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Research Project: IMPROVING GENETIC PREDICTION OF ECONOMIC MERIT OF DAIRY ANIMALS

Location: Animal Improvement Programs

Title: USDA DAIRY GOAT GENETIC EVALUATION PROGRAM - STATUS AND PLANS

Author

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Proceedings/Symposium
Publication Acceptance Date: October 18, 2002
Publication Date: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Evaluations for milk, fat, and protein yields are calculated annually in July and evaluations for type are calculated in December. These evaluations are provided to regional computing centers, the dairy goat association, and the general public through web access. Data flows from the farms through the regional centers to the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory. Type data are collected by the goat association. The two largest regional computing centers each contribute over 33 percent of the data. Data is rejected for various reasons, the most common being a mismatch between the herd and doe date of testing. The genetic evaluations for productive life in dairy cattle are based on months in milk, and include information from correlated yield and type traits. A similar program could be applied to dairy goats. Recent changes in the goat evaluation program include access to evaluations by name of bucks and does and provision for corrections to lactation data. Future implementation of a test day model depends on resolving patent issues.

Technical Abstract: Evaluations for milk, fat, and protein yields are calculated annually in July and evaluations for type are calculated in December. These evaluations are provided to regional computing centers, the dairy goat association, and the general public through web access. Data flows from the farms through the regional centers to the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory. Type data are collected by the goat association. The two largest regional computing centers each contribute over 33 percent of the data. Data is rejected for various reasons, the most common being a mismatch between the herd and doe date of testing. The genetic evaluations for productive life in dairy cattle are based on months in milk, and include information from correlated yield and type traits. A similar program could be applied to dairy goats. Recent changes in the goat evaluation program include access to evaluations by name of bucks and does and provision for corrections to lactation data. Future implementation of a test day model depends on resolving patent issues.

   

 
Project Team
Norman, H - Duane
Van Tassell, Curtis - Curt
Vanraden, Paul
Wiggans, George
Cole, John
 
Publications
   Publications
 
Related National Programs
  Food Animal Production (101)
 
 
Last Modified: 11/05/2008
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