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National improvements 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.

 

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.

More information on what the breeding values are and how they are calculated.

Genetic trends

The graphs below show how the genetic merit of cows in the national herd is trending for individual traits, updated December 2024.

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

Breeding Worth

The rate of genetic gain in Breeding Worth for the past 10 years is $15.73 for Jerseys, $19.04 for Holstein-Friesians, $19.11 for Holstein-Friesian-Jersey cross and $8.60 for Ayrshires.

Genetic trend in Breeding Worth ($).

Production Efficiency traits

Genetic Trend Graph Lwt 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Protein 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Vol 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Fat 2024

Robustness traits

Genetic Trend Graph Bcs 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Fert 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Funcsurv 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Scs 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Udder 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Gestlength 2024

Farmer Opinion traits

Genetic Trend Graph Shedtemp 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Adapatability 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Milkingspeed 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Opinion 2024

Body and Dairy Conformation traits

Genetic Trend Graph Stature 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Capacity 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Dairyconf 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Legs 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Rumpangle 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Rumpwidth 2024

Udder Conformation traits

Genetic Trend Graph Uddersupport 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Foreudder 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Frontteat 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Rearteat 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Rearudder 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Teatlength 2024

Additional traits

Genetic Trend Graph Heifercd 2024 Genetic Trend Graph Cowcd 2024

Try out the breeding decisions tools below...

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

Additional links

Animal Herd Averages

/tools/animal-herd-averages/

Bull Search

/tools/bull-search/

NZAEL

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