1. 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (1) Implications of Crossbreeding on Dairy Cattle Improvement Paul VanRaden and Ashley Sanders Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD paul@aipl.arsusda.gov, asanders@aipl.arsusda.gov paul@aipl.arsusda.gov, asanders@aipl.arsusda.gov

2. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (2) 0255075100 0.88 0.90 0.92 0.940.96 Protein kg/d % Holstein genes 0.86 — Holstein mean Crossbreeding Theory Holstein  Brown Swiss Protein Yield —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

3. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (3) Crossbreeding Research  Document current levels of crossbreeding in the US from DHI data.  3500 parent-identified crossbreds cows born in 1997.  600,000 sire-identified Holsteins.  35,000 sire-identified Jerseys.  Determine if crossbreeding makes sense in dairy cattle.  If yes, advise breeders on possible selection and mating systems across breeds.

4. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (4) Crossbred and Purebred Data  Yield and SCS data  572 herds each with at least 5 crossbred cows.  10,442 F1 crossbred cows born since 1990.  140,421 purebred herdmates (80% were Holstein).  Productive life data  41,131 crossbred cows born since 1960.  726,344 purebred herdmates.  Other traits  Body size breed means and heterosis from literature.  Udder, feet and legs, calving ease, etc. values were 0.

5. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (5) Breed Differences & Heterosis for Economic Merit Breed Net Merit ($) Cheese Merit ($) Fluid Merit ($) Ayrshire-510-469 -728 -728 Brown Swiss -355-256 -808 -808 Guernsey-761-692-1117 Jersey-305-186 -865 -865 M. Shorthorn -892-862-1073 Holstein——— Heterosis$197$207$163

6. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (6) Merit of F 1 Holstein Crossbreds Second Breed Net Merit ($) Cheese Fluid Ayrshire -58 -58 -27 -27-201 Brown Swiss 18 18 79 79-241 Guernsey-184-138-395 Jersey 44 44 113 113-269 M. Shorthorn -249-223-373 Compared to 2000 genetic base for Holstein

7. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (7) Mates for Holstein Cows Brown Swiss Jersey Top US Sire Ransom Fan Club NM$ (breed scale) $519 $519 $467 $467 Breed Difference (from HOL) - $178 - $153 Heterosis (NM$) + $197 + $197 + $197 Adjusted NM$ (HOL scale) $538 $538 $511 $511 NM$ Rank (HOL scale) 28 28 40 40 CM$ Rank (HOL scale) 13 13 12 12

8. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (8) Separate or Combined Breed Evaluations  Separate data sets reduce bias in evaluations within breeds, but some information is lost:  Crossbred cows evaluated inaccurately or not at all  “Conversion formulas” 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.

9. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (9) Sires with Many Crossbred Daughters Sire name SirebreedPurebreddaughtersDambreedCrossbreddaughters J Pete Rose BS2079HO90 M-B-S Berretta JE16,474HO74 I Quiet Revolution MS301HO21 LL Bell Hilton HO28,989GU18 V JS Bell Boss HO22,998AY15 Only 113 sires had > 10 crossbred daughters.

10. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (10) Conclusions

11. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (11) 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 was higher than from Holsteins when compared at PTA = 0.  Fewer extreme PTA bulls are found in minor breeds.  Matings with high additive merit and low inbreeding make sense.

12. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (12)

13. Paul VanRaden 2001 NAAB / S-284 Meeting, Baltimore, 2001 (13) Complete Outcross Pedigree!  Advertisement for Bullcrest Patron Sabre  SIRE: Patron = Blackstar x Ned Boy x Bell  MGS: Roebuck = Mark x Bell x Sexation  MGGS: Tong = Mars Tony x Chief x Astronaut  MGGD = Chairman x Valiant x Elevation  Future daughter inbreeding = 5.6%  Average for active AI Holsteins = 4.9%  Inbreeding when mated to Jerseys = 0.0%