Selection of bulls for progeny testing using pedigree indices and characteristics of potential bull-dams' herds

A total of 209 bulls selected from herds in the northeastern US by Eastern AI Coop., Inc. from 1978 to 1981 were identified. The DHI data were obtained for the 145 herds from which these bulls were sampled. Also acquired were evaluations from both Modified Contemporary Comparison and animal model on these bulls and their ancestors and on cows and their sires in the bull-dam herds. From evaluation by animal model, animals appeared to have contributed information to each other effectively through relationship matrix, and thus the accuracy of cow evaluation has been improved. Bulls selected from herds of high genetic level were genetically superior to those from herds of low genetic level. However, there was no evidence that bulls from low intraherd milk variation herds were superior to those from high variation herds in the northeastern population, as was the case in Michigan herds. Parent indices were greater than bull PTA in herds of lower genetic level but less than bull PTA in herds of higher genetic level. The correlation between herd yield average and herd genetic level and that between herd yield average and intraherd yield SD were moderate but significantly different from zero. Other correlations between phenotypic and genetic measures of bull-dam herds were negligible. None of the herd characteristics showed promise in characterizing herds that were more successful in having their sampled bulls returned by AI organization after progency test.