SummaryThe aim of this article was to study opportunities for improvement of the indigenous and threatened Red Maasai sheep (RM) in Kenya, by comparing purebreeding with crossbreeding with Dorper sheep (D) as a terminal breed, in two different environments (Env. A and a harsher Env. B), assuming different levels of genotype‐by‐environment interaction (G × E). Breeding goals differed between environments and breeds. Four scenarios of nucleus breeding schemes were stochastically simulated, with the nucleus in Env. A. Overall, results showed an increase in carcass weight produced per ewe by more than 10% over 15 years. Genetic gain in carcass weight was 0.17 genetic SD/year (0.2 kg/year) across scenarios for RM in the less harsh Env. A. For survival and milk yield, the gain was lower (0.04–0.05 genetic SD/year). With stronger G × E, the gain in the commercial tier for RM in the harsher Env. B became increasingly lower. Selection of females also within the commercial tier gave slightly higher genetic gain. The scenario with purebreeding of RM and a subnucleus in Env. B gave the highest total income and quantity of meat. However, quantity of meat in Env. A increased slightly from having crossbreeding with D, whereas that in Env. B decreased. A simple and well‐designed nucleus breeding programme would increase the genetic potential of RM. Crossbreeding of RM with D is not recommended for harsh environmental conditions due to the large breed differences expected in that environment.

Meat production is the most important trait in the breeding objectives of sheep production in East Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate breed differences in live weight, conformation, carcass traits and economic values for meat production among Red Maasai and Dorper sheep and their crosses. In total, 88 ram lambs, which were reared at the ILRI experimental station, Kapiti plains Estate in Central Kenya, were used for the study. The lambs were slaughtered at Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) at about 1 year of age. Prior to slaughter, the lambs were weighed, measured and assessed by experienced evaluators, and at the abattoir carcass traits were recorded. Large breed differences were found for most traits. Dorper lambs were heavier at delivery for slaughter and had better carcass grade but lower dressing percentage and fat levels than Red Maasai. Crossbreds were generally better than the parental breeds. Evaluators were willing to pay more for the Dorper lambs for slaughter although carcass weights later were shown not to be higher than for Red Maasai. Evaluators undervalued Red Maasai lambs by 8–13 % compared to Dorper lambs according to the prices quoted per kilogramme live or carcass weight by KMC. Live weight was better than any other live measure in predicting carcass weight. Due to the overall higher ranking of the crossbred lambs for meat production, Dorper may be useful as a terminal sire breed for crossing with Red Maasai ewes.

Milkability and udder conformation traits of Swedish Holstein (SH) and Swedish Red (SR) cows from 93 herds with automatic milking systems or conventional milking parlors were used to study genetic relationships to lactation average somatic cell score (LSCS) and incidence of clinical mastitis (CM). Estimated genetic correlations between measures of milking speed (average flow rate, milking time and box time) and LSCS ranged between 0.29 and 0.57 and showed that high milking speed is associated with increasing LSCS. Regressions indicated a curvilinear relationship. Genetic correlations between milking speed and CM showed similar values as for LSCS in SH cows, but were inconsistent in SR cows. Shallow udder and strong fore udder attachment were consistently correlated with good udder health. The unfavorable relationships between milking speed and udder health traits should be considered together with a few udder conformation traits when selecting for better milkability.

ABSTRACT Automatic milking systems (AMS) allow recording of alternative milkability measures. Our objectives were to estimate genetic parameters for teat cup attachment failures (AtF), incomplete milkings (IM), and handling time (HT), and their genetic correlations with box time (BT), udder traits and temperament. Teat coordinates were to measure udder conformation and teat placement. Genetic correlations were estimated between these traits and linear classification traits. Data on Swedish Holstein and Swedish Red cows in 19 AMS herds and 74 herds with conventional milking parlors were analyzed. HT and IM had low heritabilities, but that of AtF was 0.21–0.31. Genetic correlations between AtF and temperament were 0.44–0.71 (calm cows having low AtF). Short BT was weakly genetically associated with shallow udders with short and thin teats. High genetic correlations (0.91–0.98) were found between teat coordinate traits and linear classification traits. Thus, AMS records can be effectively used to select for improved milkability and temperament.

Breeding programmes for warmblood sport horses are similar in the Nordic countries Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, and stallions of same origin are used. The aim was to investigate whether a joint Nordic genetic evaluation based on lifetime competition performance is feasible and beneficial for breeding competitive sport horses in the Nordic countries. Results for almost 45,000 horses in show jumping and 30,000 horses in dressage were available. The larger populations in Sweden and Denmark contributed with 85% of the results. Heritabilities and genetic correlations between performances in the different countries were estimated, and comparisons of accuracies of estimated breeding values (EBVs) and number of stallions with EBVs based on national or joint data were studied. The heritabilities ranged between 0.25 and 0.42 for show jumping and between 0.14 and 0.55 for dressage. The genetic correlations between competition performances in the Nordic countries were estimated to 0.63-1.00. EBVs based on joint data increased accuracies for EBVs for stallions by 38-81% and increased the number of available stallions with EBVs by 40-288%, compared to EBVs based on national data only. A joint Nordic genetic evaluation for sport horses is recommended.

Breeding programmes described as community-based (CBBP) typically relate to low-input systems with farmers having a common interest to improve and share their genetic resources. CBBPs are more frequent with keepers of small ruminants, in particular smallholders of local breeds, than with cattle, pigs or chickens with which farmers may have easier access to alternative programmes. Constraints that limit the adoption of conventional breeding technologies in low-input systems cover a range of organizational and technical aspects. The analysis of 8 CBBPs located in countries of Latin-America, Africa and Asia highlights the importance of bottom-up approaches and involvement of local institutions in the planning and implementation stages. The analysis also reveals a high dependence of these programmes on organizational, technical and financial support. Completely self-sustained CBBPs seem to be difficult to realize. There is a need to implement and document formal socio-economic evaluations of CBBPs to provide governments and other development agencies with the information necessary for creating sustainable CBBPs at larger scales.

Young horse performance test data from two warmblood riding horse populations, Norwegian warmblood (NWB) and Swedish warmblood (SWB), were analysed to examine whether including information from a related studbook would increase the accuracy of the genetic evaluations within a population. Ten conformation and performance traits from 31,588 horses, 774 NWB and 30,814 SWB were analysed separately and jointly using single trait animal models. Heritabilities were moderate to high, and varied from 0.15 (conformation, joint data) to 0.74 (jumping technique, NWB data). The genetic similarity (GS) between populations was 31%, with the SWB, as expected given the size of the populations, contributing most to the GS (98%). Genetic correlations between the same traits in the two populations were 0.43-0.90 but with large standard errors (0.2-0.3). Including information from the other population increased the average accuracy of estimated breeding values for common stallions, on average 4% for SWB and 110% for NWB.

1 Vereinigte Informationssysteme Tierhaltung w. V. (vit), Genetic evaluation division, Verden, Germany 2 University of Copenhagen, Dept. of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark 3 Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Dept. of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Uppsala, Sweden 4 Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Genetique, Physiologie et Systemes d’Elevage, Castanet-Tolosan, and Genetique Animale et Biologie Integrative, Jouy-en-Josas, France 5 Wageningen University, Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands 6 KU Leuven, Livestock Genetics, Department Biosystems, Heverlee, Belgium 2014 Joint Annual Meeting of ASAS-ADSA-CSAS on July 20-24, 2014, in Kansas City / USA

The overall objective of this study was to assess the use of in-line recorded milkability information from dairy herds with conventional milking parlors (CMP) and from herds with automatic milking systems (AMS) for genetic evaluation. Some genetic parameters were previously studied on AMS data for 2,053 Swedish Holstein (SH) and 1,749 Swedish Red (SR) cows in 19 herds. These data were combined in the present paper with milkability information from 74 herds with CMP, including 11,123 SH cows and 7,554 SR cows. Genetic parameters were estimated for the CMP data and genetic correlations were estimated between milkability traits measured in the 2 systems. Average flow rate and milking time were derived and used as similar milkability traits for both systems, whereas box time was used only for AMS herds. Estimated heritabilities were in the range from 0.24 to 0.49. Even though the traits were differently defined in the 2 milking systems, the corresponding traits recorded in AMS and CMP were genetically closely related (0.93-1.00). Similarly, close genetic relationships were shown between milkability traits in different lactations in both breeds (0.93-0.99). Thus, it should be possible to treat milkability traits in different lactations and from different milking systems as the same traits in genetic evaluations. The various milkability traits were also highly genetically correlated, indicating that the inclusion of just one trait in the genetic selection program would efficiently select for milkability without the need to consider all measures. Comparisons of repeatability and random regression models, combining all information from the 2 systems for genetic evaluation, were done to find the most suitable model for genetic evaluation purposes. Even though the random regression models were favored in the formal model tests to evaluate suitability, correlation coefficients between test-days within lactation were high (0.7-0.8) and small differences in breeding values resulted among different models. That would indicate that a few test-days per cow would produce accurate breeding values for milkability.

The objective of this study was to investigate how useful data from automatic milking systems used in commercial herds are for genetic analysis of milkability traits. Data were available from 4,968 Swedish Holstein and Swedish Red cows over a span of 5 yr (2004-2009) from 19 herds. The analyzed milkability traits were average flow rate, box time, milking interval, and number of milkings per day. Variance components were estimated for genetic, permanent environmental, and residual effects in first and later (second and third) lactations, and were used for estimation of heritabilities and repeatablilites. The experiences of the data quality and editing procedures showed that almost half of the data and about a quarter of the cows had to be excluded from the analyses due to incomplete or inconsistent information. However, much more data are available than is needed for accurate genetic parameter estimations. For the genetic analysis, a repeatability animal model was used that included the fixed effects of herd, year and season, lactation month, and milk yield. The repeatability coefficients were at a high level: highest for average flow rate, with estimates between 0.8 and 0.9. The estimated heritability coefficients were in the range of 0.37 to 0.48, 0.21 to 0.44, 0.09 to 0.26, and 0.02 to 0.07 for average flow rate, box time, milking interval, and number of milkings, respectively. The results from the present study unraveled large genetic variation in milkability traits. The genetic parameter estimates were well in agreement with previous studies of milkability, which proves the feasibility of using data from automatic milking systems for genetic analysis.

• Genomic selection tools are radically changing the way dairy cattle genetics is organized worldwide by providing the means to reduce generation intervals and accelerate genetic progress. As a result, young genomically selected bulls are quickly replacing progeny-tested bulls in the top lists. • To achieve moderate reliabilities in genomic predictions, large reference populations of progeny-tested animals have to be assembled, and this number increases dramatically for traits with low heritability. International cooperation becomes imperative, both for joining databases of genotypes and for obtaining phenotypic information translated into the respective national scale (Interbull multiple-trait across-country evaluation estimates). • Keeping the Interbull conventional international evaluations (based on national conventional estimated breeding values) as a source of phenotypic information for the national genomic predictive models requires maintaining conventional evaluation models at the national level. • Interbull is establishing a new framework to incorporate genomics into international evaluations. The main actions include intensifying networking opportunities; validating national genomically enhanced breeding values; and developing genomically enhanced multiple-trait across-country evaluations, Intergenomics, and a genomic data repository. to express their estimated breeding values (EBV) in the scales adopted by the importing countries. Without a common basis for comparing breeding animals from different origins, the genetic merit of bulls used for artifi cial insemination has been derived from their progeny information, obtained, in most cases, only in the country of origin of the bull while ignoring differences in trait defi nition, evaluation model, measurement scale, management practices, environmental conditions, genetic makeup, and selection goals. Members of the scientifi c community and the dairy breeding industry acknowledged this challenge as early as 1975, and after years of cooperative work, the International Bull Evaluation Service (Interbull) was created in 1983 (Philipsson, 2005). The objective was to support the dairy industry with accurate genetic information on bulls of the major dairy breeds for use by importers and exporters, thereby facilitating selection of the best genetics for different countries, environments, or breeding goals. Interbull was developed as a joint effort of the International Committee for Animal Recording; the European Federation of Animal Science, or EAAP; and the International Dairy Federation to become the main international forum for the development and standardization of methods and procedures in dairy cattle evaluation. The information exchange promoted by Interbull has clearly helped participating countries improve national systems and benefi t greatly from the international genetic evaluations carried out by the Interbull Centre. As a cooperative action between the participating countries, Interbull does not compete with the national genetic evaluation centers, but is rather an auxiliary service. The authority over publication of breeding values in national scales remains with each of the countries. This very successful partnership among competitors, exporters, and importers is a result of permanent and intense networking, making all the actors involved jointly responsible for the choice of methods and for the quality of the results obtained. The Interbull international evaluations are computed by a linear multiple-trait across-country evaluation (MACE) of national conventional EBV from the participating countries (Schaeffer, 1994). In MACE, bull progeny contributions from different countries are treated as different traits, with genetic correlations lower than unity. Consequently, the use of foreign information is accounted for by considering genotype-environment interaction, as well as differences in modeling, the genetic base, and trait defi nitions. Currently, Interbull MACE evaluations yield international EBV (IEBV) for a range of 34 traits and 6 breeds, expressed on as many as 30 national scales (currently, data from 73 populations are included) that are used extensively worldwide for semen marketing. Interbull has been a reference for international cooperation since 1983 at both the scientifi c and the industry levels, but the dawn of genomic selection in dairy cattle has taken this cooperation to a completely new level. The aim of this article is to present how dependent the “genomic

A bio-economic model was adapted to estimate economic values for important traits of two Ethiopian indigenous sheep breeds, the Menz and Horro breeds. To do so, a meat sheep herd for fattening lambs and rearing young replacement sheep was simulated. Traits included in the analysis were: daily gain (fattening trait), live weight of ewes, length of productive life, lambing interval, litter size, stillbirths and lamb survival (functional traits). To avoid double counting, the economic value for each trait was derived while keeping all other traits constant. Economic values were obtained per ewe place, year, and genetic standard deviation. For the Menz breed, economic values in € per genetic standard deviation were 0.63 (daily gain), −0.77 (mature ewe live weight), −0.97 (length of productive life), 1.57 (lambing interval), 0.98 (litter size), 0.41 (stillbirths) and 2.20 (lamb survival). Economic values (in €) of 1.35 (daily gain), −1.26 (mature ewe live weight), −1.15 (length of productive life), 1.98 (lambing interval), 3.67 (litter size), 0.56 (stillbirth) and 3.25 (lamb survival) were derived for the Horro breed. Negative economic values for length of productive life and mature ewe live weight were estimated for both breeds. After setting the economic values of length of productive life and mature ewe live weight to zero, the economic values (in %) for the ratio of the trait complexes fattening: functional traits were 11:89 and 12.5:87.5 for Menz and Horro, respectively. Economic values for litter size, lambing interval and lamb survival traits were sensitive to changes in price for breeding rams in both breeds.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDYDisturbances in skeletal development, primarily osteochondrosis (OC) and palmar/plantar osseous fragments (POF), have been commonly reported as problems in young horses. However, there are few reports of such findings for epidemiological analyses or breeding purposes.OBJECTIVESTo evaluate equine hospital data as a possible source of information for genetic evaluations by estimating prevalence and heritability of OC in the stifle, hock and fetlock joints and of POF in the fetlock.METHODSData on Swedish Warmblood (SWB) horses were obtained from a large equine hospital in south Sweden. Prevalences were based on radiographic examinations of 879 screened horses, mainly evaluated as part of a prepurchase examination and 3639 horses with a reported history of orthopaedic problems. For the heritability study the 2 data sources were pooled and 3199 examined horses with pedigree information were considered for the linear animal model analyses.RESULTSThe overall prevalence of OC was 13% (stifle 9%, hock 6% and dorsal osseous fragments in fetlock [DOF] 10%) and POF 10%. The overall heritability of OC was 0.05 on the visible binomial scale. The corresponding heritabilities for OC in the stifle were 0.03, hock 0.08, DOF 0.10 and POF 0.13. These values correspond to heritabilities of 0.09-0.38 on the underlying quantitative scale.CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCEObtained prevalences and heritabilities were in accordance with other studies, supporting the hypothesis that data regularly obtained from equine hospitals may be a valuable source in studies of inherited disorders such as OC and POF. There is a need for more standardised documentation of diagnoses and consistent recording of identity of examined horses using passports or breed databases. Compilation of results from major clinics is desired in order to cover most progenies of stallions used in a region or nation.

The main breeding objective for the Swedish Warmblood horse (SWB) is to produce competitive horses in show jumping or dressage. The aims of this study were to investigate the genetic trends of SWB and the factors affecting the genetic progress. The realised genetic trend was studied separately for stallions and mares using the relative breeding values (RBVs) from the official genetic evaluation in 2009. RBVs were estimated using a multi-trait animal model with results from competitions and two young horse performance tests. The genetic progress increased substantially from the mid 1980s in both show jumping and dressage. The improvement rate was almost twice as high for show jumping as for dressage, 0.056 genetic standard deviation units per year compared with 0.032. The trend of broodmares followed the trend of the un-selected mares; thus the achieved progress was solely due to stallion selection. The stronger stallion selection was a result of the improved stallion performance test introduced in late 1970s, import of high quality stallions, and the BLUP evaluation based on the progenies results at young horse performance test introduced in 1986. For stallions born until 1984 the selection intensity was close to zero, thereafter the selection intensities corresponded to selection of the 5% best stallions in show jumping and the 28% best stallions in dressage. Accuracy at selection was 0.60 in show jumping for both stallions and broodmares, and 0.41 and 0.48 in dressage for stallions and broodmares, respectively. The generation interval was 11.1years for stallions and 10.3years for broodmares. In the future the breeding programme should focus on more efficient use of RBVs for selection of both stallions and broodmares at both young age and when progenies of stallions have been tested. Because of the strongly increased genetic level in the population, high quality stallions can be selected within the SWB population to a higher extent than previously.

The aim of this study was to compare different scenarios for bull dam selection in a nucleus herd. A deterministic simulation study using selection index methodology was undertaken. In the scenarios studied, differing amounts of information on functional traits were available when bull dams were selected, and the resulting genetic responses in these traits were compared. Field-recorded fertility traits used in the scenarios were available as progeny test results of artificial insemination bulls: these included pregnant at first insemination (PFI), interval between calving and first insemination (CFI), and cases of reproductive disorders (RD). Similarly, field-recorded cases of clinical mastitis (CM), lactation somatic cell score (LSCS), and protein yield (PY) were included for pedigree selection. In the scenarios, heat intensity score and progesterone levels were treated as new indicator traits of fertility recorded in the nucleus herd. Traits CFI and LSCS were assumed to be better recorded with higher heritability in the nucleus herd than in ordinary herds. Economic weights currently used in Nordic Cattle Genetic Evaluation (NAV) were adapted and used in the scenarios. The results showed that these weights, if used in multiple trait genetic evaluation, would lead to undesirable genetic changes in functional traits for the bull dam selection path in a nucleus environment. More frequent recording of additional traits failed to improve selection for functional traits, as did more frequent recording of ordinary traits. Restriction index methodology was used to derive the bull dam total weights that gave no unfavorable response (i.e., zero genetic change) in traits PFI, CFI, and CM. When summarized over lactations, the new bull dam total weights, when additional records from nucleus were used, had to be 12 to 23 times higher for fertility, and 3 times higher for mastitis, than the presently used NAV weights, if these traits were to remain unchanged through the bull dam selection path. Thus, nucleus herd selection of bull dams is questionable for low heritability traits that are already recorded in the field.

The aim of the study was to investigate the possibilities of using number of years in competition as a measure of durability in the genetic evaluation of Swedish Warmblood horses. Competition results recorded between 1971 and 2008 in the disciplines dressage, show jumping and eventing were used to estimate genetic parameters for number of years in competition. Only male horses not used in breeding born between 1967 and 1991 were included in the study (17,962 horses). The study showed that horses with placings in more than one discipline at an early age had the longest competition career. This result suggests that these horses are talented for sports and possibly also that there is a positive effect of all-round training of young horses on their durability. For estimation of genetic parameters for number of years in competition different linear mixed animal models were compared. Depending on the model and transformation the heritability for total number of years in competition varied between 0.07 and 0.17. The lower values were obtained when adjustments in the model were made for age at first placing in competition. Higher heritabilities were obtained for competition years in show jumping and lower for eventing. Performance traits scored at young horse tests and as points in competition (lifetime and for young horses) showed positive genetic correlations with total number of years in competition. These results indicate that years in competition represent both the durability of the horses and their talents for performance. It is suggested that number of years in competition may be used for genetic evaluation of durability.

To facilitate livestock improvement in developing countries, records on animal populations and their various productivity levels are important. However, in these countries, livestock recording presents a huge challenge. This paper presents an outline of the historical developments and the current scenario in dairy and beef recording in Kenya, where a recording scheme has been in place since 1963, yet the productive potential of most animals in the country remains unknown. The paper brings into context the state of recording in relation to the potential for future developments in dairy and beef production within the country. Despite the enormous existing potential, low numbers of livestock records are captured due to multiple challenges, which include limited funding, lack of incentives to record, limited feedback on records, a fragmented organizational structure, poor infrastructure, limited numbers of skilled personnel and lack of supporting policies. Strategies to overcome the challenges and achieve more sustainable utilization of the existing livestock populations are discussed. Linking recording to key service providers within the livestock production sector could enhance data collection, processing and feedback to livestock producers. The quality of extension services provided must be improved in order to holistically support livestock production. Recent international regulations on the traceability of livestock products sold within different countries mean that unless Kenya implements a robust animal recording programme, the country will be locked out of markets for its livestock products.