Polled dairy cattle trace back at least as far as pedigree records have been kept. The polled gene in dairy cattle is dominant over the horned gene, yet horned cattle are still much more prevalent in the global dairy population because few producers ever chose to select for polled cattle as part of their breeding program.

You’ve asked some variation of the question, at least once, at some point in the last couple years. This is the same question everyone else in the dairy industry has asked sometime or other. The question is: “What’s up with this beef price, and how long is it going to stick around?”

In conjunction with the National Holstein Convention, held at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois, Holstein Association USA conducted a well-rounded panel on genomics that provided both technical insight and practical advice for Holstein breeders in attendance.

Your best cow is in standing heat this morning. Just two weeks ago, she was diagnosed pregnant. Bummer! The first thing you want to do is find someone to blame. Usually, the veterinarian is first on the list. Just so you know, it is not likely to be the veterinarian’s fault. Please don’t blame the veterinarian.

When I get onto a dairy struggling to get cows bred, fingers start pointing. Often, it’s an outside person who is blamed: the nutritionist, the breeder or the veterinarian. From my experience, I can tell you the problems are more likely to stem from within – but then again, sometimes they don’t.

A dairy cow’s immune system, along with reproduction, is an important fitness trait. It’s a trait that’s of major consideration for producers because the ability to find and identify cows with a superior immune response can reduce disease incidence and improve milk quality and farm profitability.

Everything in life is a balance; even too much of a good thing can be bad. When breeding cows, farmers often tip the balance in favor of high yields and components, but a growing number of dairymen are using aAa analysis to not only improve the structural balance of their cows but also their bank account balance.