Status as of: 2016-08-02

Form GE

DESCRIPTION OF NATIONAL GENETIC EVALUATION SYSTEMS

Country (or countries) DFS		
Main trait group1
NOTE! Only one trait group per form!	Conformation traits	
Breed(s) 	Holstein, (red Holstein)	
Trait definition(s) and unit(s) of measurement2
Attach an appendix if needed	Body traits:
Stature, body depth, chest width, dairy form, top line, rump width, rump angle, codes for rump

Feet and legs traits:
Rear legs, side view, rear legs, back rear view, hock quality, bone quality, foot angle, hoof angle, 

Mammary traits:
Fore udder attachment, rear udder height, rear udder width, udder cleft/support, udder depth, teat length, teat thickness, teat placement (front), teat placement (back), udder balance, teat placement front (automatic milking system coordinates; AMS coord.), teat placement back (AMS coord.), udder balance (AMS coord) and udder depth (AMS coord.). see appendix AMS	
Method of measuring and collecting data	Daughters classified are either from daughter group classification or herd classification system	
Time period for data inclusion	Cows classified since 1988	
Age groups (e.g. parities) included	Parities 1 to 3	
Other criteria (data edits) for inclusion of records		
Criteria for extension of records (if applicable)		
Sire categories	AI-sires	
Environmental effects3, pre-adjustments 	Adjustment for heterogeneous variance within country x classifier x year	
Method (model) of genetic evaluation3	Multi lactation Animal model BLUP	
Environmental effects3 in the genetic evaluation model	Fixed effects: Herd*time period (5years of classification),country*year*month,, country*lactation stage, country*time of visit, classifier*year. Random effect: herd*year
(AMS coordinates traits only: Number of milkings per day)	
Adjustment for heterogeneous variance in evaluation model	No	
Use of genetic groups and relationships	Yes	
Blending of foreign/Interbull information in evaluation	No	
Genetic parameters in the evaluation	Use Appendix GE for heritability/genetic variance estimates; for multiple-trait genetic evaluations, provide genetic correlation estimates between traits separately.
Use also appendices PR, CO, BCO, SM, LO, CA, as applicable, if you participate in the international genetic evaluations of Interbull	
System validation	INTERBULL method III	

Expression of genetic evaluations
If standardised (e.g. RBV), give standardisation formula in the appendix	Adjustment for heterogeneous variance within country x classifier x year
AMS coord.:  country, type of robot (currently only one type) and year	
Definition of genetic reference base
Next base change	Mean: Cows which is 3-5 years of age.
Std: Sires born 1997 and 1998 with minimum 15 classified daughters.	
Calculation of reliability	Interbull procedure	
Criteria for official publication of evaluations	15 classified daughters	
Number of evaluations / publications per year	4	
Use in total merit index4		
Anticipated changes in the near future		
Key reference on methodology applied		
Key organisation: name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, web site	Nordic Cattle Genetic Evaluation
Gert Pedersen Aamand
Agro Food Park 15, DK-8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
phone: +45-87405288
e-mail:GAP@vfl.dk
www.nordicebv.info	
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 GE

Parameters used in genetic evaluation

Country (or countries):		
Main trait group:	conformation	
Breed (repeat as necessary):		

Trait	Definition	ITBa	h2b	genetic
varianceb	official proof
standardisation formulac	

							

						

						

						

						

a	Indicate, with X, traits that are submitted to Interbull for international genetic evaluations.
b	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.
c	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.

Form GE	Appendix PR

Parameters for national genetic evaluations for production traits as provided to Interbull

Country (or countries):		
Main trait group:	Production	
Breed(s):		

Trait	h2a	genetic
variancea	official proof
standardisation formulab	
Milk yield:
				
Fat yield:
				
Protein yield:
				
a	If lactations, or part of lactations, are treated as separate traits, provide heritability estimates and genetic variances separately for each lactation, as well as for all lactations 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.

Form GE	Appendix CO

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

Country (or countries):		
Main trait group:	Conformation	
Breed(s):		

Trait	Definition	h2a	genetic
variancea	official proof
standardisation formulab	
Stature	Cm 	0.7045	7.2999	((EVAL – 0)/2.1295)*10 + 100	
Chest Width	1-9	0.3235	0.1415	((EVAL – 0)/0.2841)10 + 100	
Body Depth	1-9	0.4183	0.1477	((EVAL – 0)/0.3161)*10 + 100	
Angularity	1-9	0.4169	0.1672	((EVAL – 0)/0.3364)*10 + 100	
Rump Angle	1-9	0.4786	0.3943	((EVAL – 0)/0.4612)*10 + 100	
Rump Width	1-9	0.4828	0.2207 	((EVAL – 0)/0.3372)*10 + 100	
Rear Leg Set	1-9	0.3538	0.1715	((EVAL – 0)/0.2871)*10 + 100	
Rear Leg Rear View	1-9	0.2505	0.1448	((EVAL – 0)/0.2670)*10 + 100	
Foot Angle	1-9	0.2513	0.0952	((EVAL – 0)/0.1990)*10 + 100	
Fore Udder	1-9	0.3659	0.2820	((EVAL – 0)/0.3869)*10 + 100	
Rear Udder Height	1-9	0.3340	0.1684	((EVAL – 0)/0.2974)*10 + 100	
Udder Support	1-9	0.3257	0.3349	((EVAL – 0)/0.3736)*10 + 100	
Udder Depth	1-9	0.5698	0.7956	((EVAL – 0)/0.5470)*10 + 100	
Front Teat Placement	1-9	0.4486	0.6226	((EVAL – 0)/0.5950)*10 + 100	
Teat Length	1-9	0.5202	0.6337	((EVAL – 0)/0.6790)*10 + 100	
Rear Teat Placement	1-9	0.4325	0.5609	((EVAL – 0)/0.5602)*10 + 100	
Overall Conformation Score		0.3000	0.0133	(EVAL – 0)/0.0774)*10 + 100	
Overall Udder Score		0.2500	0.0171	(EVAL – 0/0.0980)*10 + 100	
Overall Feet & Leg Score		0.2000	0.0109	(EVAL – 0)/0.0770)*10 + 100	
Locomotion	1-9	0.2505	0.1448	((EVAL – 0)/0.2670)*10 + 100	
Body Condition Score		0.23	0.180	((EVAL – 0)/0.3580)*10 + 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.

Form GE	Appendix BCO

Parameters for national genetic evaluations for conformation traits as provided to Interbull

Country (or countries):		
Main trait group:	Conformation	
Breed:	Brown Swiss	

Trait	Definition	h2a	genetic
variancea	official proof
standardisation formulab	
Stature					
Chest width					
Body depth					
Angularity					
Rump angle					
Rump Width					
Rear Leg Side View					
Pasterns/Foot Angle					
Deep Heel (Hoof Height)					
Fore Udder Attachment					
Rear Udder Attachment Height					
Rear Udder Attachment Width					
Udder Support					
Udder Depth					
Front Teat Placement					
Teat Length					
Rear Teat Placement					
Overall Conformation Score					
Overall Udder Score					
Overall Feet & Leg Score					
Locomotion					
Body Condition Score					
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.

Form GE	Appendix SM

Parameters for national genetic evaluations for udder health traits as provided to Interbull

Country (or countries):		
Main trait group:	Health	
Breed(s):		

Trait	h2a	genetic
variancea	official proof
standardisation formulab	
Milk Somatic Cell:
				
Clinical Mastitis:
				
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.

Form GE	Appendix LO

Parameters for national genetic evaluations for longevity traits as provided to Interbull

Country (or countries):		
Main trait group:	Longevity	
Breed(s):		

Trait	h2	genetic
variance	official proof
standardisation formulaa	
Direct longevity:
				
Combined longevity:
				
a	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.

Form GE	Appendix CA

Parameters for national genetic evaluations for calving traits as provided to Interbull

Country (or countries):		
Main trait group:	Calving Traits	
Breed(s):		

Trait	h2	genetic
variance	official proof
standardisation formulaa	
Direct calving ease:
				
Maternal calving ease:
				
Direct stillbirth:
				
Maternal stillbirth:
				
a	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.

Form GE									Appendix AMS

Genetic parameters for correlated AMS traits (Teat placement front, teat placement back and udder depth) with linear traits Teat placement front, teat placement back and udder depth)

	h2	Genetic Correlations 
with linear traits	
Teat placement front	0,57	-0,912	
Teat placement back	0,45	-0,913	
Udder depth	0,66	0,930