New technologies are continuously becoming available to improve herd reproduction. Have you recently evaluated your dairy’s program to determine where there is room for improvement?

While a great many dairy producers are breeding their lower-end cows to beef bulls, that might not be your best option, according to Dr. Dan Schaefer, professor and former chair of animal sciences at the University of Wisconsin College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. He has been researching Holstein steers since 1982.

It’s been nearly 75 years since the introduction of frozen semen for artificial insemination (A.I.) and 10 years since genomic selection. During those years, the U.S. has catapulted itself to the position of world leader in bovine genetics, which is a comfortable position to be in.

A 10-year study from the University of Minnesota indicates cows from a specific crossbreeding rotation generated as much as 13% more daily profit than their purebred Holstein herdmates.

During the 2019 Vita Plus Dairy Summit, Vita Plus Dairy Specialist Randall Greenfield teamed up with his counterpart on the beef side, Chad Howlett, to tackle the topic of using beef semen to manage dairy heifer herd inventory, and the opportunities and challenges that come along with the resulting crossbred calves.

In 2018, U.S. Holstein cows in the Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) program remained in the milking herd for an average of 28.4 months. Looking back to those born in 1975, they stayed an average of 34.4 months – a full half a year longer. This interval, coined Productive Life, runs from the day of calving in the first lactation to the day the cow left the herd. Some have suggested cows aren’t staying as long because “they are subjected to more stress.”

CDCB announces updates alongside the December genetic evaluations. These announcements relate to updated crossbred evaluations, as well as foreign fertility evaluations.

Ranking bulls to make a sire selection decision is most easily done based on a single value from a selection index. For dairy farmers with a profit-driven focus, the best selection index is a representation of the money that could be made from the genetics supplied by the bull.

Most humans consider caring for animals a moral responsibility. But for farmers, it is more than this. It is a farmer’s fundamental purpose to nurture and protect animals. Their livelihood depends on being compassionate toward another living creature. A healthy animal is a productive animal.

During 2018, Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) members, who are also researchers, reviewed and updated DCRC’s recommended list of estrous synchronization protocols.