2002 Paul M. VanRaden and Ashley H. Sanders Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD Economic Merit of Crossbred and Purebred US Dairy Cattle

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (2)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Objectives  Document the number and type of crossbred cows in the US.  Estimate heterosis and breed differences using cows of different breed composition competing in the same herd.  Compare the economic merit of crossbred and purebred cows.

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (3)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Traits Considered  Milk, fat, and protein yields  Somatic cell score (SCS)  Productive life (PL)  Linear type composites not available Body size estimates obtained from literature Udder and leg trait estimates assumed zero  Net merit, cheese merit, fluid merit calculated Adjusted to Holstein scale  Fertility, mortality, and calving ease not available

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (4)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Breeds Are Evaluated Separately  Separate data sets reduce bias in evaluations within breeds, but provide: No evaluations for crossbreds No method to compare cows across breeds  New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands include crossbreds and account for heterosis in evaluations.  USDA-DHIA evaluations exclude crossbred cows unless identified as part of a “grading- up” program.

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (5)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Yield Traits & SCS Data  Data were from the national test-day database available May, herds each with at least 5 crossbred cows 10,442 crossbred cows born since ,421 purebred herdmates (80% were Holstein)  Crossbreds defined by sire breed and maternal grandparent breeds. Sires were purebred, dam breed used for unknown maternal grandparent breed XX (crossbred) not accepted for maternal grandparents Holstein and Red & White considered one breed

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (6)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Number of F 1 & Purebred Cows Number of F 1 & Purebred Cows In Mixed Breed Contemporary Groups Sire Breed Dam Breed Ayrshire Brown SwissGuernseyJersey Milking Shorthorn Holstein Ayrshire 933— Brown Swiss — Guernsey Jersey M. Shorthorn —111— Holstein ,836

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (7)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Number of F 1 & Backcross Cows Number of F 1 & Backcross Cows With Holstein Sire or Grandparent Holstein Genes Second Breed 25% 25% 50% 50% 75% 75% Ayrshire Brown Swiss Guernsey Jersey M. Shorthorn

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (8)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Results  Estimated breed means  Estimates of heterosis  Economic comparisons  Rank other breeds on Holstein base  Some new crossbreeding theory

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (9)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Crossbreeding Theory Holstein  Brown Swiss Protein Yield Protein kg/d % Holstein genes 0.86 — Holstein mean — A+Dominance (D) max heterosis (H) max heterosis (H) — A+D min H — A+D+A  A max H — A+D+A  A min H — Additive (A) only

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (10)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Breed Differences & Heterosis for Economic Merit BreedNet Merit ($) Cheese Merit ($) Merit ($)Fluid Ayrshire Brown Swiss Guernsey Jersey M. Shorthorn Holstein——— Heterosis$197$207$163

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (11)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Merit of F 1 Holstein Crossbreds Second Breed Net Merit ($) Cheese Fluid Ayrshire Brown Swiss Guernsey Jersey M. Shorthorn Compared to 2000 genetic base for Holstein

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (12)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Mates for Holstein Cows Brown SwissJersey Top US SireRansomFan Club NM$ (breed scale) $519 $467 Breed Difference (from HOL) - $178- $153 Heterosis (NM$) + $197 Adjusted NM$ (HOL scale) $538 $511 NM$ Rank (HOL scale) CM$ Rank (HOL scale) 13 12

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (13)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Conclusions

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (14)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Conclusions  Currently < 0.5% of DHI cows are crossbred.  Heterosis was about 4% for yield traits, < 1% (unfavorable) for SCS, and 1% for PL.  Profit from Jersey  Holstein and Brown Swiss  Holstein crosses is higher than from Holsteins.  Fewer extreme bulls are found in minor breeds.  Backcross yields were higher than expected.

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (15)P.M. VanRaden 2002 From , M.H. Fohrman studied 113 Guernsey, Jersey, Holstein, and Red Danes crosses at Beltsville. Another study of 137 Ayrshire, Brown Swiss and Holstein crosses was conducted from (McDowell and McDaniel, 1968). USDA Yearbook of Agriculture 1947 Holstein  Guernsey

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (16)P.M. VanRaden 2002 USDA Yearbook of Agriculture 1947 Holstein  Jersey Cow #Pounds of Milk% Butterfat Pounds of Butterfat X-513, X-1112, X-2012, X-3011, X-3811, X-4013, X-5113, All cows sired by Beltsville Holstein No. 966

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (17)P.M. VanRaden 2002 USDA Yearbook of Agriculture 1947 Jersey  Holstein Cow #Pounds of Milk% Butterfat Pounds of Butterfat X-1 9, X-313, X-1713, X-3213, X-4112, X-42 9, X-4712, X-1 and X-47 were sired by an unidentified Jersey sire. All others sired by Beltsville Jersey No. 1114

NAAB Dairy Trade Mission - Crossbreeding (18)P.M. VanRaden 2002 Butterfat yield of three breed crosses was greater than from their F 1 crossbred dams. Three breed crosses averaged 14,927 pounds of milk and 641 pounds of butterfat as 2-year-olds in USDA Yearbook of Agriculture 1947 Three-Breed Crosses