6 Million Genotypes!

Written by José Carrillo

February 20, 2022

6 Million Genotypes!

The national cooperator database hit a new mark on February 19, 2022, with six million genotypes recorded.
 
This feat is possible through collaboration between the U.S. and global partners, and among dairy producers, genotyping labs, nominating organizations, international partners, CDCB and the Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory (AGIL).
 
The first U.S. Holstein sires were genotyped in 2008. After seven years, in August 2015, one million genotypes were recorded in the national cooperator database. Since then, the database has grown more rapidly, with more than one million genotypes per year. Genotyping of females has soared in recent years, as genomic evaluations have become an indispensable tool for mating, culling and herd management decisions in herds worldwide. The vast majority — 91% of all genotyped animals — in the CDCB database are female.

This set of dairy phenotypic and genotypic data has been managed by CDCB since 2013. As the world’s largest animal database and having robust quality standards, the national cooperator database has set the gold standard worldwide and is a strategic asset for U.S. dairy.