Calving ease and stillbirths significantly impact animal welfare and farm profitability. Improving these traits is crucial for farmers, and Norwegian Red (NR) genetics continue to excel.
With over 90 years of innovation, Geno, the organization behind NR, has consistently focused on advancing breeding values (BVs) to ensure healthier calves, easier births, and sustainable genetic progress.
Data-Driven Results in Calving Performance
Stillbirth rates highlight the clear advantages of Norwegian Red genetics in improving calf viability. When analyzed from the calf’s perspective, the following data underscores NR's benefits:
- Purebred Holstein calves (Holstein dam x Holstein sire) experience a stillbirth rate of 4.1%.
- Crossbred calves (Holstein dam x Norwegian Red sire) show a reduced stillbirth rate by 40%.
- Calves from a Norwegian Red dam (Norwegian Red dam x Holstein sire) exhibit an even lower stillbirth rate of 2%.
- Fully Norwegian Red calves (Norwegian Red dam x Norwegian Red sire) maintain a lower stillbirth rate of 2% compared to pure Holsteins.
Graph 1: *Purebred Holstein calves (Holstein dam x Holstein sire) have a stillbirth rate of 4.1%.
Graph 2: *Crossbred calves (Holstein dam x Norwegian Red sire) show a significant reduction, with a stillbirth rate of 2.5%.
Graph 3: *Fully Norwegian Red calves (Norwegian Red dam x Norwegian Red sire) maintain a lower stillbirth rate of 3.2% compared to pure Holsteins.
These figures demonstrate a significant reduction in stillbirth rates when using NR genetics, particularly in crossbreeding scenarios. The improvement is most pronounced when a Holstein dam is bred to a Norwegian Red sire, reducing stillbirths by nearly 40% compared to Holstein-to-Holstein breeding.
*Data collected from the Norwegian national herd recording system database. Data source: 420.000 calves born between 2020 and 2024
Enhancing Calving Traits with Norwegian Red Genetics
Norwegian Red genetics reflect decades of targeted breeding to improve calving traits, including ease of calving and reduced stillbirth rates. Geno's commitment to progress was further advanced in April 2023 with the introduction of a new genetic evaluation model. This multi-trait approach incorporates calf size and gestation length, increasing the accuracy of breeding values (BVs) by 12 percentage points for calving ease and 7.5 points for stillbirths in young genomic sires.
“Our new model gives farmers greater confidence in sire selection and accelerates genetic progress,” said Håvard Tajet, Geno’s Chief Technology and Innovation Officer. “By improving accuracy for critical traits like calving ease and stillbirths, we help farmers achieve healthier herds and better efficiency.”
Norwegian Red sires now average BVs of 109 for calving ease and 108 for stillbirths (on a scale where 100 is the breed average), providing farmers with practical solutions to enhance calving performance and herd health globally.
The Benefits of Crossbreeding with Norwegian Red
Rotational crossbreeding with Norwegian Red genetics has proven to nearly halve stillbirth rates compared to Holsteins. This highlights how Norwegian Red dams offer outstanding maternal abilities, including easier calving and fewer complications. Farmers adopting NR genetics benefit from:
- Reduced calf losses
- Improved animal welfare
- Higher farm profitability
As Norwegian Red celebrates 90 years of genetic innovation, the breed’s proven track record in improving calving traits makes it the perfect choice for dairy farmers seeking sustainable and profitable solutions.
