Status as of: 2016-04-01

DESCRIPTION OF NATIONAL GENETIC EVALUATION SYSTEMS

Country (or countries)	JAPAN	
Main trait group1
NOTE! Only one trait group per form!	Conformation	
Breed(s)	Holstein	
Trait definition(s) and unit(s) of measurement2
Attach an appendix if needed	Linear traits (18)
Stature, Chest width, Body depth, Angularity, Rump angle, Rump width, Rear leg set, Rear leg rear view, Foot angle, Fore udder, Rear udder height, Rear udder width, Udder support, Udder depth, Front teat placement, Teat length, Rear teat placement, BCS
Score traits (5)
Frame, Feet& Legs, Dairy Character, Udder, Final(overall) score	
Method of measuring and collecting data	Scored by classifiers from Holstein Assoc of Japan (HCAJ)	
Time period for data inclusion	Classified since 1984 (all available classification records)	
Age groups (e.g. parities) included	First parity only	
Other criteria (data edits) for inclusion of records	Format of animal IDs, and generation interval (minimum 17 mo)are checked. Inconsistent IDs and/or parents are treated as missing ones.
Records of animals that have calving interval less than 210d (most likely due to incorrect ID) are eliminated.
Sire of cow must be identified.
Only records from cows first calved at 18-35 month of age.
classified within 365 days after calving. Records that have inconsistent date of calving to milk recording are eliminated.	
Criteria for extension of records (if applicable)		
Sire categories	All sires(practically no NS)	
Environmental effects3, pre-adjustments 	Heterogeneous variance within Herd*Classifier*Date of classification	
Method (model) of genetic evaluation3	ST BLUP AM	
Environmental effects3 in the genetic evaluation model	Herd*Classifier*Date of classification (discontinuous, F), age at classification(discontinuous, F, 15 levels), lactation stage at classification(discontinuous, F, 12 levels)	
Adjustment for heterogeneous variance in evaluation model		
Use of genetic groups and relationships	Unknown parents grouped by sex, country of origin and year	
Blending of foreign/Interbull information in evaluation	No	
Genetic parameters in the evaluation	See Appendix GE,	
System validation	Only official classification scores are used. Average and SD of  EBV (all/active cows, all/random sampled AI bulls/active bulls) and all effects in the evaluation models are compared to previous run. Animals that have extremely different EBV from previous run are identified. Related records of such animals are checked through to identify the reason.
Genetic trends are checked through Interbull method 3.	
Expression of genetic evaluations
If standardised (e.g. RBV), give standardisation formula in the appendix	EBV and SBV (standardized breeding value) for 6 score traits. SBV for 17 linear traits.	
Definition of genetic reference base
Next base change	5-year stepwise, average EBV of cows born in 2010

2016	
Calculation of reliability	Method in Misztal et al.(1991) J. Dairy Sci. 74:2001	
Criteria for official publication of evaluations	Must have both ≧15 daughters in ≧10 herds for both production and conformation. Recognized bulls by the national dairy sire progeny test program only. Interbull evaluations are published for foreign bulls with reliability >=75(milk) and >=60(overall conformation), however, treated as unofficial.	
Number of evaluations / publications per year	2/2, February, August	
Use in total merit index4	NTP: Nippon Total Profit Index
NTP = 7.2×PC + 2.4×(15×EBV feet & legs/0.392+85×UC/0.201)
+0.4(-100(EBV SCS-2.35)/0.217)
PC( Production Composite ) = 27×EBV fat yield/19.41 + 73×EBV protein yield/14.44
UC(Udder Composite) = 0.17×EBV udder (score) + 0.83×{0.18×EBV fore udder attachment + 0.09×EBV rear udder height + 0.10×EBV udder support +0.24×EBV udder depth + 0.07×EBV teat placement-0.10×EBV teat length-0.22×EBV rear teat placement}	
Anticipated changes in the near future		
Key reference on methodology applied		
Key organization: name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, web site	Member organization: Livestock Improvement Association of Japan, Inc
Ohno-building, 1-19-8, Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0031, JAPAN
Tel: +81-3-3561-8561
Fax: +81-3-3561-8165
Web: http://liaj.lin.go.jp/
E-mail: webmaster@liaj.lin.go.jp
National evaluation center: National Livestock Breeding Center, IAI
1 Odakurahara, Nishigo, Nishi-Shirakawa, Fukushima, 961-8511, JAPAN
Tel: +81-248-25-4904
Fax: +81-248-25-3982
Web: http://www.nlbc.go.jp/
Contact: data analysis div. to: j0saburi@nlbc.go.jp	
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).

Parameters used in genetic evaluation

Country (or countries):	JAPAN	
Main trait group:	Conformation	
Breed (repeat as necessary):	Holstein	

Trait	Definition	ITBa	h2b	Genetic
varianceb	official proof
standardisation formulac	
Stature	The measurement of the height at the rump	X	0.53	0.982	a=0, b=0.719, c=1, d=0	
Chest Width	The width of the chest floor	X	0.30	0.203	a=0, b=0.256, c=1, d=0	
Body Depth	Observing the middle of the cow/the depth of rear rib	X	0.38	0.286	a=0, b=0.326, c=1, d=0	
Angularity	Observing the sharpness of and flatness of the bone, openness and slant of the rib, length of the neck, quality of skin.	X	0.25	0.127	a=0, b=0.203, c=1, d=0	
Rump Angle	Observing the slope from hips to pins. A flat rump from hips to pins is scored 3.	X	0.41	0.345	a=0, b=0.360, c=1, d=0	
Rump Width	Distance between pins.	X	0.34	0.331	a=0, b=0.379, c=1, d=0	
Rear Leg Set	Straight leg <-> sickle leg, side view.	X	0.20	0.179	a=0, b=0.215, c=1, d=0	
Rear Leg Rear View	Sickle leg <-> straight leg, rear view.	X	0.11	0.228	a=0, b=0.252, c=1, d=0	
Foot Angle	The angle that the toes of the foot make with the ground.	X	0.05	0.054	a=0, b=0.116, c=1, d=0	
Fore Udder	Strength of the attachment	X	0.21	0.190	a=0, b=0.278, c=1, d=0	
Rear Udder Height	The distance between the bottom of the vulva and the top of the milk secreting tissue of the rear udder.	X	0.26	0.244	a=0, b=0.317, c=1, d=0	
Rear Udder width	The measurement of the width of the rear udder at the point where the lateral ligaments of the udder arrach to the body		0.21	0.124	a=0, b=0.185, c=1, d=0	
Udder Support	The depth of cleft through the bottom of the udder.	X	0.20	0.213	a=0, b=0.262, c=1, d=0	
Udder Depth	The measurement between the lowest point of the udder floor and the point of the hock.	X	0.46	0.369	a=0, b=0.417, c=1, d=0	
Front Teat Placement	Observeing the placement of the front teats on the quarter from behind the cow.	X	0.38	0.408	a=0, b=0.397, c=1, d=0	
Teat Length	Evaluating the length of the extreme teat when length varies.	X	0.40	0.502	a=0, b=0.470, c=1, d=0	
Rear Teat Placement	The placement of  the rear teats at the point of the udder as viewed from the rear.	X	0.31	0.430	a=0, b=0.401, c=1, d=0	
Overall Conformation Score	Frame*0.15
+ Feet& Legs* 0.15
+Dairy Character*0.20
+Body Capacity * 0.10
+Udder * 0.40	X	0.27	0.608		
Overall Udder Score	Udder being strongly attached and fully capacious, and four quarters being well-balanced, fine texture, and indicating heavy production and a long life of production.	X	0.20	0.635		
Dairy Character	Giving an impression of vigorousness, angularity with a stretch as a whole		0.34	0.873		
						
Frame	Revealing femininity, attractive style with harmonious blending of each part for evaluation, full of vigorousness and refinement with gentle temperament		0.27	0.967		
Overall Feet & Leg Score	Length being well proportioned with the depth of body, standing wide apart in a right posture, clean-cut and strong with light and sound walk.	X	0.13	0.471		
Body Condition Score	The covering of fat over the tail head and rump.	X	0.23	0.276	a=0, b=0.277, c=1, d=0	
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.

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

Trait	Definition	h2a	genetic
variancea	official proof
standardisation formulab	
Stature	The measurement of the height at the rump	0.53	0.982	a=0, b=0.719, c=1, d=0	
Chest Width	The width of the chest floor	0.30	0.203	a=0, b=0.256, c=1, d=0	
Body Depth	Observing the middle of the cow/the depth of rear rib	0.38	0.286	a=0, b=0.326, c=1, d=0	
Angularity	Observing the sharpness of and flatness of the bone, openness and slant of the rib, length of the neck, quality of skin.	0.25	0.127	a=0, b=0.203, c=1, d=0	
Rump Angle	Observing the slope from hips to pins. A flat rump from hips to pins is scored 3.	0.41	0.345	a=0, b=0.360, c=1, d=0	
Rump Width	Distance between pins.	0.34	0.331	a=0, b=0.379, c=1, d=0	
Rear Leg Set	Straight leg <-> sickle leg, side view.	0.20	0.179	a=0, b=0.215, c=1, d=0	
Rear Leg Rear View	Sickle leg <-> straight leg, rear view.	0.11	0.228	a=0, b=0.252, c=1, d=0	
Foot Angle	The angle that the toes of the foot make with the ground.	0.05	0.054	a=0, b=0.116, c=1, d=0	
Fore Udder	Strength of the attachment	0.21	0.190	a=0, b=0.278, c=1, d=0	
Rear Udder Height	The distance between the bottom of the vulva and the top of the milk secreting tissue of the rear udder.	0.26	0.244	a=0, b=0.317, c=1, d=0	
Udder Support	The depth of cleft through the bottom of the udder.	0.20	0.213	a=0, b=0.262, c=1, d=0	
Udder Depth	The measurement between the lowest point of the udder floor and the point of the hock.	0.46	0.369	a=0, b=0.417, c=1, d=0	
Front Teat Placement	Observeing the placement of the front teats on the quarter from behind the cow.	0.38	0.408	a=0, b=0.397, c=1, d=0	
Teat Length	Evaluating the length of the extreme teat when length varies.	0.40	0.502	a=0, b=0.470, c=1, d=0	
Rear Teat Placement	The placement of  the rear teats at the point of the udder as viewed from the rear. 	0.31	0.430	a=0, b=0.401, c=1, d=0	
Overall Conformation Score	Frame*0.15
+ Feet& Legs* 0.15
+Dairy Character*0.20
+Body Capacity * 0.10
+Udder * 0.40	0.27	0.608		
Overall Udder Score	Udder being strongly attached and fully capacious, and four quarters being well-balanced, fine texture, and indicating heavy production and a long life of production.	0.20	0.635		
Overall Feet & Leg Score	Length being well proportioned with the depth of body, standing wide apart in a right posture, clean-cut and strong with light and sound walk.	0.13	0.471		
Locomotion					
Body Condition Score	The covering of fat over the tail head and rump.	0.23	0.276	a=0, b=0.277, c=1, d=0	
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.