PLoS ONE (Jan 2019)
Bull efficiency using dairy genetic traits.
Abstract
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.