For proficient outputs, modern dairies using year-round calving are required to have well-functioning reproductive programs that enable sufficient replacement rates, optimal milk yields and a consistent income all year long.

Today’s dairy cow deals with some of the greatest challenges ever faced in the dairy industry.

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.

Around the world and especially in North America, the purebred Holstein dairy cow is hard to beat for milk, fat and protein yields. The Holstein cow is also popular for commercial production of milk, particularly in fluid milk markets. The purebred Jersey cow has also earned a place in the sun in cheese-producing areas in Wisconsin, California and Texas.