1. H. Duane Norman Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD duane.norman@ars.usda.gov NDHIA 2009 meeting (1) 2009 Update on AIPL Research, 2008–09 I 9 DHIA!

2. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (2) Recent research projects l Reported abortions frequency in DHI herds l Johne’s scores from DHI herds l Sexed-semen use and its impact on reproductive traits

3. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (3) Abortions reported (R. H. Miller) l 2.9 million lactations reports from pregnant cows (1995–2005) l Determination of abortion based on DHI termination code 8 l Reported abortion frequency examined among parities, seasons, stages of pregnancy, breeds, milk yields, regions, and herd sizes l Reported abortion frequency of 1.5%

4. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (4) Abortions & season l Reported abortions most frequent from February through August l Fewest abortions reported during November and December

5. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (5) Abortions & parity l Reported abortion frequency decreased as parity increased

6. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (6) Abortions & pregnancy stage l Abortions most frequent early in pregnancy

7. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (7) Abortions & breed & milk yield l Reported abortion frequency was lowest for Jerseys, intermediate for other breeds (+0.2 percentage units), and highest for Holsteins (+0.3 percentage units)

8. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (8) Abortions & breed & milk yield l High milk yield associated with increased reported abortions Lactation milk yield Abortion frequency (%) difference from low-yield group HolsteinJerseyOther High (top 20%)1.51.31.0 Medium (middle 60%)0.80.70.6 Low (bottom 20%)0.0

9. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (9) Abortions & herd size l Larger herd size associated with increased reported abortions

10. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (10) Abortions & region l Abortions reported most in the Southwest Abortion frequency (%) difference from cows in the Southeast 0.4 1.9 0.4 0.0 0.3 0.8 0.4

11. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (11) Johne’s studies l Characteristics of milk ELISA scores in Holsteins and factors affecting scores w Antel BioSystems (T. M. Byrem, H. D. Norman, & J. R. Wright) l Estimation of genetic parameters and transmitting ability for milk ELISA scores w University of Minnesota (S. A. Attalla, A. J. Seykora, J. B. Cole, & B. J. Heins)

12. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (12) Characteristics of ELISA tests l Cow distribution by parity l Score distribution by days from calving to test l Birth and test seasons (four 3-mo seasons starting in January) uniformly distributed l Score distribution by year Parity123 ≥4≥4 Cows (%)492513 Test stage (d) 1–6061–120121–180181–240241–300301–360 ≥ 361 Scores (%)10769232223 Year2002200320042005200620072008* Scores (%)361216192617 *partial year

13. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (13) Milk ELISA score characteristics l Average score of 0.04 (±0.18) for 196,412 tests from 696 herds in 16 States from 2002 through 2008 w 6.1 and 3.2% positives based on cutoffs of 0.10 and 0.40 l Same average and SD for 42,778 scores from 25 more comprehensively tested herds in Michigan and Wisconsin w 5.6 and 3.0% positives

14. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (14) ELISA characteristics, (+ at 0.1) l Cows with multiple tests within parity (12%) w 95% negative for last test if 1st test negative w 52% positive for last test if 1st test positive l Cows with multiple tests across parities (36%) w 91% negative for last test if 1st test negative w 47% positive for last test if 1st test positive

15. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (15) ELISA characteristics (various +) l Milk yield differences (within herd and year) between cows with negative and positive scores l Similar yield differences until score cutoff is >0.05 w Percentage of infected cows in “positive” group w Lower productivity for infected cows revealed l Untested cows had lower average yield than tested cows (even cows with positive tests) Cutoff0.000.020.040.060.100.40 Difference (lb)6726506948911,0561,164

16. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (16) Milk ELISA characteristics (cont.) l Unusually high percentage (44%) of untested cows removed from herd by end of current lactation l Tested cows removed from herd w 15% of positive cows w 12% of negative cows l Further analysis needed to optimize usefulness of DHI records in evaluation of milk testing for Johne's

17. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (17) Factors affecting scores l Scores generally increased with year, parity, and test stage l Birth and test seasons non-significant l Low heritability (1%) l Moderate repeatability (21%) l Results will be reexamined as more data available

18. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (18) Genetic parameters & evaluation l 22,694 records from Minnesota Holstein herds with at least 1 cow positive for Johne’s l Milk ELISA scores transformed using natural logarithm l Heritability, repeatability, and breeding values estimated with linear animal model l Heritability of 0.06 l Repeatability of 0.34

19. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (19) Correlations with other traits 108 Holstein AI sires with ≥ 30 daughters in study l PTA correlation with breeding value for ELISA score w Milk (0.01) w Fat (–0.05) w Protein (0.00) l Selection based on SCS, productive life, DPR, and net merit could improve resistance to Johne’s w SCS (0.19) w Productive life (–0.26) w DPR (–0.21) w Net merit (–0.26)

20. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (20) Sexed-semen studies (Norman & Hutchison) l Characterization and usage based on U.S. field data l Effect on reproductive traits w Conception rate w Calf sex w Dystocia w Stillbirth

21. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (21) Sexed-semen characterization l Determination of sexed-semen breedings w NAAB marketing code 500 (514 excluded) w AIPL format-5 records l Of 717 active-AI Holstein bulls born since Jan 1, 1994, sexed semen was marketed before April 2008 for 211 (29%) of them

22. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (22) Sexed-semen characteristics (cont.) l Holstein bulls with sexed semen available from Jan. 2006 through April 2008 slightly superior genetically w Yield traits w SCS w Productive life w DPR l Holstein bulls with sexed-semen by net merit decile Net merit ($) –340 – 40 50– 125 128– 174 177– 211 216– 245 247– 281 282– 328 331– 363 366– 414 418– 529 Bulls (%)618283135 42464833 w Calving ease w Stillbirth w Net merit

23. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (23) Sexed-semen use l Holstein breedings with sexed semen by year l 54% of Holstein sexed-semen breedings to heifers; 46% to cows (through April 2008) l Heifer sexed-semen breedings (through Oct. 2008) w 80% for 1st breeding w 16% for 2nd breeding w 3% for 3rd breeding Year200620072008 Heifers (%)1.59.614.2 Cows (%)0.11.3 2.1

24. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (24) Sexed-semen use (cont.) l Cow sexed-semen breedings (through Oct. 2008) w 43% during 1st lactation − 51% for 1st breeding − 23% for 2nd breeding − 12% for 3rd breeding w 28% during 2nd lactation − 47% for 1st breeding − 25% for 2nd breeding − 13% for 3rd breeding

25. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (25) Sexed-semen use (cont.) l Regional herd use (%) of sexed semen in heifers w Greater in Northwest and Southwest w Lowest in Northeast, Midwest, and Mountain- Prairie states l Varied by region l Similar regardless of herd size

26. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (26) Sexed semen & reproductive traits l Conception rate (Jan. 2006 through Oct. 2008 data) w Overall − Conventional: 57%, heifers; 30%, cows − Sexed semen: 44%, heifers; 26%, cows w Sexed-semen breedings − 1st breeding: 45%, heifers; 29%, 1st-lact. cows − 2nd breeding: 39%, heifers; 27%, 1st-lact. cows − 3rd breeding: 35%, heifers; 25%, 1st-lact. cows − 26% (average), first 3 breedings, 2nd-lact. cows

27. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (27) l Correlation between sire conception rates from sexed and conventional semen w >300 breedings: 0.19, heifers; 0.49, cows w >800 breedings: 0.32, heifers; 0.78, cows l Calf sex and twinning incidences (%) SemenAnimal Single  calf Single  calf Twins ConventionalHeifers50491 Cows45495 SexedHeifers90 91 Cows85115 Sexed semen & reproductive traits (cont.)

28. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (28) Sexed semen & reproductive traits (cont.) l Dystocia incidence (%) SemenAnimal Single  calf Single  calf Twins ConventionalHeifers488 Cows235 SexedHeifers494 Cows*112 *Nonsignificant

29. H.D. Norman 2009 NDHIA 2009 meeting (29) l Stillbirth incidence (%) SemenAnimal Single  calf Single  calf Twins ConventionalHeifers 91115 Cows 4 4 8 SexedHeifers101513 Cows* 3 4 8 *Nonsignificant Sexed semen & reproductive traits (cont.)

30. H. Duane Norman Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD duane.norman@ars.usda.gov NDHIA 2009 meeting (30) 2009 Update on AIPL Research, 2008–09 That’s all