Open AccessBull efficiency using dairy genetic traits
Author(s) -
Christine Whitt,
Loren W. Tauer,
Heather J. Huson
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0223436
Subject(s) - allocative efficiency , insemination , artificial insemination , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , profit (economics) , semen , revenue , zoology , agricultural science , business , statistics , mathematics , economics , genetics , microeconomics , accounting , sperm , pregnancy
Dairy bulls are evaluated using progeny data and genomic testing to determine the quantity of specific traits that they will pass to their daughters. Some bulls excel in some traits but not others. Specifying these various traits as outputs, with the single input of insemination, technical, revenue, allocative, and profit efficiency of bulls available for artificial insemination are estimated using Free Disposal Hull. Although bulls generally are highly technically efficient, because only high performing bull semen is offered for sale, bulls are less revenue, allocative and profit efficient. These efficiencies are relative to peer bulls and can be updated as new bulls become available.