix2), available to all national genetic evaluations:
a. For all dairy breeds that have been registered with their national competent authorities in line with EU Regulation 2016/1012, commonly known as the “EU Animal Breeding Regulation” (https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/zootechnics/member_states_en);
b. Whether or not they participate in the Interbull international evaluations;
c. Applicants will be required to complete the Performance Recording, Evaluation, and Publication Forms (“PREP” Form) for the traits they wish to get validated
d. The stand-alone validation test is currently limited to Production Traits (Milk, Fat and Protein), and will be expanded to additional traits as soon as the PREP form for such traits will be available.
e. Both applicants and relevant Competent Authorities will be notified of the outcome of the validation;
f. Such results will also be made available on the EURC section on the Interbull Centre’s website
How to Access the EURC Validation Service
National genetic centres or breeding organizations listed in the https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/zootechnics/member_states_en and interested in accessing the EURC validation service would need to contact interbull centre (interbull at slu.se) specifying which breed(s) they wish to validate. The service is, at the moment, limited to production (milk, fat, protein) trait.
Upon reception of such information, Interbull Center will send to the applicant the following information:
- A "PREP” Form for production traits
- An updated version (with regards to the breeds to evaluate) of the validation software
- The required setting file
- The user manual and file format description.