Graphical Abstract
Summary:
The service sire has been recognized as an important factor affecting reproductive efficiency in dairy cattle. Here, we assessed the feasibility of predicting bull fertility in Italian Brown Swiss cattle using genomic data. The analysis included the use of alternative models fitting all single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or incorporating markers with large effect. The entire set of SNPs yielded predictive correlations of 0.19, while the inclusion of 2 markers with large effect increased predictive correlations to 0.32. Early genomic predictions of bull fertility could help the dairy industry make enhanced genome-guided selection and management decisions, such as early culling of predicted subfertile bull calves.