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Get accurate selection
with genomic testing

By genomically testing your heifers and cows with genomic tests from VikingGenetics, you will get the best and most reliable evaluation for health and fertility traits.

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Genomic testing is a profitable solution

The keyword in using genomic test as a management tool is to increase the genetic level in the herd. This is done by selecting the genetically superior females as dams of the next generation of heifer calves. Without genomic breeding values this is done on the basis of pedigree indices – with lower reliabilities.

Reasons to use genomic testing:

  • Categorize your female animals into different breeding strategies
  • Identify bulls that complement the females’ strengths and weaknesses
  • Optimize decisions regarding the use of sexed semen

GenVik, a genomic test of your females on the NTM scale, is an advanced tool for you to use to ensure that you focus on the right females as parents to the next generation.

Genomic breeding values have higher reliabilities than pedigree index, and to be successful in the genetic progress of your herd the best tool to use is genomic selection.

The NTM Index ensures a balanced breeding between production and health, and the Nordic countries have a long tradition of breeding for health traits. 

Using genomic selection on your females together with X-Vik sexed semen on your top heifers, will ensure you the highest possible progress of your herd. For the lower ranked females, you can use conventional semen and beef semen. 

 

Make the most profitable breeding decisions

Genetic improvement

When you breed for healthy cows, you invest in the future of your herd. You get fewer diseases for each generation so the investment will pay off exponentially by each generation.

The genetic improvement achieved with VikingGenetics’ solutions is permanent and cumulate through generations.

Select the best replacement animals

Genomic testing of your females on the Nordic Total Merit (NTM) scale with more than 40 traits genetically evaluated is an advanced tool for ensuring you focus on the right replacement heifers for the next generation.

This can significantly increase your herd’s genetic improvement. Genomic testing on the NTM scale is available for purebred Holstein, Red and Jersey.

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Large scale genomic testing on herd level

Large scale genomic testing is a beneficial management tool in many herds. The idea is to improve the selection of the females used to breed the next generation of heifer calves due to more reliable breeding values. Combined with intensive use of sexed semen and beef semen this results in increased profit. 

The purpose of using genomic test as a management tool is to increase the genetic level of the herd. This is done by selecting the genetically superior females as dams of the next generation of heifer calves. Without genomic breeding values this is done on the basis of pedigree indices – with lower reliability. Information from genomic tests will increase the accuracy of the breeding values of the females. This enables a more precise selection of the best females. 
Genomic testing guiding your mating plan

If all females are used to produce the next generation of heifer calves, the benefits of doing genomic tests are lost. Therefore, a prerequisite for having an economical benefit of large scale genomic testing, is intensive use of sexed semen and beef semen based on accurate genomic data.  Only the top females of the herd are used as parents for replacement heifers.  

In practice, you can achieve extra profit from using genomic tests as a management tool. Using sexed semen on heifers with the highest NTM will guarantee you the best possible replacement heifers for your herd, therefore increasing the production level and health status of your herd. Dependent on the use of sexed semen for heifers and level of reproduction efficiency, replacement rate etc. the cows with the lowest NTM can be inseminated with beef semen. This way you can ensure the highest profit on a herd level.