Genomic Evaluations


Genus ABS is on the cutting edge of technology, with ABS first implementing DNA marker selection in 1996. Our sister company PIC has more than 15 years experience with genomics and we have 20 Ph.D Geneticists on staff leveraging knowledge across both PIC and Genus ABS. Throughout the company, we are making a greater research investment in Genomics than other AI companies.

What are Genomic Evaluations?
  • DNA is retrieved
  • Bull is genotype at ~50,000 sites of the 3 billion total base pair sites
  • Associate the ~40,000 informative sites with high reliability bull proofs Illumina Bovine SNP50 Chip used on males only.
      5 yield traits – milk, fat, protein, % protein, %fat
    • 7 health traits – PL, SCS, DPR, SCE, DCE, SSB, DSB
    • 16 conformation traits (PTAT and 15 linear type traits)
Date of official genomic data launch by country:
U.S. :2009
Canada :2009
Australia :2010
Some EU countries :2010
U.K. :2012
Italy :2012
India :2013

Genomics helps in 3 main ways
  • Lowers generation interval
      Finds the elite individuals sooner
      Less time required for bull induction
  • High accuracy
      A genomic test for a bull is equivalent to a progeny tested bull tested on a minimum 30 daughters
  • Selection intensity
      Many more animals screened
ABS INDIA is the first genetics company having introduced genomic testing for the evaluation of bulls. These bulls have been born out of embryos sourced from North America. These bulls have subsequently been genomic tested and only bulls with positive traits are inducted in semen production.
Holstein
Jersey