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= National Evaluation Parameter File =
The main reason for introducing the parameter file was to avoid manual updating of in-files used for prediction of breeding values and estimation of correlations. The parameter files are now read directly in the evaluation workflow, and we therefore need the parameter file format to fit the environment of the evaluation system. Therefore, please do not send the parameters in an excel file format, written in an email or in a file with tabulator separated columns.

If your country does not participate in the international evaluation service for one specific trait please leave out that trait of the parameter file. Please send a new and complete parameter file each time new data are submitted. Here refers to e.g. a situation where proofs are submitted for one breed twice a year and for another breed three times a year from the same country. A complete parameter file is then a file containing parameters for both breeds and submitted with the same frequency as for the most frequent submission. The parameter file should be named as ''parameter.cou'' (where cou is the three letter abbreviation for your country) unless you have more than one evaluation unit in your country.

In cases of several evaluation units in one country:

For Germany-Austria please put all parameters from VIT in one file called parametervit.deu please put all parameters from GRUB in one file called parameterdea.deu please put all parameters from AUT in one file called parameterdea.deu

For Switzerland and Italy please put all parameters from Black and White Holstein in one file called parameterhol.cou please put all parameters from Brown Swiss in one file called parameterbsw.cou please put all parameters from Red and White Holstein in one file called parameterrhol.cou please put all parameters from Simmental in one file called parametersim.cou please put all parameters from Jersey in one file called parameterjer.cou

For USA and UK please put all parameters except Holstein conformation in one file called parameter.cou please put parameters for Holstein conformation in one file called parameterconf.cou

The layout of the parameter file should be:

EBRD POP TRAIT EVDATE HER MEANNEW SIGN STDNEW MEANOLD STDOLD PUB

Where: EBRD Breed of evaluation (HOL, SIM, RDC, JER, BSW, GUE)

POP Population (usually the same as the country code, except when two different populations from one country are included in an evaluation (e.g, chr for Swiss Red Holstein, frr for French Pie Rouge, frm for French Montbeliard and dnr for Danish Red&White)

TRAIT see Appendix

EVDATA Evaluation date (YYYYMMDD)

HER Heritability (at least three significant digits)

MEANNEW Base of expression (at least three significant digits)

SIGN -1 if the scale is reversed, otherwise +1. The sign must be the same as in the proof file, meaning +1 if high breeding values (B+ / T+) are desirable, and -1 if low breeding values (B- /T-) are desirable. For production and conformation the sign shall always be +1.

STDNEW Standard deviation of expression (at least three significant digits), the value 0 is not allowed.

MEANOLD Mean of the base (at least three significant digits)

STDOLD Standard deviation of the base (at least three significant digits), the value 0 is not allowed.

PUB a character value that can take the values Y or N indicating that proofs for this brd-trt combination are submitted to Interbull on the published scale (Y) or that proofs for this brd-trt combination are submitted to Interbull on the non-published scale (N)

<<BR>>

These standardization factors are such that the RBV would be equal to:

MEANNEW + SIGN*STDNEW*(EBV-MEANOLD)/STDOLD

If breeding values are expressed as relative breeding values, please find an example below for fills in the parameter file:

EBRD POP TRAIT EVDATE HER MEANNEW SIGN STDNEW MEANOLD STDOLD PUB

HOL fra sc 20060223 0.500 100.0 1 10.00 -0.00428 0.00956 Y

HOL frr sc 20060223 0.400 100.0 1 10.00 0.0431 0.0142 Y

SIM fra sc … … … … … … …

If breeding values are not transformed to RBVs please fill 0.000 for MEANNEW and MEANOLD, and 1.000 for STDNEW and STDOLD.

Please find an example below:

EBRD POP TRAIT EVDATE HER MEANNEW SIGN STDNEW MEANOLD STDOLD PUB

HOL fra sc 20060223 0.500 0.000 1 1.000 0.000 1.000 Y

HOL frr sc 20060223 0.400 0.000 1 1.000 0.000 1.000 Y

SIM fra sc … … … … … … …

== Appendix: list of traits ==
__Production __

mi = milk

fa = fat

pr = protein

__Conformation __

sta = stature

cwi = chest width

bde = body depth

ang = angularity

ran = rump angle

rwi = rump width

rls = rear-leg set

rlr = rear-leg rear view

fan = foot angle

hde = heel depth / hoof height

fua = fore udder attachment

ruh = rear udder height

ruw = rear udder width

usu = udder support

ude = udder depth

ftp = front teat placement

ftl = (front) teat length

rtp = rear teat placement

ous = overall udder score

ofl = overall feet&legs score

ocs = overall conformation score

bcs = body condition score

loc = locomotion

__Udder__

sc = somatic cell

ma = mastitis

__Longevity__

dl = direct longevity

__Calving__

dc = direct calving ease

mc = maternal calving ease

ds = direct stillbirth

ms = maternal stillbirth

__Female fertility__

hc = heifer conception

cy = cow recycling

c1 = lactating cow's ability to conceive (1)

c2 = lactating cow's ability to conceive (2)

it = interval traits

__Workability__

md = milking speed

te = temperament