HOW SHOULD A BREEDER USE THESE RESOURCES?
Cattle breeding data can be divided into two distinct categories, phenotypic and genetic.
Phenotypic data, such as classification and milk records, should be used to inform management decisions such as culling, feeding and general husbandry. For example, a high yielding, low SCC, trouble free cow, regardless of its genetic merit is worth keeping on the farm as an efficient milk producer. Phenotypes therefore tell us about actual dairy performance.
Genetic evaluation data, also known as PTA, should be used to make breeding decisions such as choosing mating sires. Genotypes tell us about potential performance in the average UK dairy herd environment. The best breeding animals can be more accurately identified by using genetic data rather than phenotypes, as the effects of different management, such as feeding for example, are taken into account in PTA.
Breeding Tools
In order to fully utilise phenotypes and genetics, NBDC offers breeders a suite of breeding software applications.
The Virtual Cow
3D model which graphically illustrates the differences in conformation between cows with various classification scores.
Class Act
Web based app to make use of the information collected by the classifier.
Bull Selector
Select Holstein or British Friesian sires that suit you and your system.
WebMate
Fully interactive web-mating tool to make mating decisions even easier.
