The industry recognizes multiple systems for measuring sire fertility. Regionally, our industry relies on single sources of fertility data like Estimated Relative Conception Rates (ERCR), other regions lean towards technician-based non-return estimates. Across these different systems bulls may be ranked high on one system, but rank average or even below average on another.

Which system should you trust?

Fact is, all systems do the best job they can with the data provided. At Select Sires, we believe accuracy resides in greater numbers. That’s why we evaluate fertility with a Composite Fertility Index™ (CFI™). This index includes information from all available U.S. sources including Relative Breeding Efficiency (RBE), ERCR and AgriTech Analytics data (ATA). Combining data from each of these systems into a Composite Fertility Index, and then weighting data based on the number of inseminations associated with each bull, strengthens the power and accuracy of each bull’s fertility estimate.

For unbiased fertility estimates you can trust, look to the only A.I. source that considers all available data and then shares it with you - Select Sires!

Components of the Composite Fertility Index
Includes over 1.8 million services on 727 Select Sires

• Estimated Relative Conception Rate (ERCR)
  

  Calculated by USDA-AIPL; first service, 70-day, non-return data; a three-year rolling average currently includes 733,826 first services on 242 Select Sires with 300 or more first services per sire; includes Eastern, Midwestern, Southeastern and Southwestern herds

• AgriTech Analytics Data (ATA)
  

  Utilizes palpated pregnancy data; uses multiple services; is a continuous database with no time limit on use of historic data; representing large herds located in the West; 475,237 total services on 142 Select Sires bulls with 10 or more services in 10 or more herds

• Relative Breeding Efficiency (RBE)
  

  Calculated by Select Sires from data processed by Dairy Records Management Systems (DRMS); multiple Service non-return rate (includes Program for Genetic Advancement™ (PGA™) herds); a one year rolling herd average (therefore the data is current); contains 638 Select Sires with 200 or more services for a total of 640,436 services; includes Eastern, Midwestern, Southeastern and Southwestern herds

Go to Composite Fertility Index Listing

™Composite Fertility Index, CFI, Program for Genetic Advancement, and PGA are trademarks of Select Sires Inc.
01/08 USDA and ATA Data