Consequences of using EVA software as a tool for optimal genetic contribution selection in Danish Holstein.

INTRODUCTION Because of inbreeding depression there is a reduced realisation of genetic gain in general and of health, fertility and the productivity of the dairy cows in particular (e.g. Smith et al., 1998). However, in the long term the major problem of inbreeding is the expected reduction of future genetic gain because of reduced genetic variation. Annual genetic gain in an efficient breeding scheme is reduced by about 20% due to inbreeding over a period of 20 years, if inbreeding has not been taken into account (Sørensen, 1999).