Multivariate threshold model analysis of clinical mastitis in multiparous norwegian dairy cattle

A Bayesian multivariate threshold model was fitted to clinical mastitis (CM) records from 372,227 daughters of 2411 Norwegian Dairy Cattle (NRF) sires. All cases of veterinary-treated CM occurring from 30 d before first calving to culling or 300 d after third calving were included. Lactations were divided into 4 intervals: -30 to 0 d, 1 to 30 d, 31 to 120 d, and 121 to 300 d after calving. Within each interval, absence or presence of CM was scored as "0" or "1" based on the CM episodes. A 12-variate (3 lactations x 4 intervals) threshold model was used, assuming that CM was a different trait in each interval. Residuals were assumed correlated within lactation but independent between lactations. The model for liability to CM had interval-specific effects of month-year of calving, age at calving (first lactation), or calving interval (second and third lactations), herd-5-yr-period, sire of the cow, plus a residual. Posterior mean of heritability of liability to CM was 0.09 and 0.05 in the first and last intervals, respectively, and between 0.06 and 0.07 for other intervals. Posterior means of genetic correlations of liability to CM between intervals ranged from 0.24 (between intervals 1 and 12) to 0.73 (between intervals 1 and 2), suggesting interval-specific genetic control of resistance to mastitis. Residual correlations ranged from 0.08 to 0.17 for adjacent intervals, and between -0.01 and 0.03 for nonadjacent intervals. Trends of mean sire posterior means by birth year of daughters were used to assess genetic change. The 12 traits showed similar trends, with little or no genetic change from 1976 to 1986, and genetic improvement in resistance to mastitis thereafter. Annual genetic change was larger for intervals in first lactation when compared with second or third lactation. Within lactation, genetic change was larger for intervals early in lactation, and more so in the first lactation. This reflects that selection against mastitis in NRF has emphasized mainly CM in early first lactation, with favorable correlated selection responses in second and third lactations suggested.