Effect of crossbreeding on milk yield traits and somatic cell score in dairy cattle

This study aimed to estimate trends of heterosis for milk yield traits and somatic cell score (SCS) in the Dutch dairy cattle. First lactation data on 305-d milk, fat, and protein yield, and on average 305-d SCS recorded on pure Holstein Friesian (HF), Dutch Friesian (DF), Mosa Reno Yssel (MRY), and F, crossbreds (DFxHF and MRYxHF) were considered. According to cows' year of calving, productive records from animals calving from 1980 to 2004 were divided in five periods, while SCS records from animals calving from 1990 to 2004 were divided in four periods. Data were processed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) according to a linear model which included effects of herd, season of calving, age at calving, and the genotype by period of calving interaction effect. Moreover, a linear covariate of sire's estimated breeding value (EBV) for 305-d milk yield was added to the model for yield traits. Heterosis values for productive traits were positive but decreased over time. For 305-d milk yield these values changed from 7.5 to 3.0% in the DFxHF crossbreds, and from 9.0 to 1.0% in the MRYxHF crossbreds. Average heterosis for SCS (-1.2%) was small and negative with a favourable trend over years.