GeneMark Genomics helps farmers improve their herds and breed better cows faster. Parentage verification and genomic evaluation takes the guesswork out of matching calves to their parents for added precision in their breeding programme, allowing farmers to confidently select their highest genetic merit animals to join their milking herd.

Benefits of GeneMark Genomics

  • Make informed breeding decisions by identifying superior genetics in your herd at a younger age.
  • Get improved reliability of your animals’ breeding values with a complete assessment of their genomic profile.
  • Reduce stress at calving time and prevent the mismothering of calves.
  • Reduce the risk of inbreeding.

GeneMark Genomics Booklet

What is a genomic evaluation?

Genomics is the study of genes and how they are expressed. Genes of interest in dairy cows can include those that control key traits such as fat and protein production, liveweight, fertility and others.

Genomic evaluation adds an animal’s own DNA to it’s evaluation to improve accuracy of its breeding values, resulting in values that are more likely to reflect the animal’s true genetic merit.

The table below shows how an animal’s breeding values changes when its own DNA information is added to the evaluation. This animal’s DNA information shows that overall, she’s better than parent average, especially for fat, liveweight and somatic cell count.

While some breeding values go up and some go down, the outcome is a more accurate prediction of this animal’s genetic merit.

Genomic evaluation is available for female animals only.

Heifer calf

Trait

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam)

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information)

Trait gBW

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam) 318/30

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information) 405/45

Trait Fat gBV

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam) 29.5/32

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information) 46.0/48

Trait Protein gBV

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam) 14.6/32

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information) 17.8/48

Trait Volume gBV

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam) -204/33

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information) -86/49

Trait Liveweight gBV

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam) 2.6/26

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information) -3.3/43

Trait Somatic Cell gBV

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam) -0.10/31

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information) -0.18/46

Trait Fertility gBV

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam) 2.0/28

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information) -1.9/37

Trait BCS gBV

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam) 0.19/23

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information) 0.16/38

Trait Functional Survival gBV

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam) 4.3/17

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information) 4.2/28

Trait Udder Overall gBV

Parent average
(½ Sire + ½ Dam) 0.44/23

Following our Genomic evaluation service
(½ Sire + ½ Dam + animal’s DNA information) 0.97/36

Source: LIC genomic evaluation model outputs, November 2023

For more information on GeneMark Genomics please read our FAQ’s.