Fertility responses of Mexican Holstein cows to US sire selection

Genetic relationships between 2 fertility traits and milk production were investigated using mature-equivalent lactation records of 55,162 daughters of 1,339 Holstein sires in Mexico and 499,401 daughters of 663 Holstein sires in the northeastern United States. Data sets contained yields in first and second lactation, age at first calving (AFC), and calving interval (CI). There were 474 US sires in common between countries. A herd-year standard deviation criterion defined nonoverlapping low- (< or = 1,300 kg) and high- (> or = 1,600 kg) opportunity Mexican herd environments and a low-opportunity (< or = 1,024 kg) US environment. Genetic variances for the average Mexican herd (all data) for AFC and CI were 65 and 85% as large as those obtained from half-sisters in the average US herd. Genetic correlations for first-lactation milk in the average US herd and AFC and CI in the average Mexican environment were unfavorable (0.18 and 0.10). Regression coefficients of AFC in Mexican environments on US genetic gain in milk ranged from 2 to 7 d/1,000 kg. However, the favorable predicted response in AFC from genetic gain in milk in Mexican environments, like those in average US herds, ranged from -4 to -7 d/1,000 kg (r(g) = - 0.20). This unequal AFC response may indicate genotype by environment interaction in fitness performance or differential breeding management of high and low yielding Mexican cows. The potential effects of age at first service of breeding females need to be disentangled to accurately assess genetic improvement needs for Mexican Holstein herds.