The Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) released information about the stepwise genetic base change that happens at five-year intervals. The April 2020 genetic evaluations of bulls and cows will reflect the most recent genetic base change.

Reproductive management of dairy cows has advanced significantly in the past two decades with the advent of ovulation synchronization protocols, improvements in nutrition and cow comfort, and the incorporation of female fertility and longevity traits into selection programs.

2019 marks 10 years of genomic selection. Most livestock genetics conferences that are held this year will have a scientific seminar celebrating this milestone. It’s been a decade since our cattle genetic industry changed like this only once before – with the invention of A.I.

There is a widespread misconception that dairies must wait to see financial returns from genomic testing – that cash-strapped dairies can’t justify the investment for potential long-term gains. A close look at the numbers produced from a carefully considered genomic testing plan tells a different story – one of increased efficiency and more immediate returns. But how?

The following is a summary from the Dairy Genomics Workshop series on the value of genomic testing females, presented in Idaho, Washington, Florida, Texas and California in late 2018.

Whether you concentrate on developing elite genetics or producing milk for the market, genomic data can be a valuable tool in achieving your goals. In this article, we will examine testing options and how both breeding herds and commercial herds might use those options differently.