A.I. & BREEDING

Animal registration is an important tool for all management systems. Registering cattle through a breed association has many benefits that aid in clearer, more concise management decisions. In addition, the practice maintains dairy industry transparency through a pure national herdbook.

The challenges faced by dairy farmers over the past two years are growing – which could be seen as real opportunities. Only a few of us would have bet on such availability of production volumes and quota accessibility.

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.

Pregnancy rate is a standard measure of the success of a dairy reproductive program. It is the percentage of females eligible to become pregnant in a 21-day period that actually become pregnant.

Pick up the latest sire directory from any of the major bull studs, and you’ll see that the “bull book” contains more information than ever.

A decade ago, the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) Dairy 2007 study showed the average voluntary waiting period (VWP) on U.S. dairy farms was 54.8 days in milk and did not differ by herd size.