Untersuchungen zur optimierung der nachkommenprüfung von besamungsbullen hinsichtlich der unternehmensziele einer besamungsstation

The objective of the current study was to investigate the progeny testing scheme of dairy cattle from the perspective of an artificial insemination (AI) firm. A stochastic simulation model was used to model different scenarios in a competitive market among four AI firms (A, B, C, D). The impact on the progeny testing only was restricted to the variation of testing strategies within fixed test capacities. With the simulation model different business objectives for one AI firm were investigated. The criteria of interest are market share, profit and impact of the progeny testing of A on the estimated breeding values of progeny tested bulls. Therefore the potential of optimization of the purposes of A should be analysed. Results show large differences between the criteria when diverse objectives of A were applied. Even if further restrictions are considered, like a minimum accuracy of EBV's for proven bulls, a large potential of optimization exists. If it is the only aim to increase profit few bulls should be tested very accurately, with up to 160 daughters per bull. Benefit for the other considerations (number of top-bulls, market share, genetic gain) is highest when the number of daughters per bull is equal to the lower limit of simulation, of about 26 daughters per bull. In general, the optimization of the testing strategy is more advantageous under a given test capacity compared to extending it. Increasing test capacity from 8.000 to 10.000 causes loss of profits. The results show that the progeny testing offers enough potential for diverse objectives of an AI firm to adapt to changed market conditions and to achieve own purposes.