The potentials of using selection index in the assessment of breeding values of Holstein breeds in Serbia

• Published in: Biotechnology in animal husbandry Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 523 - 532
• Main Authors: Stanojevic, D., Djedovic, R., Bogdanovic, V., Popovac, M., Perisic, P., Beskorovajni, R., Lazarevic, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade 2015
• Subjects: breeding value; Holstein breed; milk traits; selection index
• ISSN: 1450-9156; 2217-7140
• DOI: 10.2298/BAH1504523S

The conducted research was aimed at constructing equations of selection index
that would be used in the selection of the Holstein-Friesian breed animals in
Serbia. The construction of the selection index includes the most important
milk traits observed in standard lactation: milk yield (MY305), milk fat
content (% MF305) and protein content (% MP305). The variance and covariance
necessary for the construction of selection index are calculated using the
mixed model by the method of least squares. The economic value of traits is
expressed as a ratio of relative changes in costs per unit of traits included
in the selection index. Livestock included in the research produced, in the
first standard lactation, an average of 7681 kg of milk with 3.58% milk fat
and 3.28% protein. The equation of the selection index presented in the paper
is selected from the group of equations of selection index, as an equation
with the highest correlation between the equation and the aggregate genotype,
which amounted to 0.2156.