2004 R. L. Powell, A. H. Sanders, and H. D. Norman Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD Country bias in international dairy bull evaluations
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (2)R. L. Powell MACE Evaluation Process Interbull combines yield evaluations from 27 national Holstein bull populations. Estimated genetic correlations between evaluations from different populations are applied. Results are reported on the scale of each participating country organization.
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (3)R. L. Powell Investigation of Country Bias Full brothers are expected to have the same genetics on average. Full brothers with daughters in different countries should have the same MACE evaluations (on average). Do full brother evaluations reveal country bias?
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (4)R. L. Powell Data May 2005 Interbull evaluations of Holsteins for milk, fat, and protein yields, and SCS Eligible bulls ≥1 eligible full-brother Daughters in only one eligible country Eligible countries Represented in ≥25 multi-country families 18 countries for yield 15 countries for SCS
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (5)R. L. Powell Data BullsFamilies YieldAll families24,65210,191 Multi-country families SCSAll families22, Multi-country families
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (6)R. L. Powell Multi-Country Families Home Country Families Home Country Families YieldSCSYieldSCS Australia8554Italy Canada641628Japan Czech Rep.121 New Zealand4439 Denmark505485Poland70 France South Africa3230 Germany939845Spain Gr. Britain468432Sweden4844 Hungary6754The Netherlands Ireland159 United States
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (7)R. L. Powell Ties Between Countries Home Country Ties Home Country Ties YieldSCSYieldSCS Australia12278Italy Canada773751Japan Czech Rep.153 New Zealand5548 Denmark646595Poland81 France South Africa4842 Germany Spain Gr. Britain650582Sweden5449 Hungary8266The Netherlands Ireland232 United States
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (8)R. L. Powell US Ties to Other Countries Home Country Ties Home Country Ties YieldSCSYieldSCS Australia3220Italy51 Canada337333Japan Czech Rep.11 New Zealand15 Denmark5651Poland6 France476473South Africa88 Germany140 Spain5857 Gr. Britain109104Sweden Hungary1815The Netherlands Ireland16 United States
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (9)R. L. Powell Model Full-brother family (absorbed) Country of bull daughters Analysis of MACE evaluations on the US scale Difference between evaluations based on foreign daughters and those based on domestic (US) daughters Evaluations on several other country scales also analyzed
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (10)R. L. Powell Results Overall significance for country differences on all country scales for yield traits Overall, no significance for SCS For SCS, South African bulls significantly disadvantaged on all scales
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (11)R. L. Powell Results for US-Scale Evaluations Countries with evaluations more favorable (blue) or less favorable (pink) than those from USA (P<0.05) MilkFatProteinSCS AUS ESP GBR JPN DEU FRA ITA AUS ZAF GBRAUS GBR ZAF DEU JPN ZAF AUS=Australia; DEU=Germany; ESP=Spain; FRA=France; GBR=United Kingdom; ITA=Italy; JPN=Japan; USA=United States of America; ZAF=South African Republic;.
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (12)R. L. Powell Results for Other Evaluation Scales Milk:Domestic bulls disadvantaged on scales of CAN, ITA, and NLD similarly to US bulls on the US scale Domestic bulls generally favored on scales of AUS and DEU
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (13)R. L. Powell Results for Other Evaluation Scales Milk:Domestic bulls disadvantaged on scales of CAN, ITA, and NLD similarly to US bulls on the US scale Domestic bulls generally favored on scales of AUS and DEU Fat:Bulls from AUS, GBR, and ZAF were favored on scales of CAN, FRA, ITA, and NLD All but NZL and ZAF bulls disadvantaged on AUS scale
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (14)R. L. Powell Results for Other Evaluation Scales Milk:Domestic bulls disadvantaged on scales of CAN, ITA, and NLD similarly to US bulls on the US scale Domestic bulls generally favored on scales of AUS and DEU Fat:Bulls from AUS, GBR, and ZAF were favored on scales of CAN, FRA, ITA, and NLD All but NZL and ZAF bulls disadvantaged on AUS scale Protein results similar to milk
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (15)R. L. Powell Possible Complications Genetic correlations Parent averages (completeness and phantom grouping) National animal model vs. sire-MGS MACE Preferential treatment Pre-selection (markers, etc.)
ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JOINT MEETING 2005 (16)R. L. Powell Conclusions Apparent biases for yields but not SCS Some countries appear disadvantaged while others are favored across all country scales Caused by shortcomings in national systems or international system? Source of biases unknown and may be different for different country pairs