Applying the AHP Model in Estimation of Holstein Dairy Cows Sperms Using In Farms: an Different Research in Animal Science

Abstract

This paper focused on the priorities (weights) before the breeders in terms of selecting elite sperms of male Holstein cow through analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The goal is to prioritize the factors affecting the use of sperms of male Holstein cow by the dairy farmers of Tehran province, so 333 Holstein industrial dairy farms (herds) from various climatic and ecologic conditions were chosen for the study. These farms used various Holstein sperms. Data was collected by two types of pairwise comparison questionnaires. Validity of the data was tested by animal breeding experts and reliability of results was verified by means of Cronbach’s alpha stat. In the first phase, the contents of the first questionnaire were turned by 6-criteria breeders into the highest levels of priority in comparison to other criteria contained in catalogues of male Holstein cow sperm. After analysis, the breeding value of milk production, sperm cost, reliability of production traits, commercial life of daughters, daughters calving ease and breeding value of all type traits were taken as breeder criteria. In the second phase, 333 questionnaires of pairwise comparison and the 6 expert criteria of were distributed among 333 industrial Holstein farms of Tehran province. Once the questionnaires, software such as SAS 9.1 and Expert Choice 11.1 were used to analyze the data, calculate means and final weights. Eventually, the US Holstein sperm was used as the elite sperm with the highest rates of value and use among the dairy farms participating in the study.