The Canadian Dairy Network (CDN) is pleased to launch a second national genetic selection index starting with the genetic evaluation release in August 2015. This new profit-based index, named Pro$ (pronounced Pro Dollars), has been developed by CDN over the past year following an industry request to explore the possibility of developing a second index that targets dairy producers with essentially all of their farm revenue generated by milk sales. To-date, Holstein Canada and Jersey Canada have indicated formal support for introducing Pro$ in August 2015 for their respective breeds to be published alongside the longstanding LPI. For other dairy breeds, results from the research behind the development of this new profit index will most likely be used to modify the existing LPI formula.
CDN Chairman, Gary Bowers applauded CDN staff, members of the Genetic Evaluation Board (GEB) and industry partners for the development of this new and innovative profit index. He stated “The use of existing cow profitability calculations offered by CanWest DHI and Valacta to their customers as the underlying data for carrying out the scientific analysis to develop the Pro$ formula makes the resulting genetic ratings of sires and cows very applicable and understandable in concrete dollar terms”. “The new Pro$ serves to complement the strength of the LPI nationally and internationally while recognizing that lifetime profit can be defined differently from farm to farm, depending on sources of revenue and associated expenses”, added Bowers.
To minimize any possible confusion between the two national genetic indexes, the CDN Board of Directors also approved a slight name change for LPI, becoming Lifetime Performance Index. While the CDN research has clearly shown that LPI is strongly correlated to lifetime profit, the new profit index optimizes the association between a sire’s Pro$ and the average accumulated profit of daughters to six years of age. In addition, the CDN Board of Directors approved the new LPI formula for Holsteins, effective August 2015, which will have relative weights on the Production, Durability and Health & Fertility components of 40%, 40% and 20%, respectively. For specific traits included in the LPI, the Mastitis Resistance index introduced in August 2014 will now be included within the Health & Fertility component and replace Somatic Cell Score, Udder Depth and Milking Speed, which served as indicator traits associated with udder health.
Canadian Dairy Network (CDN) is the national genetic evaluation centre for dairy cattle and provides services to Canadian dairy producers and member organizations including breed associations, DHI agencies, A.I. organizations and Dairy Farmers of Canada. It also serves as the hub of the national Data Exchange System by which all dairy cattle improvement industry organizations share authorized data collected from dairy herds across the country.
For more information, please contact:
Brian Van Doormaal
General Manager
Canadian Dairy Network
