CHOOSING PROGENY-TESTED HOLSTEIN SIRES THAT MEET GENETIC GOALS AT MINIMUM SEMEN COST

Six genetic goals were investigated with linear programming for their effect on minimum semen cost, sires selected for service, and economic values. In the goals were predicted difference milk, predicted difference percent milk fat, repeatability milk, predicted difference type, repeatability type, composite scores for mammary conformation and for body conformation, and the percent of herd semen requirement available. Data for all traits were readily available to Holstein breeders for progeny-tested sires. The minimum semen cost of the six goals ranged from $5.69 to $25.37. Twelve sires from the 31 sires in the data set were recommended for at least one genetic goal. Four to six sires were selected to meet each genetic goal. Resulting economic values ranged from $0 to $.10 per kilogram predicted difference milk, from $0 to $1,047 per percentage change predicted difference percent milk fat, and from $0 to $76.70 per unit change of predicted difference type. © 1979, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.