The effect of synchronization on genetic parameters of reproductive traits in dairy cattle

Genetic evaluation and selection is one strategy for improving female reproductive performance. Many producers use synchronization of ovulation or estrus to manage reproduction. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of reproductive synchronization on genetic parameter estimates of days to first breeding (DFB), days open (DO), and pregnancy rate at 120 d postpartum (PR120). Data were collected from 64 producers participating in an artificial insemination progeny testing program and using Dairy Comp 305 herd management software to record reproductive treatments and events. Data included 18,359 records for DFB and 16,379 records for DO and PR120. Synchronization was classified by breeding codes at time of insemination. The traits DFB and DO were analyzed using a linear model with age at calving, herd-year-season, and parity as fixed effects and sire and residual as random effects. For PR120, a threshold sire model was used with fixed effects as in the DFB and DO models. Three models were applied to the complete data sets of all traits; a base model with no synchronization effect, an expanded model with a fixed synchronization effect, and an interaction model with a random sire by herd management interaction. Herd management categories were based on an individual herd's use of synchronization protocols. Also, data subsets were analyzed separately based on cow synchronization treatment and herd management categories. Synchronized records for DFB had on average 40% higher sire variance and 60% lower residual variance than nonsynchronized records. Heritability for DFB ranged from 0.01 to 0.09. Sire variance was 40% lower for DO and 25% lower for PR120 in first synchronized records than either later-synchronized or nonsynchronized records. Residual variances for DO varied by 3% among cow treatment categories and 14% for herd management categories. Heritabilities ranged from 0.03 to 0.07 for DO and 0.10 to 0.26 for PR120. Including a fixed effect for synchronization in the DO model reduced sire variance by 33% and residual variance by 10%. Sire by herd management interactions were less than 2% of the total variance for all traits. Accounting for synchronization, especially for DFB, may improve accuracy of genetic parameter estimates and animal evaluations.