Abstract #394
Section: Breeding and Genetics (orals)
Session: Breeding and Genetics III: Feed Efficiency crossbreeding and production
Format: Oral
Day/Time: Tuesday 4:15 PM–4:30 PM
Location: Room 301 A
Session: Breeding and Genetics III: Feed Efficiency crossbreeding and production
Format: Oral
Day/Time: Tuesday 4:15 PM–4:30 PM
Location: Room 301 A
# 394
Dairy Wellness Traits from genomic testing with a control Holstein cow population compared to contemporary Holstein cows in a pasture production system.
Bradley J. Heins*1, Glenda M. Pereira1, Lydia C. Hardie2, Chad D. Dechow2, 1University of Minnesota, Morris, MN, 2Penn State University, State College, PA.
Key Words: genetic selection, organic, health
Dairy Wellness Traits from genomic testing with a control Holstein cow population compared to contemporary Holstein cows in a pasture production system.
Bradley J. Heins*1, Glenda M. Pereira1, Lydia C. Hardie2, Chad D. Dechow2, 1University of Minnesota, Morris, MN, 2Penn State University, State College, PA.
The University of Minnesota initiated a designed study of yield selection in 1964 that included an unselected control group of cows. The study continues at the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC), Morris, Minnesota, and is currently part of the low-input sustainable and organic grazing dairy project. Control Holstein cows (n = 45) were compared with contemporary Holstein cows (n = 64) for wellness traits from the Clarifide Plus genomic test. Herd average production during first lactation were 4,114 kg milk, 143 kg fat, 129 kg protein, and 3.2 SCS for the control cows and 6,563 kg milk, 241 kg fat, 209 kg protein, 2.5 SCS for the contemporary Holsteins. The control line of cows has not been evaluated in a pasture-based dairy production system. Cows were housed at the WCROC, a grazing herd, and calved for a first time from March 2011 to June 2017. All Holstein and control cows were tested during the summer of 2017 with Clarifide Plus and Dairy Wellness Traits (mastitis, lameness, metritis, retained placenta, displaced abomasum, and ketosis) were received during fall 2017 for all 109 cows. Independent variable for statistical analysis with PROC GLM was the fixed effect of genetic line. The control cows had significantly (P < 0.01) lower Dairy Wellness Profit (−$745 vs. +$402) compared with the contemporary Holsteins cows, respectively. The control cows were significantly higher (P < 0.01) for mastitis (108 vs. 102), lameness (106 vs. 101), and displaced abomasum (105 vs. 102) than contemporary Holstein cows, respectively. The control cows and contemporary Holsteins cows were not different for metritis (102 for both genetic lines) and retained placenta (101 for both genetic lines). The contemporary Holstein cows were higher (P < 0.05) for ketosis (102 vs. 101) compared with the control cows. The control cows had a higher Wellness Trait Index ($235 vs. $103) compared with the contemporary Holstein cows. Future studies will compare the 2 genetic lines with genome-wide association analysis for production and health traits.
Key Words: genetic selection, organic, health
