Terhi Vahlsten

NAV Evaluation and NAV Beef Evaluation

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The fourth NAV routine evaluation for this year took place as scheduled. NAV Bull Search has been updated with new EBV’s and GEBV’s and NAV Beef Search is also updated with new beef x dairy breeding values.

In this evaluation CFIT-data from Finland and Sweden was included in saved feed evaluation. The total number of observations increased with 3%. This data inclusion had minor effects on breeding values.

Publication rules of dams are slightly changed in genomic evaluation of dairy crossbreds.

NAV has also released breeding values for purebred beef bulls and cows as scheduled. Beef breeding values are updated to NAV Beef Search. The handling of incomplete maternal pedigree information was updated in this evaluation. The change mainly affects Danish and Swedish Simmental animals, particularly breeding values for maternal calving traits.

Read more about the changes from NAV newsletter.

Breeding makes a difference in reproduction

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Breeding plays an important role in improving the efficiency of Nordic cattle herds. In this article series, we explore how breeding has contributed to the development of different traits over the past 10 years. In the second part of the series, we focus on reproduction, a key factor in modern dairy production.