How to choose a bull for AI -

[happydog]

Someone in another thread was wondering how to decipher the "code" when looking at listings of bulls for AI.

There is a really good explanation on another board that I'm copying and pasting here. I found it very helpful and hopefully it'll help somebody else too.

USDA = US Dept of Agriculture (source of numbers)
GPTA = Genotype Predicted Transmitting Ability
08/01/2010 = Date of last analysis

73%R 249M= 73% reliability on this number of adding + 249 # of milk
0.02% 15F = + 15# of fat
-0.01% 7P + + 7# of protein in milk

292CM$ 285NM$ 274FM$==Not sure about the def of all these numbers

3.9PL = adds 3.9 years to "productive life"
0.9DPR = + .9 on Daughter Pregnancy rate
2.85SCS = Under 3 on somatci cell score (want under 3).

AJCA 08/01/2010 0DAUS --- THESE NUMBERS RELATE TO "TYPE"
GPTAT 61%R 1.6 JPI 66%R 95
ST SR DF RA RW RL FA
1.0 0.7 1.0 H0.6 0.8 S0.4 S0.4
ST= Stature so when adding 1.0 to stature means taller cow
SR = Strength so at .7 makes a stronger frame
RA= Rump Angle so at H0.6 means higher pins (as opposed to L which would mean lower pinbones)
RW = Rump width so at .8 adds width to rump
FA = Foot Angle so at S0.4 means he sires a steeper foot angle (a good thing).

FU RH RUW UC UD TP TL
2.7 2.3 1.8 0.0 S1.6 C0.9 S0.4

FU = Fore Udder and at 2.7 means he sires exceptional fore udders
RH = Rear Height and at 2.3 very high rear udders
RUW = Rear Udder Width and at 1.8 adds width to rear udder
UC= Udder cleft/crease and at 0.0 makes no change to that.
UD = Udder Depth and at S1.6 means he has a good chance of siring a shallower (as opposed to a deeper) udder which is a VERY good thing.

TP = Teat Placement and at c0.9 means he sires teats that are closer together.

TL = Teat Length and at s0.4 means he has a good chance of siring shorter than average teats.

This isn't my info, it came from a generous poster over at the keeping a family cow boards. More info here.

Hope you'll find it as helpful as I did.