Following the November 2024 proof run, Youngstock survival has been included in the Nordic Beef-on-Dairy Index (NBDI), resulting in an update to the index’s economic weights. This will give farmers a better tool to select bulls more accurately for beef-on-dairy production.
Since the launch of the Nordic Beef-on-Dairy Index (NBDI) in 2019, Nordic farmers have used the index’s Birth and Growth traits to select bulls for beef-on-dairy production.
After the November 2024 proof run, a new index, Youngstock survival, has been included in the NBDI. This will give farmers an enhanced data-driven tool to select bulls more accurately for beef-on-dairy production.
Youngstock survival describes calf survival from day one until 200 days of age and plays a significant role in the farm economy and animal welfare. The index consists of two breeding values for the early (up to day 30) and late (day 31 to 200) periods, with the late period weighing 25% more than the early.
