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Manual of toolbox

Tool 1. Estimation of total AI in a given situation

How to use

In Sheet Tool 1, values in the cells C4 to C7 can be changed. The result (Number
of Al per year) is calculated in cell C 9.

Details

Number of AI necessary can be estimated from the following parameters:

Total number of adult female cattle in the area considered,

Estimated proportion of the adult females brought for AI programme,
Average number of inseminations needed for the birth of a calf, and
Average inter-calving period in months.

Formula to calculate the estimated number of AI performed in a year is:

BFP * COV * AIC * 12

Number of Al per year =
CI

where, BFP = total number of adult female population

COV = proportion of adult females estimated to be covered
by the programme
AIC = average number of Al per calf born
CI = average calving interval in months

Tool 2. Herd strength of the bull mother farm of the AI organisation

How to use

In Sheet Tool 2, all values in column B can be changed, except for B6 and B12.

Intermediate result is available in cell B6.

The result (Bull mothers to be maintained) is calculated in cell B12.

Details

The size of the bull mother farm maintained by the AI organisation will de-
pend up on:

• Total number of AI to be carried out annually

• Average number of doses of semen produced per bull
• Average productive life span of the bulls
• Number of bulls procured from outside sources
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• Selection intensity applied on male calves (including mortality and selec-

tion for growth, production and reproductive parameters)
• Calving rate of the herd

Estimated number of bull mothers in the AI organization’s farm is calculated

as:

AIY * (1 + WSS)
— BOS * (20000 / (SIM*CRC))
DPB * PLB

where AIY = number of AI to be done annually

WSS = wastage & minimum surplus of semen doses (in propor-
tion)
DPB = average number of semen doses produced/ bull / year
PLB = average productive life of bulls (years)
BOS = number of bulls procured from out side
SIM = selection intensity on male calves with in the farm (%)
CRC = calving rate of bull mothers (%)

Tool 3. Selection intensity for milk yield after first calving in a bull mother
farm
How to use

In Sheet Tool 3, all values in cells C5 to C10 can be changed, except for C9.
Values permitted in cell C10 are between 2 and 20.

The results are available in cells C13 to C18.

Details

HNOS Number of heifers in the farm. The exercise is based on the number of
heifers in the farm.

RES Reproductive success. The proportion of animals that become conceived

during each reproductive cycle. The remaining proportion of animals are culled
and removed from the farm

SUR Survival rate. The proportion of animals those are alive out of the total
number of female calves born

ICP Average inter calving period (months) of the farm.

n Average number of lactation for which the cows are kept in the farm.

The genetic selection is calculated as follows;

HNOS - (0.5 * HNOS * RES * SUR )

GS =
0.5 * HNOS [(SUR * RES) 2 CIN + ( SUR * RES) 3 CIN 2 +º+ (SUR * RES) n CIN ( n - 1) ]
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where:

GS = the genetic selection after first lactation (in proportion)

HNOS = defined above
SUR = defined above
RES = defined above
CIN = calving ratio - the ratio between 12 and the average inter calving
period (months) of the farm.
n = defined above.

The following results are obtained:

Genetic selection: The extent of genetic selection that is possible after the
completion of the first lactation with out change in the herd size. When the
calculated figure is one and above it indicates that there is no chance for ge-
netic selection.

Number of heifers: Total number of heifers with out considering mortality.

Final heifer number: Number of heifers after accounting for the mortality.

Number of cows: Number of cows that are available in the farm at any given
time.

Female calves: Number of female calves that are available in the farm at any
given time.

Total strength: Total number of female stock available in the farm at any
given time. This is the sum of heifers after accounting for mortality, cows and
female calves.

Tool 4. Cost comparison between mobile and stationary AI services

How to use

In Sheet Tool 4, all values in cells B6 to B18 (stationary) & C6 to C18 (mobile)
can be changed except for values in B10, B12, C10 and C12.

Intermediate results are available in cells B10, B12, B19, C10, C12 and C19.

The result (Cost per AI) is calculated in cells B20 and C20.

Details

A comparison between the mobile and stationary systems of AI service deliv-

ery can be done using the tool.

The following parameters must be typed in the appropriate columns for sta-
tionary and mobile conditions.
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• Salary to the AI technician/year

• Adult females in the area (no.)
• Assumed percentage adult females covered by AI
• Average calving interval (m)
• Number AI required per calf born
• Propulsion charge for mobility of the AI technician
• Cost of a dose of semen
• Liquid nitrogen (lit) required per Al unit/year
• Cost of liquid nitrogen /lit
• Depreciation on liquid nitrogen refrigerators
• Depreciation on motor bike

Tool 5. Herd size for a field progeny testing programme

How to use

In Sheet Tool 5, all values in cells B4 to B10 can be changed.

The results are available in cells B11 to B15.

Details

The herd size and other requirements of a progeny testing programme are
calculated using this tool.

The following details must be typed in.

• Number of young bulls to be replaced for the AI programme annually ac-
cording to the breeding plan
• Percentage of bulls selected as breeding bulls in the AI programme out of
the bulls tested
• Planned number of completed daughter lactation/bull
• Expected loss of daughters from birth to completion of 1st lactation (%)
• Average number of AI per calf born
• Average calving interval (months) of the population
• Average coverage of AI in the progeny test area

From the above the following results are calculated using the formulae given
against each,

Young bulls to be replaced annually * 100

Young bulls tested / year =
Percentage selected
Total number of completed first lactation = Young bulls tested / year * Av-
erage number of completed lac-
tation/bull
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Number of female calves to be born

Total number of completed first lactation * 100
=
(100 - Expected loss from calf birth to completion of 1st lactation)
Number of test AI done / year = Number of female calves to be born *
Average number of AI per calf born * 2
Size of the test herd =
Number of female calves to be born * 2 * Average calving interval (m) of the population
12 * Average coverage of AI in the progeny test area

Tool 6. Time taken to estimate breeding value of a bull

How to use

In Sheet Tool 6, all values in cells C5 to C8 can be changed.

The result (Average age of the bulls when the sire proof is available) is calcu-
lated in cell C9. The unit of measurement is months.

Details

Average age of the bulls when the sire proof is available can be estimated using
the following parameters:

Average age of bulls when test doses are produced,

Time required to complete test AI,
Average age of the daughters at first calving and
Time required for data analysis and sire evaluation.

The formula to calculate the age of the bulls when the sire proof is available is:

Average age of the bulls when the sire proof is available = BAS + TAI +DAC
+TDA + (290/30.5)+10

where,
BAS = average age of bulls when the required number of semen doses
for test AI are produced
TAI = time required to complete test AI
DAC = average age of the daughters at first calving
TDA = time required for data analysis and sire evaluation

Note:

• The factor 290/30.5 calculates the number of months for gestation.

• 10 indicate the lactation period in months.
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Tool 7. Breeding value estimation based on individual records

How to use

In Sheet Tool 7, values in the cells C4 and C5 can be changed. New cows (rows)
can be entered if required. The lactation values in columns B to F are also
editable.

Intermediate results are available in columns G and H.

The result (Breeding value) is calculated in column I.

Details

The estimation of breeding value based on individual records has the follow-
ing steps

1. Decide on the heritability (h21) of the trait and enter it in column C4

2. Decide on the repeatability (R) of the trait and enter it on column C5
3. Enter the average standard lactation milk yield of the herd for the lacta-
tions one to five in the columns (B9 to F9) provided for it
4. Enter the cow number in column A and record all the available standard
lactation milk yields in the appropriate columns against the cow.
5. Use the same unit of measurement for the herd average and the individual
animal’s record

h 12 * m
Heritability of m lactations h2m =
(1 + (m - 1) * R)

where
m = number of lactation milk yield values considered for the cow
h 2 = heritability of milk yield
R = repeatability of milk yield

The estimated breeding value of the cows will be shown in the column named
Breeding value (BV), which is calculated as,

S(IP - CP )
BV = * h 2m
m

where,
IP = lactation performance of the cow
CP = average lactation performance of the herd (same lactation)
m = number of lactation milk yield values considered for the cow
h2m = heritability of m lactations
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Tool 8. Estimation of breeding value based on half-sib records

How to use

In Sheet Tool 8, value in the cell C4 can be changed. New half-sib group (rows)
can be entered if required. The values in columns B to D are also editable.

The result (Breeding value) is calculated in column E.

Details

The simplest method for estimation of breeding value of bulls based on half-
sib records is described below. It explains the principle of half-sib analysis. For
more accurate results techniques like BLUP and least squares analysis shall be
employed.

The steps involved in this method of contemporary comparison is:

1. Decide on the heritability (h2) of the trait and enter it in column C4.
2. Enter the group size (number of half-sibs) whose average yield is recorded
in the column B.
3. Enter the average first standard lactation milk yield of the group of daugh-
ters on the column C.
4. Enter the average first standard lactation milk yield of the contemporaries
on the column D.

It is required that the lactation yields are corrected for influences other than
that of the bulls before breeding value estimations are carried out.

The estimated breeding value of the bulls based on the performance of his
daughters will be shown in the column Breeding value (BV), which is calcu-
lated as:

BV = (IP – CP) * ½ n/(n + k)

where,
IP = average first standard lactation milk yield of the group of half-
sibs
CP = average first standard lactation milk yield of contemporaries
n = number of half-sibs (group size)
k = (4 – h2) / h2