Selection of Artificial Insemination Sires to Maximize Profits

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Abstract
A profit-maximizing criterion for sire selection (net present value) was developed to rank artificial insemination sires for individual dairies on alternative selection policies for milk income, type score, conception rate to 1st service, calving interval, female mortality rate, semen price and real interest rate. Active Holstein artificial insemination sires from the July, 1982 USDA [USA Department of Agriculture] Sire Summary were ranked by net present value of their semen. Most profitable sires were not generally those with maximum transmitting abilities for milk income or type score but were those offering substantial genetic improvement at relatively low semen prices. The 20 most profitable sires under alternative selection policies for milk income and type score can be purchased with smaller semen budgets than bulls of average profitability.

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