2. H.D. Norman* (dnorman@aipl.arsusda.gov),dnorman@aipl.arsusda.gov J.R. Wright, P.M. VanRaden, and M.T. Kuhn Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Agricultural Research Service, USDA Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA ADSA 2003 (HDN-1) 2003 Characteristics of genetic evaluations for daughter fertility in relation to other fitness traits Abstr. 519

3. ADSA 2003 (HDN-2) 2003 DHI-Provo lactation records Trait Mean Change 19901999 Calving  1st breeding (d)8286  5% Calving  conception (days open) 129154  19% 1st breeding  conception (d)4768  45% Inseminations/conception2.02.3  15%

4. ADSA 2003 (HDN-3) 2003 Economic impact Lower herd milk yield Increased insemination costs Losses from involuntary culling for fertility International export disadvantage

5. ADSA 2003 (HDN-4) 2003 Data donors Dairy Records Management Systems Raleigh, NC AgSource Cooperative Services Verona, WI AgriTech Analytics Visalia, CA Pennsylvania DHIA Service Center University Park, PA

6. ADSA 2003 (HDN-5) 2003 Reproductive traits Days to 1st breeding Service period Percentage of nonreturn to 1st service Services per conception Days open

7. ADSA 2003 (HDN-6) 2003 Pregnancy rate (PR) Percentage of nonpregnant cows that become pregnant during next 21 d Derived from days open: PR = (233 – days open) / 4

8. ADSA 2003 (HDN-7) 2003 Selection for fertility? Pessimistic  R.H. Foote, 1969, JDS  R. Nebel, 2003, Holstein International Optimistic  Norman et al., 2003, ADSA meeting

9. ADSA 2003 (HDN-8) 2003 Coefficients of variation (CV) TraitMean Pheno- typic SD CV (%) Pheno- typic Genetic Protein (kg)31490137 SCS3.1  PL (mo)24135416 DPR (%)23156513 DPR = daughter pregnancy rate, PL = productive life, SCS = somatic cell score

10. ADSA 2003 (HDN-9) 2003 Genetic progress  G =accuracy  genetic SD  selection intensity  generation interval Dickerson & Hazel, 1944

11. ADSA 2003 (HDN-10) 2003 Objectives Compare evaluation characteristics  DPR  Other recent fitness traits Determine appropriate perspective for use of current genetic tools

12. ADSA 2003 (HDN-11) 2003 Genetic trend: DPR

13. ADSA 2003 (HDN-12) 2003 Genetic trend: SCS, PL

14. ADSA 2003 (HDN-13) 2003 Mean cow reliability (%) Trait Birth year 198819931998 Protein (kg)525149 SCS323534 PL333231 DPR32 30

15. ADSA 2003 (HDN-14) 2003 Heritability (%) Trait Repeat- ability Records (no.) 12345 Protein (kg)553039434547 SCS351015182021 PL  4788.5 DPR1147101214

16. ADSA 2003 (HDN-15) 2003 Mean bull reliability (%) Trait Birth year 1984-881989-931994-98 Protein (kg)858685 SCS687359 PL67 61 DPR656657 Service sire CE646873 Daughter CE596259 Feet & Legs6670

17. ADSA 2003 (HDN-16) 2003 Birth year and AI organization Effect on PTA variation: No differences among AI organizations for DPR, but an effect found for PL and SCS TraitBirth yearAI organization DPR2.6%.3% PL5.8%.1% SCS1.1%.4%

18. ADSA 2003 (HDN-17) 2003 Conclusions DPR reliability comparable to reliabilities for other fitness traits DPR should be included in all aspects of genetic programs to reverse decline in reproductive performance Little difference in DPR among AI organizations If fitness traits receive 50% of weight in future net merit indexes, acceptance of lower reliability will become more common