Genetic Trends in the National Herd
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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.
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 in Liveweight (kg).
1 / 4 images
Genetic trend in Milk Protein Yield (kg).
2 / 4 images
Genetic trend in Milk Volume (L).
3 / 4 images
Genetic trend in Milk Fat Yield (kg).
4 / 4 images
Robustness traits
Genetic trend in Body Condition Score (BCS).
1 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Fertility (% calved in the first 42 days).
2 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Functional Survival (% surviving to next lactation).
3 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Somatic Cell Score.
4 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Udder Overall (score).
5 / 6 images
Genetic Trend in Gestation Length (days).
6 / 6 images
Farmer Opinion traits
Genetic trend in Shed Temperament (score).
1 / 4 images
Genetic trend in Adaptability to Milking (score).
2 / 4 images
Genetic trend in Milking Speed (score).
3 / 4 images
Genetic trend in Overall Opinion (score).
4 / 4 images
Body and Dairy Conformation traits
Genetic trend in Stature (score).
1 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Capacity (score).
2 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Dairy Conformation (score).
3 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Rear Legs set (score).
4 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Rump Angle (score).
5 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Rump Width (score).
6 / 6 images
Udder Conformation traits
Genetic trend in Udder Support (score).
1 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Fore Udder (score).
2 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Front Teat Placement (score).
3 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Rear Teat Placement (score).
4 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Rear Udder (score).
5 / 6 images
Genetic trend in Teat Length (score).
6 / 6 images
Additional traits
Genetic trend in Heifer Calving Difficulty (%)
1 / 2 images
Genetic trend in Cow Calving Difficulty (%)
2 / 2 images
Try out the breeding decisions tools below...
Additional Resources
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