New composite traits for joint improvement of milk and fertility trait in Holstein dairy cow

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to define a new composite trait for Holstein dairy cows and evaluate the possibility of joint improvement in milk and fertility traits. METHODS: A data set consisting 35,882 fertility related records (days open [DO], calving interval [CI], and number of services per conception [NSC], and total milk yield in each lactation [TMY]) was collected from 1998 to 2016 in Polish Holstein-Friesian breed herds. In this study TMY, DO, CI, and lactation length of each cow was used to obtain composite milk and fertility traits (CMF). RESULTS: Moderate heritability (0.15) was estimated for composite trait that was higher than heritability of female fertility related traits: DO 0.047, CI 0.042, and NSC 0.014, and slightly lower than heritability of TMY 0.19. Favourable genetic correlations (−0.87) were estimated between CMF with TMY. Spearman rank correlation coefficients between breeding value of CMF with DO, CI, and TMY were high (>0.94) but with NSC were moderate (0.64). Selection on CMF caused favourable correlated genetic gains for DO, CI, and TMY. Different selection indices with different emphasis on fertility and milk production were constructed. The amount of correlated genetic gains obtained for DO and total milk production according to selection in CMF were higher than of genetic gains obtained for DO and TMY in selection indices with different emphasis on milk and fertility. CONCLUSION: The animal selection only based on a composite trait - CMF proposed in current study would simultaneously lead to favourable genetic gains for both milk and fertility related traits. In this situation CMF introduced in current study can be used to overcome to limitations of selection index and CMF could be useful for countries that have problems in recording traits, especially functional traits.