DHIA/Records

We have used Swedish Red service sires on HJ and JH crossbreds in the Virginia Tech dairy. And we have struggled to identify them properly in DHI. DRMS Raleigh has taken steps to make accurate ID’s for all the services to European dairy breeds easier for DHI members. If you have used any of the European dairy breeds – Montebeliarde, Norwegian Reds, European Reds, or Swedish Reds – please work with your DHI field ervice technician to identify the resulting crossbreds correctly as they calve into your herds. DRMS Raleigh has developed new herd ID reports, DHI-570 for heifers or DHI-575 for cows, to help producers through this process. The lists are free, can be requested on test day, and be requested as often as necessary to correct ID problems. For the Swedish Red service sires we have used here at Virginia Tech, we use breed code “SR” in the PCDART program. The sire identification number for European dairy breeds is different from US sires. For instance, the Peterslund bull is identified as SWE*91213 in PCDART. Montebeliarde sires (breed code MO) are entered using FRA* followed by a 10-digit code. Norwegian Reds (NR) use NOR* and a four or five digit number, European Reds (RE) use DEU* or DNK* or GBR* followed by a numeric code of from five to nine digits. There are a few crossbred bulls from one bull stud that use CAN* or USA* followed by seven to nine digit numbers. Crossbred bulls have breed code “XX”. I have a listing of sire and breed codes for all of these breeds and will be happy to forward to anyone who needs them. Just email me at bcassell@vt.edu or call 540/231-4762. Sire identification is more complex with all the different breeds now available, but it is more important than ever to identify cows by sire. Genetic evaluations are calculated on crossbreds when ID is complete and accurate. We need the pedigree information to study performance of these breeds under US conditions. Herds that use the PCDART program will automatically receive genetic evaluations on both purebred and crossbred cows to the herd if identification is complete.

DHI Notes...