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Glossary of Terms |
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PTA Predicted Transmitting Ability. This is what an animal is predicted to pass on to it’s offspring and can be for production or type traits. A PTA of 500 for milk kgs means that an animal passes 500 kgs of potential milk production to the next generation. This, of course, is only half of what is passed as the other parent also transmits a value too. £PLI Profitable Life Index. A financial value based on PIN but which also includes the Lifespan calculation as well as SCC, Locomotion for UK bulls, Udder Composite and Fertility Index. Expressed as a PTA, it is the net margin per cow per lactation. For UK bulls with a Locomotion proof £PLI = ((Milk PTA x -0.027) + (Fat PTA x 0.8) + (Protein PTA x 1.71) + (Lifespan PTA x 25.4) + (SCC x –0.19) + (Locomotion x 1.13) + (1.81 x Udder Composite) +Fertility Index) *3.5. For most imported bulls without a Locomotion proof, £PLI = ((Milk PTA x -0.027) + (Fat PTA x 0.8) + (Protein PTA x 1.71) + (Lifespan PTA x 25.4) + (SCC x –0.19) + (1.81 x Udder Composite) +Fertility Index) *3.5. |
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PIN Profit Index Number. A production calculation of milk, fat and
protein kgs that results in a financial value of the animals production
PTA’s. £PIN is the net margin per cow per lactation. £PIN = ((Milk PTA x
-0.027) + (Fat PTA x 0.8) + (Protein PTA x 1.71)) CFP The combined weight of fat and protein in the proof – the best measure of production efficiency. Lifespan Lifespan is an indicator of longevity calculated first from heifer classification and then from actual culling information. The classification scores of the traits associated with longevity are used in the initial calculation. The PTA indicates the length of time a bull’s daughters are expected to stay in a herd relative to a bull with a score of zero. |
| SCC Somatic Cell Count is expressed as a PTA percentage so a bull
with a SCC PTA of +13 is expected to pass on an increase in SCC to its
offspring. Therefore, with SCC, a minus score is desirable. The nominal
range of current bulls is around –40 to + 40. Fertility Index This is based on information received from MRO’s on service data. The scale has been extended due to a greater weighting on non-return rate and calving interval. The range of FI is approximately +£20 to -£20 with the majority of bulls being within +£15 to -£15. Many British Friesians will score positive but relatively few Holsteins score above zero. Type Merit Type proofs are calculated by InterBull for all major countries. Type Merit is a single score encompassing the individual scores in the linear. |
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Reliability A figure representing the accuracy of the proof. The more daughters that there are spread in more herds the higher the reliability. The aim for a first proof is to get 60+ daughters in 40+ herds. Nominal range for bulls is 65% low, 75% good, 85% high for overseas bulls and 70% low, 80% good, 90% high for UK proven bulls. Composite A calculated score of certain individual linears to give a ‘compound’ score for Dairy Strength, Feet and Legs and Udders. |
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Type Profile Also known as the linear score, this is a breakdown of each trait and is what appears on the bar graphs in brochures. CVM Complex Vertebral Malformation. A recessive genetic disease carried through the Carlin-M Ivanhoe Bell bloodlines to his descendants. As the name suggests, the major effects of CVM are on the bones of the spine (vertebrae). The neck and /or the chest are shortened because of badly formed or fused vertebrae. The deformation often leads to a curved spine. |
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