Beef Evaluations

From January 2023 purebred and crossbred breeding values for beef can be found in the same search page. Purebred breeding values are both the Nordic breeding values and breeding values calculated internationally in Interbeef. Crossbred breeding values are used when selecting beef bulls for insemination of dairy cows. So, looking for updated breeding values has become easier, and you only have to look in one place.

Nordic purebred breeding values for beef

Nordic breeding values for beef bulls (AI and private) and cows can be used by beef breeders to select parents for next generation of calves. Nordic beef evaluation includes five breeds (Aberdeen Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Limousine and Simmental). Up to 18 single breeding values can be published for each bull and cow if the publication rules are fulfilled. Read more about NAV purebred beef breeding values.

Interbeef purebred breeding values for beef

At the moment the following countries participate in Interbeef: Australia, Czech Republic, DFS (Denmark, Finland and Sweden), Estonia, France, Germany, Latvian, Ireland, Italy, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland and United Kingdom. However, all countries don’t participate in evaluation of all breeds and traits. So far, official Interbeef breeding values are available for Adjusted Weaning Weight (AWW), Birth Weight (BWT) and Calving Ease (CAE) direct and maternal effects. These traits are published for the breeds Aberdeen Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Limousin and Simmental. Interbeef evaluations will be extended in the future to include more traits and breeds. Read more about Interbeef breeding values on Nordic scale.

Nordic crossbred breeding values for beef

Beef bulls are evaluated based on their crossbred offspring from dairy cows. Breeding values can be used by dairy farmers to select beef bulls across breed for producing crossbred calves that are easily born, have good survival and good growth and carcass quality. Crossbred calves included in the evaluation are from purebred Holstein, Jersey and RDC cows. Up to nine single BxD breeding values can be published for each bull if the publication rules are fulfilled. The single breeding values are combined with economic weights into one of two sub-indices, Birth or Growth, which are further combined into the Nordic BeefxDairy Index (NBDI). Read more about NAV BxD breeding values.

You can find beef breeding values on NAV Beef Search.

NAV BeefxDairy breeding values are updated and new breeding values are uploaded to NAV Beef Search. Youngstock survival is a new trait group added to the joint Nordic Genetic evaluation of beef bulls used in dairy herds.

Read more from the NAVs newsletter and from the paper Youngstock survival included in the BeefxDairy evaluation.

NAV has also released breeding values for purebred beef bulls and cows as scheduled. Beef breeding values are updated to NAV Beef Search too.