5 Jan 2024 - NTM Unlocked #3
NTM and its breeding values for different traits are not just numbers. They are an important and precise tool for comparing sires. The figures reveal a bull’s true genetic potential.
By looking at NTM and a bull’s estimated breeding values (EBV), you will know what to expect from his daughters. The figures tell you all about their performance in your herd.
Everything is relative, and we know there is a difference between bulls at a genetic level.
A bull with NTM 0 is just an average bull. A bull with NTM +10 is considered good, while one with NTM +20 is a super bull. A sire with NTM +30 is even better, he is a superior specimen and is among the top 0.1% (1 out of 1,000) of bulls.
Our top-ranking genomic VikingHolstein bulls have +40 in gNTM. Only 1 in 30,000 bulls achieve this – that’s how rare and special they are!
Less mastitis, higher profits
If we take mastitis, one of the most common problems in dairy herds, what would the breeding value of 110 for Udder health in NTM mean?
For VikingHolstein sires, compared to an average bull with EBV 100, the daughters of a bull with EBV 110 for Udder health will have 28% fewer incidences of mastitis. A sire with EBV 120 for Udder health would sire cows with 54% fewer cases of mastitis.
Fewer cases of mastitis mean the cows are healthier, less money is spent on treatments, less work for you, and fewer litres of milk go to waste. The figures behind NTM and breeding values made a great difference – they are directly linked to the profitability of your dairy business!
As you can see, NTM and breeding values are not just numbers – they are tools that bring success to dairymen worldwide.
