Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Chairman Christian Maltecca called the business meeting to order at 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday Oct 30, 2012. Date and location of the next meeting: It was moved by Albert DeVries to have the meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico from Oct 20  23rd, 2013. The motion was seconded by Les Hansen and the motion carried. Albert DeVries agreed to make meeting arrangements. Diane Spurlock was elected secretary for 2013. She was nominated by Les Hansen and the nomination was seconded by John Cole. Chad Dechow will serve as chairman. Dr. Geoffrey Dahl represented the southern department heads and chairs. Dr. Dahl encouraged committee members to further collaborations with international colleagues. Dr. Lakshmi Matukumalli, National Program Leader, Division of Animal Systems, NIFA, updated the committee on staffing changes at NIFA. Dr. Matukumalli also discussed funding opportunities including the AFRI Foundational program and efforts to develop coordination federal funding agencies. Feedback relating to the AFRI Foundational Program was solicited. Dairy cattle genetics forum: The development of a national dairy cattle genetics forum to bring together all industry segments for discussion of emerging issues and strategies to enhance dairy cattle selection was discussed. A committee of Diane Spurlock, Mike Schutz, and Les Hansen was appointed to develop a conference proposal to submit to the AFRI Foundational program and to explore industry interest in such a project. Writing committee: A writing committee of Chad Dechow, John Cole, Albert DeVries, and Christian Maltecca was appointed to develop a coordinating committee proposal. A resolution thanking Mike Schutz for making excellent meeting arrangements was adopted by the committee. The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 am.

Objective 1. Develop selection tools to enhance reproduction and survival using field data - A genetic evaluation of cow health was conducted by NC using producer recorded records. Heritable variation was identified and a preliminary genomic evaluation was conducted for cow health traits. - The potential to select for improved feed conversion efficiency and its effect on cow fitness levels was investigated by PA and IA. It was demonstrated that relationships between feed efficiency and fitness levels can vary according to how feed efficiency is defined. Feed efficiency measures taken after the early lactation negative energy balance period showed potential for selection to improve feed conversion efficiency without compromising cow fertility or health. Objective 2. Evaluate the biological and economic impact of crossbreeding on lifetime performance of dairy cattle - Long term crossbreeding experiments are currently underway in MN. The studies include both high and low input dairy systems and are taking place in both experimental herds and commercial herds. The results demonstrate that crossbred cows have milk yield levels that are competitive with pure Holstein but fertility and survival rates that are higher than Holstein. - An evaluation of crossbred cows in low-input grazing systems was conducted by PA. Cows sired by Normande bulls had lower milk, fat and protein yields than Holsteins in the low-input systems evaluated. However, Normande sired cows retained higher levels of body condition and appeared able to mobilize body reserves during periods of slower pasture growth which may help to maintain fertility levels when nutrient availability is limited. Objective 3. Develop breeding goals and appropriate indexes for optimum biological and economic improvement of health, reproduction, survival, and production of dairy cattle - The impact of selling calves with low genetic merit after genomic testing was investigated by FL. Selling calves with low genetic merit helped to reduce rearing costs from low performing animals and could be economical in scenarios where the number of calves and heifers exceed what is as replacements for the milking herd. - An experiment comparing the long-term consequences of selection for high and low dairy form were reported by IN. The high dairy form line appears to be subject to higher disease incidence rates and poorer fertility. - The potential to develop an economic selection index for grazing herds was investigated by IN. Lower-input herds require high levels of fertility which should be considered in a grazing index.

Brown, D. E., Dechow, C. D., Liu, W.-S., Harvatine, K.J., Ott, T. 2012. Hot Topic: Association of telomere length with age, herd and culling in lactating Holsteins. J. Dairy Sci. 95, 6384-6387. Dechow, C.D., R.C. Goodling, and S.P. Rhode. 2012. The effect of sire selection on cow mortality and early lactation culling in adverse and favorable cow survival environments. Prev. Vet. Med. 103:228233 Dechow, C.D. Genomics and trait selection is in its infancy. Hoard's Dairyman. January 25, 2012. p 52. Dechow, C.D. Selection for fertility is beginning to pay dividends. Hoard's Dairyman. February 25, 2012. p 125. Dechow, C.D. Can genetics improve feed efficiency? Hoard's Dairyman. March 25, 2012. p 208. Dechow, C.D. A three-year checkup on genomics. Hoard's Dairyman. April 25, 2012. p 303. Dechow, C.D. Domestic comparisons fill in the puzzle on crossbreeding options. Hoard's Dairyman. May 25, 2012. p 374. Dechow, C.D. Moving beyond the first generation cross. Hoard's Dairyman. July 2012. p 471. Dechow, C.D. Cooperation has fueled genetic evaluations. Hoard's Dairyman. August 25, 2012. p 557. Dechow, C.D. Curtail high cull rates with productive life selection. Hoard's Dairyman. September 25, 2012. p 613. Dechow, C.D. Large cows have greater health costs. Hoard's Dairyman. October 25, 2012. p 727. Dechow, C.D. Can we select bulls to reduce lameness? Hoard's Dairyman. December 2012. p 797. Dekleva, M.W., C. D. Dechow, J.M. Daubert, W.S. Liu, G.A. Varga, S. Bauck, and B. W. Woodward. 2012. Short communication: Interactions of milk, fat, and protein yield genotypes with herd feeding characteristics. J. Dairy Sci. 95:15591564. Heins, B. J., and L. B. Hansen. 2012. Short Communication: Fertility, somatic cell score, and production of Normande × Holstein, Montbeliarde × Holstein, and Scandinavian Red × Holstein crossbreds versus pure Holsteins during their first five lactations. J. Dairy Sci. 95:918-924. Heins, B. J., L. B. Hansen, and A. De Vries. 2012. Survival, lifetime production, and profitability of Normande × Holstein, Montbeliarde × Holstein, and Scandinavian Red × Holstein crossbreds versus pure Holsteins. J. Dairy Sci. 95:1011-1021. Heins, B. J., L. B. Hansen, A. R. Hazel, A. J. Seykora, D. G. Johnson, and J. G. Linn. 2012. Short communication: Jersey × Holstein crossbreds compared with pure Holsteins for body weight, body condition score, fertility, and survival during the first three lactations. J. Dairy Sci. 95:4130-4125. Becker, J. C., B. J. Heins, and L. B. Hansen. 2012. Costs for health care of Holstein cows selected for large versus small body size. J. Dairy Sci. 95:5385-5392. Hazel, A. R., B. J. Heins, A. J. Seykora, and L. B. Hansen. 2013. Montbeliarde-sired crossbreds compared with pure Holsteins for dry matter intake, production, and body traits during the first 150 days of first lactation. J. Dairy Sci. 96:Accepted Spurlock, D,M, J.C. Dekkers, R. Fernando, D.A. Koltes, and A. Wolc. 2012. Genetic parameters for energy balance, feed efficiency, and related traits in Holstein cattle. J Dairy Sci. 95:5393-4402.