Status as of: 2013-01-28

Form GE

DESCRIPTION OF NATIONAL GENETIC EVALUATION SYSTEMS

Country (or countries)	Lithuania	
Main trait group1
NOTE! Only one trait group per form!	Milk somatic cell	
Breed(s)	Lithuanian Black&White (HOL), Lithuanian Red (RDC), Cross Red (RDC bull * HOL dam), Cross B&W (HOL bull * RDC dam)	
Trait definition(s) and unit(s) of measurement2
Attach an appendix if needed	Somatic cell count collected by official milk recording organizations according to ICAR rules. 
Somatic cell score (SCS) is calculated from somatic cell count (SCC) using 

Method of measuring and collecting data

	All valid test day records for animals with a known sire registration number and dam registration number, having at least 2 first test day records (first test day record between 5 an 100 days in milk)	
Time period for data inclusion	Since 1 January, 1996	
Age groups (e.g. parities) included	First free lactations
	
Other criteria (data edits) for inclusion of records	Age at calving:  1st lactation 20-42 months,  30-56 months, 44-75 months.  2nd lactation   and   3rd lactation accordingly.
Test day SCC limits 5 – 9999
Max test day records 40
	
Criteria for extension of records (if applicable)		
Sire categories	All	
Environmental effects3, pre-adjustments 	No pre-adjustments for environmental effects	
Method (model) of genetic evaluation3	ST-ML-RR-TD-BLUP-AM	
Environmental effects3 in the genetic evaluation model	
F: Herd-test-day effect across 1st lactation, 2nd lactation   and   3rd lactation.  
F: Lactation curves defined by lactation number *breed*calving age*calving season*year of calving (total 1300 different curves).
R: Permanent environment effect of a cow within lactation.
	
Adjustment for heterogeneous variance in evaluation model	Standardization of heterogeneous variances within herd-test-date-parity-milking frequency effect is performed prior to solving mixed model equations. 	
Use of genetic groups and relationships	Genetic groups are defined for unknown parents of animals based on sex, breed and year of birth of the animals. 	
Blending of foreign/Interbull information in evaluation	No	
Genetic parameters in the evaluation	See PAGE 4  for heritability /genetic variance estimates, for multiple-trait genetic evaluations, provide genetic correlation estimates between traits separately. 	
System validation	Correlations with previous evaluations and monitoring of Mendelian sampling, analysis of results of “verification” program. 	
Expression of genetic evaluations
If standardised (e.g. RBV), give standardisation formula in the appendix	EBV = 
RBV(relative breeding value SCS) with mean 100 and standard deviation of 12.	
Definition of genetic reference base
Next base change	All cows born in 2005 formed the base for EBV. AI bulls age of 8 to 10 years old with >=20 daughters formed the base population for RBV.
Next cow base change is expected to be in 2015.

Calculation of reliability	Using multiple trait effective daughter contribution method. 	
Criteria for official publication of evaluations	Daughters >=25, herds >=5	
Number of evaluations / publications per year	4:February, May, August, November 	
Use in total merit index4		
Anticipated changes in the near future		
Key reference on methodology applied	Liu, Z., Reinhardt, F. und Reents, R. 2000a: Estimating parameters of a random regression test day model for first three lactation milk production traits using the covariance function approach. INTERBULL Bulletin No. 25: 74-80
Liu, Z., Reinhardt, F. und Reents, R. 2000b: Parameter estimates of a random regression test day model for first three lactations somatic cell scores. INTERBULL Bulletin No. 26: 61-65
Liu, Z., F. Reinhardt, A. Bünger, and R. Reents 2004. Derivation and calculation of approximate reliabilities and daughter yield deviations of a random regression test-day model for genetic evaluation of dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 87:1896-1907.
	
Key organisation: name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, web site	Ministry of agriculture
Gedimino av. 19 
LT-01103 Vilnius
Lithuania
Phone: +370 5 239 12 92
Fax:     +370 5 239 12 94
e-mail: veislininkyste@zum.lt	
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):	Lithuania	
Main trait group:	Production	
Breed (repeat as necessary):	Lithuanian Black&White (HOL), Lithuanian Red (RDC)	

Trait	Definition	ITBa	h2b	genetic
varianceb	official proof
standardisation formulac	
Milk Somatic cell		X	0.23	0.147		
1st  lactation			0.16	0.132		
2nd  lactation			0.016	0.148		
3rd  lactation			0.017	0.173		

						

						

						

						
						
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):	Lithuania	
Main trait group:	Production	
Breed(s):	Lithuanian Black&White (HOL), Lithuanian Red (RDC)	

Trait	h2a	genetic
variancea	official proof
standardisation formulab	
Milk somatic cell:
	0.23	0.147		
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					
Chest Width					
Body Depth					
Angularity					
Rump Angle					
Rump Width					
Rear Leg Set					
Rear Leg Rear View					
Foot Angle					
Fore Udder					
Rear Udder Height					
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 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.