© Natural Resources Institute Finland© Natural Resources Institute Finland
Enyew Negussie
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
African Dairy Genetic Gains Program Annual
Planning Meeting, 20-23 February 2017
Performance recording and bull
evaluation: Contrasting experiences

© Natural Resources Institute Finland
Luke = Luonnonvarakeskus = Natural Resources Center
3/15/2017

© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/2017
Genetics Research - Luke
• Animal genomics
– Gene mapping of traits connected to animal health,
productivity and quality, and genomic selection
– Bovine embryo production
– Nutrigenomics
• Biometrical genetics
– Genetic evaluation methodology
– Design of breeding programs
– Genomic selection
• Genetic diversity
– Conservation, management and utilization of genetic
diversity of cultivated plants and domestic animals
– economic and cultural values of genetic diversity
• Plant genomics
– Genetic diversity of crop plants
– Marker systems for fingerprinting and selection
– Doubled-haploid methodology
– Cryo preservation methodology

© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/2017
Biometrical Genetics
Genetic evaluation
methodology
Fish
Pigs
Fur Animals
Dairy cattle
Healthy Cow
Udder health evaluation for
Nordic dairy cattle
Genomic Selection
Genomic selection and
genomic breeding value estimation
Test-day model
Milk yield evaluation for
Nordic dairy cattle
Farm compass
Tools for farm
management monitoring
BLUP Shop
Animal evaluation and genetic
models - Toolbox
FurGenetics
Genetics of economically important
traits in fur animals
Pig-SNiP
Utilization of animal models
and genomic information:
Pork in human diet.
PigBreeds
Breed differences in pro-
duction and quality traits
Productive Pig
New applications
in pig breeding
Fish Survival
New breeding traits to
reduce nutrient effluent
Diversity
Sustainable farm animal
selection and genomics
Across-Country Evaluation
Variance component estimation method
for international across-country evaluation
Noble
Fish breeding
programmes
GREEN DAIRY
Genetic and nutritional tools
to mitigate methane emission -
Energy balance and feed efficiency
Dairy Dev’t
Dairy recording &
farm advisory
animal evaluation

© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/2017
Development of genetic evaluations for industry
• Milk yield evaluation for Nordic dairy cattle – Nordic Test Day Model
– Dairy cattle of Denmark, Finland and Sweden (Norway)
– Holstein, Red Cattle, Jersey
– Developing a model that utilizes over 100 million observations on milk, protein
and fat yield from over 3 million cows of over 50 000 dairy herds to predict
genetic values for over 7 million animals
– Developing a model to describe the environmental variation within and across
the dairy herds
• Udder health evaluation for Nordic dairy cattle
– Utilizing observations on milk somatic cell count, clinical mastitis incidences, and
on udder conformation to predict genetic values for Nordic dairy cattle

© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/2017
Prediction of animals’ genetic values
• Animal evaluation and genetic models – Toolbox
Developing computationally efficient computing programs for animal genetic evaluation
– MiX99 General software package for analysis of large and complex
mixed models
– Best linear unbiased prediction software for breeding
companies and universities
– Development of a stochastic method for estimation of genetic parameters 
significant reduction in computational time (days in stead of months)
• Genetic parameters estimation method for international across-country
evaluation
– Method to estimate all genetic correlations between 26 countries in one single
analysis
• Genomic selection and genomic breeding value estimation
– Blending/Combining of direct genetic values and estimated breeding values
– ClubWare (http//:genomicselection.net) software development for genomic selection

© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/2017
Example about transfer of expertise
Herd management monitoring tool - MAITOISA

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CONTRASTING EXPERIENCES
3/15/2017

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PERFORMANCE RECORDING
INFORMATION COLLECTED
3/15/2017

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© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/2017

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Feed intake & Feed Efficiency

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Carbon foot-print & Environmental
impact traits
Next 5-10

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Performance recording : Organization
3/15/2017
• Milk recording –
• ~ 80% of herds under milk recording
• those under MR gets advisory, AI, periodic farmers trainings at discounted price
• Milk recordings are done by farmers themselves/family members and sent
to the MLOY
• Edition and checking incoming records done at MLOY with edition rules

© Natural Resources Institute Finland
Summary : Information collected
3/15/2017
• Production as well as functional traits – correlated traits
• Functional traits: udder health Nordics
• Start with few core traits and build stepwisely
• Don’t overstreach
• Standardize/harmonize traits and recording systems across boundaries
• Harness advances in digital and ICT

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BULL EVALUATION
3/15/2017

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© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/2017
VikingGenetics International Denmark
VikingGenetics International Sweden
VikingGenetics International Finland
• VG coordinates AI, ET, AI business and
also finance R&D

© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/20173/15/2017

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ACROSS COUNTRY EVALUATION
3/15/2017

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Udder health

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The breeding goal is described in the NTM,
which is an economic index,
~ 70 traits

© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/20173/15/2017

© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/20173/15/2017

© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/2017

© Natural Resources Institute Finland3/15/2017

© Natural Resources Institute Finland
Summary : Animal evaluations
3/15/2017
• Start simple
• Ethiopian experience
• 15000 animals & ~100,000 TD records
• Simple RPT TD model
• Strong national developments are a
plus for future across country evaluations
• Training in animal breeding & programing
• Advances in genomic selection – Reference popn

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Important Issues
3/15/2017
• Data and data quality
• Realistic assumptions
• across country evaluations
• HV
• Improved statistical models & suitable softwares and
• HV corrections

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Thank you!