Step 2: Set Breeding Goals & Index

Set Breeding Goals & Index is the second step of the planning process and allows you to generate a custom index to establish priorities and goals for the next generation of animals in the herd. Breeding goals in GENEX DairySuite are based on industry-standard indexes, which assign weights to three major categories: Production, Health, and Conformation.

Follow the steps below to continue:

1. Based on your conversations with the dairy, start with a Preset index. If you select an index other than ICC, you can make additional adjustments to specific traits to customize the index. ICC is a custom GENEX DairySuite index. If you select ICC, click Continue to proceed.

   

   Preset Index Options

   GENEX DairySuite offers four preset indexes: 

   • NM$ (Net Merit Dollars): 40% Production, 34% Health, 26% Conformation
   • CM$ (Cheese Merit Dollars): 41% Production, 34% Health, 25% Conformation
   • FM$ (Fluid Merit Dollars): 43% Production, 32% Health, 25% Conformation
   • ICC (Ideal Commercial Cow Index): 
     • Holsteins: 53% Production, 34% Sustainability, 13% Fertility. This is a custom index. Contact your administrator if you need to adjust the ICC trait weights.
     • Jerseys/XD: 46% Production, 36% Sustainability, 18% Fertility. This is a custom index that cannot be adjusted by trait.

   NOTE: GENEX's indexes are reevaluated and adjusted based on current economic trends and industry standards. As industry indexes are updated, GENEX DairySuite's presets will likely be adjusted as well.
2. If applicable, make additional adjustments to the major categories, Production, Health, and Conformation, making sure the weights add up to 100%.
3. Adjust specific traits in each profile to meet the plan goals. For example, you may choose to increase the weight of the Fat trait in the Production Profile.

In the Conformation profile, you can make adjustments to individual traits. Click the drop-down buttonon the left side of each Conformation field to customize the weight of individual traits, making sure the weights add up to 100% for each Conformation composite: Udder, Feet and Legs, and Body Weight.

Customizable Conformation Traits
• Udder Composite (UDC)
  • Fore Udder Attach
  • Rear Udder Height
  • Rear Udder Width
  • Udder Cleft
  • Udder Depth
  • Fore Teat Placement
  • Rear Teat Placement
  • Teat Length
• Feet and Legs Composite (FLC)
  • Foot Angle
  • Rear Leg Set
  • Rear Leg Rear View
• Body Weight Composite
  • Stature
  • Strength
  • Body Depth
  • Angularity
  • Rump Angle
  • Thurls Width
4. Click Refresh Progeny Projection to update the projected values.
5. View the Current Herd average and Progeny projections for each trait.
   How is this value calculated?

   • Current Herd: Average value for this trait for all current animals in the herd, or:

     (sum of all animal values for this trait)/(total number of animals in herd). The source for this information is PULSE.

   • Progeny projection (greatest potential improvement): The highest possible improved value for the next generation of the herd for this trait. This calculation is based on matings with optimal bulls for each specific trait.

6. Hover over the graph for deviation from breed average data details.

   

   How is this data calculated?

   Each trait has an average value based on the herd breed. The potential improvement (or deviation) to each trait value is calculated and shown for each of the bull tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum.

7. Review all weights and verify that the overall and Profile totals are 100% distributed. The Total Weights indicator changes color and calculates any adjustments needed.

   

   NOTE: If the weights are not distributed 100%, the Continue button becomes grayed out and inactive until the weights are adjusted correctly.
8. Click Continue to proceed to Step 3: Choose Your Bulls.