The effectiveness of stud bull selection in the Holstein cattle population

The genetic improvement of dairy cattle populations is based primarily on the use of the best stud bulls that sustainably transmit their qualities to their offspring. The purpose of the conducted study was to determine the effectiveness of the selection of the best stud bulls in the population of Holstein Black-and-White cattle of the Vologda region based on the breeding value calculated by different methods. The research database included data on 8812 cows of the 1st calving and 171 bulls, which are the fathers of these cows. The breeding value of bulls was determined by milk yield indicators, as the main selection trait in dairy cattle breeding, based on the calculation of genetic potential and its realization, and using the "daughter-peer" method. According to the calculation results, the stud bulls were chosen in groups of 40 heads with the best breeding value indicators determined by different methods. The effectiveness of selection for each of the methods was determined based on the calculation of the selection differential, as the difference in productivity "daughter-mother". The positive indicator of the selection differential confirms the effectiveness of using the stud bull in the population. In the studied groups, the majority of the stud bulls (36 out of 40 or 90.0%) have a positive selection differential in milk productivity (from +218 to +2684 kg). Also, 4 stud bulls with a negative selection differential from –25 to –297 kg were identified in each group of the bulls. The superiority of the offspring of these bulls over their peers is ensured not only by the influence of paternal genetics, but also by the use of highly productive breeding stock. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that the effectiveness of the selection of stud bulls increases if the assessment with any method is supplemented by the calculation of the selection differential, and the integrated use of the proposed methods will help to increase the reliability of the assessment of the breeding value of bulls and the effectiveness of the selection of the best stud bulls in the population.

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