MAP

The GENEX Statement of Purpose - GENEX is the trusted provider of world-class animal genetics, progressive reproductive solutions, value-added products and innovative services to members and customers - paraphrases what Mating Appraisal for Profit (MAP) can do for you.

MAP...

• Offers unmatched flexibility in sire selection, specially tailored to your operation. Increases the herdlife/longevity of your herd
• Puts you in control of developing your herds goals
• Manages and restricts inbreeding to a maximum of 6.25 percent, meaning no member of a three-generation pedigree is duplicated in the mating, while also controlling lethal recessives
• Helps you in sorting through sire summary information overload
• Provides a complete genotypic evaluation on each animal scored
• Emphasizes a worst fault for maximum genetic progress
• Assists you in controlling semen inventory

With unmatched flexibility, MAP can breed the kind of cow that fits your operation. Using the Lifetime Net Merit index as the production emphasis, a mating game plan can be tailored to meet your breeding goals whether your focus is herdlife, feet and legs, udders, "show" type, grazers or fluid markets.

MAP benefits producers through increased profits, improved cow conformation, improved production and healthier, longer-living cows. Through MAP, members and customers worldwide are effectively using top genetics to build a more profitable kind of cow.

To get the most from MAP, herds should be evaluated at least once or twice a year. This allows for new additions and updates in sire recommendations.

Computer MAP

Cows are compared to their contemporaries for each trait and differences are weighted by the heritability of the specific trait. Deviations from contemporaries are adjusted for the herd's genetic level. Pedigree information is also included and a "cow index" is calculated and standardized for each trait. The "cow index" is similar to a transmitting ability on a sire and is the basis for all sire recommendations.

Computer MAP gives extra emphasis to a cow's worst fault, especially in the areas of feet, legs and udder. This unique approach avoids incorrect mating and ensures the most rapid genetic progress.

MAP Express

With MAP Express, the evaluator only scores the extreme type traits for each animal. All other traits are considered average. This method forces MAP to consider sires that will correct the most obvious type problems. (There is a direct relationship between the number of traits in a selection program and the amount of progress can be made in a single mating.)

Pedigree MAP

CRI can provide corrective mating using Pedigree MAP. Pedigree MAP is a genotypic approach to mating using sire and grandsire records. MAP estimates a cow's or heifer's conformation based on her sire's breeding pattern, and matings are made based on those estimates.

Sire Summary Updates and MAP Reports

Keep up with new type and production data between MAP evaluations by signing up for a post-summary update. Following each sire summary, a new list of sire recommendations is then sent automatically.

Receiving mating recommendations has never been easier. Two reports are available - a semen requirements report and a mating recommendation report. Choose to have a hard copy of the reports mailed, e-mailed or put on CD. Electronic versions allow bull recommendations to be directly imported into on-farm management software.

G-MAP, or Genomic MAP, determines the best mating option for a cow or heifer based on Genomic PTAs (GPTAs) rather than phenotypic scores, performance or predicted information such as parent averages or pedigree indexes.

G-MAP is available to any dairy producer who has genomic test results (3K or 50K) on their cow(s) and/or heifer(s). Simply provide your animals' GPTAs to your CRI Canada representative to be incorporated into G-MAP.

G-MAP can provide mating recommendations for any individual, group or whole herd of genomic-tested animals. G-MAP mating recommendations are included on a MAP™ report along with non-genomic tested animals mated through the traditional GENEX MAP program. On the report, animals mated through G-MAP are signified by a "G" or the word "Genomic" near their identification.

Furthermore, G-MAP has all of the convenience and features producers have come to expect from MAP: While over 90 percent of MAP herds use Lifetime Net Merit (LNM) and herdlife as their chosen mating option, producers also have the option to choose other criteria such as final score or grazier; inbreeding and lethal recessives are controlled; mating recommendations are available via e-mail, the Web or on paper; mating recommendations can easily be imported into dairy management software; and producers can divide animals into various groups for specific breeding strategies and mate each group to different sires accordingly.