The secret to getting more cows pregnant in a timely manner could already be at your fingertips. In fact, it may be just a few key strokes away. Valuable data is already available for most dairies, and digging into it can unearth both sweet spots and trouble zones that affect reproduction. By targeting areas of opportunity and focusing on results, producers can enjoy reproductive success. Let’s take a look at how records can be used to achieve this.

Playing the elite genetic merit game is not for the faint of heart. While the rewards are high, like six-figure sale prices, so are the risks. Cattle die, an animal’s estimated genetic worth doesn’t materialize or embryo transfer is performed with limited success.

One of the most vulnerable times in a dairy cow’s lactation is also one of the most physically demanding.

Progressive dairy producers, academia and industry personnel gathered in Reno, Nevada, Nov. 8-10, 2017, for the Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) annual meeting to discuss new and advanced practices to achieve outstanding reproductive performance.

What does it take for a cow to become a national milk record-holder?

Thanks to researchers at the University of Florida, it is now possible to breed a Holstein that can better withstand heat stress.

In addition to the information that will be available from the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding later this year, several dairy companies have already taken the lead in providing options for dairy producers to improve herd health through genetic selection.

Although some dairy herds do have excellent reproductive performance, the average Canadian herd is still showing unsatisfactory performance with an insemination rate of 44.1 percent, pregnancy rate of 17.6 percent and conception rate of 40.5 percent; those performances were shown to be similar in other countries.

The below timeline displays specific genetic traits and the year they were incorporated in official sire evaluations.

In addition to the information that will be available from the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding later this year, several dairy companies have already taken the lead in providing options for dairy producers to improve herd health through genetic selection.