The Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) is a non-profit organization that calculates and distributes the U.S. genetic evaluations and genomic predictions, analyzes dairy performance data and manages the world’s largest database of genotypes and phenotypes for dairy cows.
The National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) is the trade association representing the U.S. artificial insemination (A.I.) industry. The large majority – 95% – of large and smaller U.S. A.I. companies are NAAB members. NAAB also manages the dairy cross reference data which has a unique coding system for A.I. bulls and provides sire identification data to the CDCB for genetic evaluations. The NAAB is also owner of Certified Semen Services, the regulatory authority for the monitoring and auditing of U.S. semen collection processes and locations.
USDA is the federal department that provides leadership on agriculture, food and related topics based on public policy and the best available science. World-renowned scientists at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory (AGIL) perform rigorous research to develop and test new genetic and genomic methodologies. This research supports top-quality evaluations, data integrity and implementation of technology and new scientific learnings.
Until 2013, USDA also performed the service functions related to the U.S. database and genetic evaluations. A Non-funded Cooperative Agreement first implemented on March 27, 2013, clarified that USDA would focus on world-class research. CDCB assumed full responsibility to maintain the national cooperator database, compute results and distribute genomic and genetic evaluations.
Each U.S. dairy breed has an independent producer-led association that facilitates the registry of purebred animals, promotes the breed, supports the marketing of animals and genetics, manages type classifications and sponsors membership programs. Several associations serve as genomic nominators for genotyping and delivery of genomic results for their members. The breed associations submit important classification and pedigree data to the CDCB for genetic evaluations and publish their own total merit indices.
The National Dairy Herd Information Association (NDHIA) is the umbrella association for the regional affiliates across the U.S. NDHIA sets data certification standards and secures uniform data collection procedures. NDHIA is a direct and united voice for the dairy information industry.
Dairy Records Providers (DRP) are state or regional organizations that gather on-farm data in an accurate, credible and uniform manner, for herd management, research and genetic evaluations.
Dairy Records Processing Centers (DRPC) develop computerized software to normalize data coming from farms and transfer to the CDCB cooperator database for research and genetic evaluations
Genomic nominators and laboratories are essential partners in the genotyping of animals and delivery of genomic evaluations to dairy producers and animal owners.
Genomic Nominators are the conduit between owners or marketers of animals that will be genotyped and receive a U.S. genomic evaluation from CDCB. Nominators ensure samples for DNA testing are sent to certified laboratories with correct, complete information. The nominator delivers CDCB genomic results back to the herd, animal owner or organization that requested the evaluation.
Certified CDCB Genomic NominatorsGenotyping labs analyze biological samples to determine differences in the animal’s genetic makeup, with genotype results provided to the CDCB national cooperator database. Participating labs are approved by CDCB, through a rigorous quality certification process.
Certified Genotype Labs
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