Genetic Evaluation for Feet Traits Collected from Young German Holstein Bulls

In general the importance of functional traits is increasing in all dairy cattle populations over the last decade. Beside udder and fertility problems claw and foot disorders are main involuntary culling reasons. Linear description of feet and leg traits in the frame of conformation scoring didn’t reduce claw and leg problems as expected. Therefore new ways of data recording should be established in order to get more reliable information in this trait complex. In Germany claw and leg traits were measured and scored from 4000 young AI test bull candidates after rearing them in test stations. After estimation of genetic parameters a routine genetic evaluation based on this data is implemented by VIT for test bull candidates of four breeding organisations. Procedures and results from estimation of variance components and from genetic evaluation are reported as well as a first attempts to derive a significant index of traits to predict feet and leg quality and functional longevity of future daughters.