Work

Derivation of a breeding value for persistency in German dairy cattle focusing on performance in extended lactations

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: across all production traits. The final persistency index, called EBV persistency, combines the genetic slopes of protein and fat yield (kg) over the first 3 lactations with equal weighting, and it merges protein and fat persistency into a single index with a 2:1 weighting, reflecting the economic priorities of German breeding organizations. This EBV was officially introduced to the German Holstein breed in April 2023. The genetic basis of the EBV persistency, analyzed using the index theory, shows an estimated cumulative heritability of 0.34. Genomic EBV persistency shows negligible Pearson correlations with most traits in the total merit index. Only slight positive correlations are observed for the milk production index (0.24) and the longevity index (0.18). The new defined trait describes the genetic ability of animals for persistency in production traits, also in extended lactations.

Source: Journal of Dairy Science

DOI: 10.3168/jds.2025-26413

Authors: L. Polman, S. Rensing, Z. Liu, E. Tholen, J. Heise

Institution: University of Bonn

Language: English

Topic: Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,500