Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 November 2017
Genetic evaluations for Somatic Cell Counts (SCC) and Lifespan (LS) have recently been introduced in the UK. LS is a measure of longevity and predicts the ability of a cow to withstand involuntary culling while SCC is used as an indirect measure of mastitis, which is a major reason for involuntary culling. Optimum use of both sources of information require incorporation of both traits in an index. In addition, the usefulness of including some Type traits with SCC to improve the accuracy of indirectly measuring mastitis has been demonstrated. Knowledge of the genetic relationships between SCC, LS and Conformation is crucial to the construction of such indices. This study investigates the relationship between SCC and LS and Conformation in some UK dairy breeds.