ABS Real World Data® Bull Fertility

November 2012

ABS Real World Data®

Real World Data (RWD™) Bull Fertility is an accurate fertility evaluation of ABS bulls, in our customers’herds

What is ABS Real World Data Bull Fertility?

• RWD Bull Fertility is a tool:

– To best capture the genetic potential and bull fertility of ABS sires in your herd

What is ABS Real World Data Bull Fertility?

• Customer-driven: – Accurate– Reliable – Trustworthy– Timely

ABS RWD Bull Fertility Advantages

• Accurate:

– Information and methodology properly account for regional and herd size related factors that occur when data from vastly different management systems are pooled

ABS RWD Bull Fertility Advantages

• Relevant and Reliable:

– Data comes from “herds like yours” 

– Data acquired directly from a diverse group of collaborating herds and from multiple sources

– Based on information from dairy producers, for dairy producers

ABS RWD Bull Fertility Advantages

• Timely:

– Results reported real-time and constantly updated via ABS research, technical service, ABS Cornerstone®, GMS®, and sales teams

– Updated RWD Bull Fertility available monthly vs. every 4 months for SCR

ABS RWD Bull Fertility Advantages

• Data without borders:

  – U.S. data currently

– Will include U.K., Mexico, Canada, Italy, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and all other countries or sources with approved dairy records software

ABS RWD Bull Fertility Data Sources

• RWD acquired directly from collaborating herds

– Collected via dairy herd records software programs, such as DairyComp 305 and PCDART.

ABS RWD Bull Fertility Data Sources

• By 2012, more than 12 million inseminations representing 10,000 dairy sires included in the ABS database

– Large data pool provides extremely accurate fertility estimates on ABS sires and early detection of ABS Pregnancy Kings

ABS RWD Bull Fertility Data Sources

• Initial data compiled from U.S. sources.

– Additional data are being collected from U.S., Mexico, UK, Italy, Chile, Brazil and Argentina, with plans to incorporate in the future

– Data from all sources with dairy records software compatible with the ABS database are being accepted

ABS RWD Bull Fertility Rankings

• A 1- to 5-star ranking scale is applied across active ABS bulls– ABS publishes data for bulls with more than 250

conventional inseminations, from at least 4 herds

• A typical benchmark of 90% reliability requires 2,100+ inseminations

• Holsteins and Jerseys rated separately: no crossbreeding data used currently

ABS RWD Bull Fertility Rankings

• Star rankings:

– 10% 2-3% points above average fertility

– 20%

– 40% Average fertility

– 20%

– 10% 2-3% points below average fertility

• ABS Pregnancy Kings: 4 or 5 star ranking based on 1,000+ inseminations

ABS RWD Bull Fertility Analyses

• Analyses completed in-house using ABS proprietary processes– Evaluations include only confirmed pregnancy events– RWD Bull Fertility model accounts for:

• Age of the cow, as lactation number • Stage of lactation, as service number or times bred• Management and environmental related differences, as

herd-year-season effects

– Only lactating cow breedings are accounted for in the conventional evaluations

– ABS Sexation® evaluation includes heifer breedings only

Use RWD Bull Fertility to best capture genetic potential and bull fertility of ABS

SiresFemale Fertility Situation Examples

Recommended Use

PregnancyKings

5-star*****

4-star****

3-star***

2-star**

1-star*

High or Optimal Female Fertility Situations

• First or second service• Natural heat X X X X X X

High and Average Heifer Fertility Situations

• First and second service heifersX X X X X X

Average Cow Fertility Situations

• Second or greater service• Synchronization program

breedingX X X X

Low Female Fertility situations

• Summer heat and humidity• Timed Artificial Insemination

(TAI)• Later services • Late lactation cows• Older cows

X X X

Special management situations

• Large herds where pregnancy is the over-riding breeding factor

• Large number of open cows and herd needs to get caught up

• Seasonal grazing• Sustainability metrics imposed

by market channels • New, untested employees

X X X

NOTE: These are general guidelines, but specific situations and recommendations may vary depending on other considerations.

Use RWD Bull Fertility to best capture the genetic potential of ABS Sires

Ranking Description Recommended Use

ABS Pregnancy Kings

• Highest fertility bulls available from ABS• Expected to provide higher than average

fertility when compared equally with bulls of average fertility

• Capture these unique ABS genetics by using confidently across a wide range of female fertility scenarios

• May also be used in Low Female Fertility situations• May also be used in Special Management situations

5-star *****• Top 10% of bulls for bull fertility• Expected to provide higher than average

fertility when compared equally with bulls of average fertility

• Capture these unique ABS genetics by using confidently across a wide range of female fertility scenarios

• May also be used in Low Female Fertility situations• May also be used in Special Management situations

4-star ****• Bull fertility is higher than 70% of bulls• Expected to provide higher than average

fertility when compared equally with bulls of average fertility

• Capture these unique ABS genetics by using confidently across a wide range of female fertility scenarios

• May also be used in Low Female Fertility situations• May also be used in Special Management situations

3-star ***• Bull fertility is on par with average

fertility bulls available across the industry• Capture these unique ABS genetics by using confidently

across a wide range of average and higher female fertility scenarios

• Careful use recommended in lower female fertility situations

2-star ** and1-star *

• Unique ABS genetics for herd genetic improvement

• Fertility must be protected

• Capture these unique ABS genetics by using in the highest female fertility scenarios

• Caution recommended if used in the lowest female fertility situations

NOTE: These are general guidelines, but specific situations and recommendations may vary depending on other considerations.

In Summary

• ABS Real World Data Bull Fertility offers an excellent tool to best capture the genetics of ABS sires in your herd

• ABS Real World Data comes from herds like yours

• ABS Real World Data offers: – Accuracy– Relevance and reliability– Timeliness – Data without borders

Thank you!

Questions and Discussion