3.1.1 Breeding for resilience in dairy cows (2024)
- Kor Oldenbroek
- Tessa Jacobs
In 2024, CRV created an index for resilience. The breeding value is based on daily measurements of milk production in automatic milking systems or in milking parlors with electronic milk meters. The index combines the breeding value for stability with the breeding value for recovery. Stability refers to the number of decreases in production in kg of milk caused by changes in ration, temperature, weather conditions, disruptions in the milk system or because of cow illness. The breeding value for recovery is based on the number of days on which milk production is reduced. The breeding value for resilience is genetically positively correlated with traits for health and longevity and negatively with milk production. The table below shows the relationship between the resilience index of bulls and the production characteristics of their daughters.
Production traits of daughters | VK 92 | VK 96 | VK 100 | VK 104 | VK 108 |
Number of days with a reduced milk production | 11,5 | 11,1 | 10,7 | 10,2 | 9,7 |
Number of decreases per lactation | 4,2 | 4,0 | 3,8 | 3,5 | 3,2 |
Reductions in kg milk per lactation | -76 | -24 | 0 | +30 | +53 |
VK = Resilience index
The dairy cattle breeds differ in average value for the resilience index. This is 107 for the Jersey and MRIJ breed, 106 for the Blaarkop and the FH breed and 99 for the HF breed.
