Timing of U.S. Evaluations

U.S. dairy genetic evaluations are released on a weekly, monthly and triannual basis – dependent on timing and animal status. The genomic evaluations calculated monthly and triannally are considered official.

Photo by Andrea Haines

Triannual Evaluations

Triannual evaluations are released in April, August and December. These include new phenotypic – or performance – data; therefore, both the genomic and traditional progeny evaluations are updated. All animals, genotyped or not genotyped, are shared publicly.

Between the triannual releases, genomic evaluations are not released for bulls already marketed through A.I. to provide consistency between official evaluations.

Weekly Genomic Evaluations

Preliminary genomic evaluations are calculated weekly – only for newly genotyped animals, or those with conflicts that were corrected. Results are processed using SNP effects from the previous official evaluation. 

Weekly results help producers make immediate decisions for mating, culling and herd management. CDCB sends the preliminary evaluations to genomic nominators, dairy records processing centers and breed associations for transfer to animal owners. As they are unofficial, weekly results are not used for marketing animals or semen.

Genomic Evaluations on Foreign Bulls

Genomic evaluations of foreign bulls are provided only to the nominator and only until 15 months of age, unless an A.I. service fee has been received by CDCB.

U.S. Genetic Evaluation Types

Evaluations distributed by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding

 PurposePhenotypic Updates Applied?Official?Animals Receiving EvaluationsOrganizations Receiving ResultsResults Available to PublicTiming
WeeklyImmediate mating, culling and management decisionsNoNoOnly animals having usable genotype for the first timeGenomic nominators, breed associations and DRPCsNew young male animalsTuesday, 7.55 A.M. EDT/EST
MonthlyOfficial results for marketing and management decisionsNoYesAll qualifying genotyped animalsGenomic nominators, breed associations, DRPCs and CDDR partnersNew young male animalsGenerally the 1st Tuesday of month, 8:00 A.M. EDT/EST
TriannualMarketing by all partiesYesYesAll animals, genotyped or not genotypedMale and female (top 5%), new ranking listsApril, August and December
InterimProvide traditional evaluations for productive traits for A.I.s testing young animalsYes, only yield traitsNoYoung AI bulls (NAAB status code G/P) that added daughters since the last triannual releaseA.I. organizationsNo