Guideline to Form GE

You are kindly asked to fill in a Form GE for all official traits in your country and submit the form(s) to the Interbull Centre ( interbull@slu.se ). We require that all traits submitted to Interbull evaluations are described in a Form GE in such a way that it is easy to understand exactly what traits are included in the international genetic evaluations.

We also encourage you to submit details for all other official traits in your country to facilitate transparency.

Please follow these guidelines as closely as possible when filling out the form(s) in order to accomplish this and in order for forms to be as homogeneous across country as possible.

General Guidelines

• Write in English.

• Use one form for each main trait group. Number sub-traits within a main trait group and refer to
  these numbers throughout the document, when you have evaluations for more than one trait per main
  trait group.

• Provide details on genetic parameters in Appendix GE. In addition to this, provide parameters for the
  production, conformation, and health traits that are submitted for international genetic evaluations in
  Appendix PR, CO/BCO, and SM, respectively.

• Do not modify the form, i.e. keep all appendices even if they are empty, but feel free to add for
  instance tables with genetic (co-)variances.

• Be detailed, but concise.
• Quantify answers wherever possible.

• Give as detailed information as possible, but remember that some information is better than no
  information!
  

Specific Guidelines:

Country (or countries)
Give the complete name. Write all country names if joint evaluation.

Main trait group
Either: Production, Conformation, Health, Longevity, Calving, Female fertility, Workability, Beef production, Efficiency, or Other traits.

Breed(s)
Give the complete name of the breed(s). If a breed is evaluated together with a different breed, write the breed of evaluation in parenthesis.

Trait(s), trait definition(s) and unit(s) of measurement
Briefly state the definition of the trait in words (e.g. fat percentage, non- return rate 56d, etc). Write the unit of measurement, e.g. liter, kg, lb, 1000cells/ml, etc. Indicate frequencies per category if the trait is categorical and specify transformation of data if practiced. For combined traits give the exact formula used to combine sub-traits. Press enter before each new trait is described and number the traits (this number should be used to make reference to a particular trait throughout the document).

Method of measuring and collecting data Indicate source of data (e.g. milk recording, AI studs, veterinary reporting, slaughterhouse, etc). Explain briefly how the reported records are collected.

Time period for data inclusion Give a date, e.g. calving since 1985, cows born since 1980, etc.

Age groups (e.g. parities) included If more than one lactation is used, are there any weighting involved? What are these weights? Use parity = 0 for heifers.

Other criteria (data edits) for inclusion of records: e.g. acceptable limits for phenotypic expression?, missing pedigree, status of herd/animal, etc

Criteria for extension of records (if applicable) e.g. minimum and maximum number of test days required and extension method/formula.

Sire categories Give sire categories included in the genetic evaluations: AI vs. NS, 1st vs. 2nd crop, young vs. proven bulls, percentage of ET produced bulls, etc., and preferably quantify number of sires in each category.

Environmental effects, pre-adjustments What are the records adjusted for (age, heterogeneous variance, days open, etc)? Are pre-adjustments additive or multiplicative, i.e. affecting only the mean or both mean and variance? Write the relevant pre-adjustment equations and provide a copy of the key reference. How often are pre-adjustment factors updated (last update)? Give the base in months for age adjustments, if applicable.

Method (model) of genetic evaluation Use abbreviations for most common effects (list of abbreviations available on our website under Service> Service Documentation >Abbreviations to use in Interbull forms) e.g. MT-ML-RR-AM, Survival kit. If weighted analysis (e.g. records in progress) please give weights.

Environmental effects in the genetic evaluation model State nature of these effects (e.g. continuous, discontinuous), number of levels, and in parenthesis how they are treated (e.g. fixed=F, random=R).

Adjustment for heterogeneous in variance in evaluation model Indicate whether adjusted for in the model and if so what is adjusted for and how. Please give reference(s) if available.

Use of genetic groups and relationships Is the relationship matrix modified in any way? What is the grouping based on? Birth year? Percentage of the breed purity? Country of origin? Etc?

Blending of foreign/Interbull information in evaluation Yes or no. If yes, please briefly explain how or give reference.

Genetic parameters in the evaluation Give ALL genetic parameters assumed in genetic model (h2, 2p, rg, rp, t, c, etc) in appendix GE. Provide information also in appendices PR, CO, BCO, SM, as applicable, if you participate in the international genetic evaluations of Interbull.

System validation Explain the validation process: Checks on data quality / model, trend estimation? RBV correlations? Etc.

Expression of genetic evaluations If standardised (e.g. RBV), give standardisation formula on PART 2: EBV, ETA, RBV, PD, etc. and units used. Provide standardization formula when practiced

Definition of genetic reference base How is the genetic (reference) base defined: cow or bull; Fixed or rolling; birth year, calving year or proof year; etc.

Next base change

Calculation of reliability Briefly state how reliabilities are calculated and give reference if available.

Criteria for official publication of evaluations Minimum reliability or number of daughters / herd, etc.

Number of evaluations / publications per year 1, 2, 3,...? Which month(s)?

Use in total merit index Name the total merit (performance) index and its constituents. Give economic weights and indicate how they are expressed (preferably in genetic standard deviation units).

Anticipated changes in the near future State the nature and the date of the anticipated / planned change.

Key reference on methodology applied Please name the key references, which are used as the basis of the current genetic evaluations.

Key organization: name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, web site Be explicit.