Corey Geiger explains why some dairy managers are using beef genetics in their dairy cow herds. Earlier use of heifers, sexed semen and improved pregnancy rates are part of the reasons for this shift in fertility strategies.
This April, 4284 bulls were declared active by A.I. organizations . . . but only 1,074 of those bulls had milking daughters.
Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, April 5, 2019. Link.
. . . shifting reproductive strategies impact genetic measures such as Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR) and Cow Conception Rates (CCR). The impact has been so great that scientists at USDA’s Animal Genetics Improvement Laboratory (AGIL) and Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) have made adjustments to these key reproductive measures.
INSIGHTS: This article can be used to open herd management discussions for veterinary practice teams, technical service DVMs and salespersons calling on larger dairies. There is also a stronger need for discussions about on-farm genetic diversity and regional replacement heifers based on this article.