An Evaluation of High Genetic Merit Cows Using Forage and Pasture-based Systems.

End of Project ReportThe rate of genetic improvement in Ireland up until the mid-80’s was low (approx. 0.5% per year) compared to North America where genetic merit for milk production was increasing by 1.5% per year (Funk, 1993). Since 1985 the rate of genetic improvement increased markedly to about 1.5% per year in 1992 (Coffey, 1992). This high rate of genetic progress has mostly been achieved through the importation of North American and European genetics. The relative merit of these sires has been obtained from the performance of their progeny in systems of milk production which differ greatly from those operated in Ireland. The term “high genetic index” (HGI) is used to describe a cow, which as a result of selection, is generally predisposed to produce significantly more milk than a cow of lower merit status. Studies from New Zealand have shown that cows of high “genetic index” at pasture, produce more milk (20 to 40%), consume more herbage (5 to 20%), were more efficient convertors of food into milk (10 to 15%) than lower merit cows (Holmes, 1988). However, these “high” genetic index cows would be considered “low” when compared to present-day genetics. Recent results from Langhill (Veerkamp et al., 1994) have shown that increasing genetic index results in major increases in feed efficiency, reflecting increases in milk yield with cows fed indoors on silage/concentrate diets. There is little information available on the performance of present-day HGI dairy cows, on seasonal calving, grass-based systems of milk productio