Form GE

DESCRIPTION OF NATIONAL GENETIC EVALUATION SYSTEMS

Country (or countries)	Switzerland	
Main trait group1	Conformation	
Breed(s)	Holstein (Black&White and Red&White)	
Trait definition(s) and unit(s) of measurement2 	See appendix CO	
Method of measuring and collecting data	Linear scorings and measurements done by classifiers	
Time period for data inclusion	Classifications since 1992	
Age groups (e.g. parities) included	1st parity animals	
Other criteria (data edits) for inclusion of records	Only the first scoring of a cow is used. For inclusion of a record age at first calving has to be between 17 and 50 months and days in milk has to be between 8 and 305 days.	
Criteria for extension of records (if applicable)		
Sire categories		
Environmental effects3, pre-adjustments 	Adjustment for heterogeneous variance within classifier * half-year	
Method (model) of genetic evaluation3	MT BLUP AM
Traits are analysed in blocks (see appendix 1).The fixed effects in the models may vary between traits. Missing traits are allowed.	
Environmental effects3 in the genetic evaluation model	Fixed effects: classifier * half-year, year * season, age at calving, lactation stage, udder fill, heterosis (Holstein X Simmental, grouped into 7 classes), recombination loss (Holstein X Simmental, grouped into 7 classes), classification scheme. Random effects: herd (herd * year if > 14 animals otherwise herd * 2 years if > 14 animals otherwise herd * 3 years)	
Adjustment for heterogeneous variance in evaluation model	no	
Use of genetic groups and relationships	Phantom parent groups are assigned based on country of origin, birth year, breed and selection path.	
Blending of foreign/Interbull information in evaluation	no	
Genetic parameters in the evaluation	See appendix CO and appendix 1	
System validation		
Expression of genetic evaluations  If standardised (e.g. RBV), give standardisation formula in the appendix	Relative breeding values with mean 100 and standard deviation 12	
Definition of genetic reference base
Next base change	Cows born 6 to 8 years before present year.
Base is updated every April.	
Calculation of reliability	Reliabilities are approximated using the approach of Strabel et al., 2001, J.Anim.Sci. 79:833-839, implemented in program accf90 by I. Misztal	
Criteria for official publication of evaluations	At least 20 daughters in 20 herds	
Number of evaluations / publications per year	3 (following Interbull releases)	
Use in total merit index4	Yes, weight to be defined	
Anticipated changes in the near future	none	
Key reference on methodology applied		
Key organisation: name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, web site	Evaluation Center:
Qualitas AG
Chamerstrasse 56, CH-6300 Zug, Switzerland
Phone: +41 41 768 92 92
Fax: +41 41 768 92 99
e-mail: info@qualitasag.ch
URL: http://www.qualitasag.ch

EBV’s published by herdbook organisations:
swissherdbook cooperative
Schützenstrasse 10, CH-3052 Zollikofen, Switzerland
URL: http://www.swissherdbook.ch
and
Holstein Association of Switzerland
Rte de Grangeneuve 27, CH-1725 Posieux, Switzerland
Phone:  +41 26 305 59 12
URL: http://www.holstein.ch	
1) Either: Production (e.g. milk, fat, protein), Conformation, Health (e.g. mastitis resistance, milk somatic cell, resistance to diseases other than mastitis), Longevity, Calving (e.g. stillbirth, calving ease), Female fertility (e.g. non-return rate, interval between reproductive events, number of AI’s, heat strength), Workability (e.g. milking speed, temperament), Beef production, Efficiency (e.g. body weight, energy balance, body conditioning score), or Other traits.
2) Indicate frequencies per category if the trait is categorical and specify transformation of data if practiced.
3) Use abbreviations for most common effects (see document with list of abbreviations at http://www-interbull.slu.se/service_documentation/General/list_of_abbreviations.rtf) and indicate random (R) or fixed (F).
4) Please give economic weights and indicate how they are expressed (preferably in genetic standard deviation units).

Form GE	Appendix CO

Parameters for national genetic evaluations for conformation traits as provided to Interbull  (all breeds except Brown Swiss)

Country (or countries):	Switzerland	
Main trait group:	Conformation	
Breed(s):	Holstein (Black&White and Red&White)	

Trait	Definition	h2a	genetic
variancea
(σG2)	official proof
standardisation formulab	
Stature	WHFF definition; measurement in cm	0.60	8.7039	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Chest Width	WHFF definition	0.23	0.2228	(ebv/σ)*12+100	
Body Depth	WHFF definition	0.34	0.3096	(ebv/σ)*12+100	
Angularity	Angle, spring, distance between ribs and flatness of ribs	0.20	0.1980	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Rump Angle	WHFF definition; measurement in cm	0.38	1.9229	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Rump Width	WHFF definition; measurement in cm	0.53	1.4095	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Rear Leg Set	WHFF definition	0.23	0.2291	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Rear Leg Rear View	WHFF definition	0.19	0.1776	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Foot Angle	WHFF definition, angle of hairline is considered	0.12	0.1114	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Fore Udder Attachment	WHFF definition	0.25	0.2511	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Rear Udder Height	WHFF definition; measurement in cm	0.28	1.2387	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Udder Support	WHFF definition	0.25	0.2381	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Udder Depth	WHFF definition; measurement in cm	0.40	3.5734	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Front Teat Placement	WHFF definition	0.42	0.4214	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Teat Length	WHFF definition; measurement in mm	0.48	24.8188	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Rear Teat Placement	WHFF definition	0.33	0.3192	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Overall Conformation Score	Overall Conformation Score	0.14	0.2169	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Overall Udder Score	Overall Udder Score	0.11	0.2059	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Overall Feet & Leg Score	Overall Feet & Leg Score	0.08	0.1181	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Locomotion	WHFF definition	0.09	0.0905	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
Body Condition Score	Linear score for BCS (Edmonson)	0.17	0.1810	(ebv/σG)*12+100	
a	If repeated records are treated as separate traits, provide heritability estimates and genetic variances separately for each trait, as well as for all traits pooled, i.e. for the trait submitted to Interbull.
b	Expressed as follows: StandEval=((eval-a)/b)*c+d where a=mean of the base adjustment, b=standard deviation of the base, c=standard deviation of expression (include sign if scale is reversed), and d=base of expression.

Appendix 1

Heritabilities and genetic correlations

Traits are analysed within blocks. Some traits within the blocks are evaluated by Interbull and some are not. For traits evaluated by Interbull the usual abbreviation is given. In the following tables heritabilities are on the diagonals and genetic correlations are above the diagonals.

Block 1
wrhm: height at withers (measurement in cm)
sta: stature (measurement in cm)
cwi: chest width (linear score)
bde: body depth (linear score)
brum: chest circumference (measurement in cm)
	wrhm	sta	cwi	bde	brum	
wrhm	0.57	0.97	0.50	0.56	0.69	
sta		0.60	0.40	0.52	0.63	
cwi			0.23	0.58	0.92	
bde				0.34	0.65	
brum					0.37	

Block 2
ang: angularity (linear score)
aus: style (linear score)
bem: muscularity (linear score)
bcs: body condition score (linear score for BCS (Edmonson))
	ang	aus	bem	bcs	
ang	0.20	0.49	-0.59	-0.59	
aus		0.19	-0.10	-0.27	
bem			0.23	0.97	
bcs				0.17	

Block 3
ben: rump angle (linear score)
ran: rump angle (measurement in cm)
len: loin strength (linear score)
	ben	ran	len	
ben	0.42	0.97	0.30	
ran		0.38	0.33	
len			0.23	

Block 4
bebAussen: hip width (linear score)
rwi: rump width (measurement in cm)
bebSitzbein: rump width (linear score)
	bebAussen	rwi	bebSitzbein	
bebAussen	0.38	0.71	0.75	
rwi		0.53	0.97	
bebSitzbein			0.49	

Block 5
knb: bone quality (linear score)
trh: hoof height (linear score)
trhm: hoof height (measurement in mm)
fan: foot angle (linear score)
rlr: rear-leg rear view (linear scores)
rls: rear-leg set (linear scores)
sga: hock quality (linear scores)
loc: locomotion (linear scores)
	knb	trh	trhm	fan	rlr	rls	sga	loc	
knb	0.27	-0.44	-0.41	-0.28	0.02	0.08	0.84	0.40	
trh		0.13	0.97	0.85	-0.12	-0.18	-0.33	-0.24	
trhm			0.15	0.88	-0.20	-0.14	-0.35	-0.26	
fan				0.12	-0.04	-0.28	-0.33	-0.25	
rlr					0.19	-0.28	-0.03	0.57	
rls						0.23	0.26	-0.04	
sga							0.23	0.42	
loc								0.09	

Block 6
usu: udder support (linear score)
ftp: front teat placement (linear score)
rtp: rear teat placement (linear score)
zla: (front) teat length (linear score)
ftl: (front) teat length (measurement in mm)
	usu	ftp	rtp	zla	ftl	
usu	0.25	0.18	0.51	0.01	0.05	
ftp		0.42	0.55	-0.16	-0.17	
rtp			0.33	-0.12	-0.14	
zla				0.42	0.97	
ftl					0.48	

Block 7
ahb: rear udder width (linear score)
neu: rear udder volume (linear score)
ahbm: rear udder width (measurement in cm)
ahh: rear udder height (linear score)
ruh: rear udder height (measurement in cm)
fua: fore udder attachment (linear score)
dru: udder texture (linear score)
eti: udder depth (linear score)
ude: udder depth (measurement in cm)
	ahb	neu	ahbm	ahh	ruh	fua	dru	eti	ude	
ahb	0.21	0.57	0.97	0.47	0.44	0.20	0.21	0.03	0.07	
neu		0.27	0.60	0.17	0.23	-0.29	-0.18	-0.46	-0.46	
ahbm			0.22	0.43	0.41	0.16	0.19	-0.02	0.02	
ahh				0.27	0.92	0.32	0.39	0.47	0.47	
ruh					0.28	0.29	0.45	0.42	0.37	
fua						0.25	0.37	0.56	0.55	
dru							0.17	0.44	0.51	
eti								0.37	0.96	
ude									0.40	

Block 8
bec: Overall rump score
ofl: Overall feet & legs score
for: Overall frame/capacity score
zit: Overall teats score
ocs: Overal conformation score
ous: Overall udder score
	bec	ofl	for	zit	ocs	ous	
bec	0.17	0.08	0.30	0.06	0.39	0.12	
ofl		0.08	0.09	0.10	0.43	0.19	
for			0.24	0.04	0.71	0.22	
zit				0.22	0.45	0.26	
ocs					0.14	0.71	
ous						0.11