ASSOCIATION OF CLASS-I BOVINE LYMPHOCYTE ANTIGENS WITH PROFITABILITY AND LIFETIME YIELDS IN THE HOLSTEIN BREED

Ninety-four Holstein cows from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada he rd at Ottawa were serologically typed for the BoLA-A locus. Of the 37 serologically defined specificities, only 10 were present in Holstein cows. A gene substitution model, which included the effect of BoLA all eles and the breeding value of the sire as a covariant, was used to ev aluate the association between these genes and lifetime yields and pro fitability. Allele A14 was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with in creased lifetime milk, protein and lactose yields as well as greater m ilk value and annualized discounted net returns. Therefore, the potent ial may exist for increasing the lifetime yields and profitability in dairy cattle using genes of the BoLA-A locus.