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National improvements National trends Breeding Worth Production Efficiency traits Robustness traits Farmer Opinion traits Body and Dairy Conformation traits Udder Conformation traits Additional traits

This page tracks genetic trends in the national herd, noting improvements in economically important traits. The genetic merit of the national herd has improved or held steady across a range of economically important traits. The traits covered are Breeding Worth, Production Efficiency, Robustness traits, Farmer Opinion traits, Conformation traits and Additional traits. Breeding Worth (BW) and Production Worth (PW) are valuable tools you can use to make sound decisions about breeding, culling, and buying. BW reflects a cow's potential to breed profitable offspring, while PW focuses on a cow's lifelong profit-making ability.

 

Further reading

Is New Zealand's national herd genetic merit improving?

The genetic merit of the national herd has improved or held steady across a range of economically important traits. These trends reflect the success of targeted breeding programs, better use of genetic evaluation tools, and farmer adoption of high-merit sires. The overall trajectory supports a more profitable and sustainable dairy industry in New Zealand.

Insights And Trends For Building A Great Team 1500X1000

National genetic trends for breeding traits

The graphs below show how the genetic merit of cows in the national herd is trending for individual traits.

The colours and abbreviations are as follows:

  • Ayrshire = A in yellow
  • Holstein-Friesian = HF in blue
  • Holstein-Friesian-Jersey crossbred = HFJ in dark green
  • Jersey = J in green

The graphs below are updated annually, typically in December; these were last updated June 2025.

Breeding Worth

Over the past decade, the national herd has increased its average Breeding Worth by $17 per year. On average, Holstein-Friesians and Holstein-Friesian-Jersey crosses gained $18 annually, followed by Jerseys at $16, and Ayrshires at $9 per year.

Production Efficiency traits

Genetic Trend Graph Lwt 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Protein 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Vol 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Fat 2025

Robustness traits

Genetic Trend Graph Bcs 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Fert 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Funcsurv 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Scs 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Udder 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Gestlength 2025

Farmer Opinion traits

Genetic Trend Graph Shedtemp 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Adapatability 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Milkingspeed 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Opinion 2025

Body and Dairy Conformation traits

Genetic Trend Graph Stature 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Capacity 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Dairyconf 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Legs 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Rumpangle 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Rumpwidth 2025

Udder Conformation traits

Genetic Trend Graph Uddersupport 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Foreudder 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Frontteat 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Rearteat 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Rearudder 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Teatlength 2025

Additional traits

Genetic Trend Graph Heifercd 2025 Genetic Trend Graph Cowcd 2025

Explore more tools and resources to help you in your breeding decisions

Additional Resources

NZAEL Criteria for Sire, Cow and Herd Statistics

PDF Guide 33 KB
This document outlines the criteria for sires, cows, and herds to be included in NZAEL data

Breeding indexes made easy

PDF Guide 2.1 MB
A brief guide to Breeding Worth, Breeding Values, Production Worth and Lactation Worth.

Additional links

Animal Herd Averages

/resources/tools/animal-herd-averages/

Bull Search

/resources/tools/bull-search/

NZAEL

/about-us/dairynz-group/nz-animal-evaluation/about-nz-animal-evaluation/
Last updated: Feb 2024
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