A.I. & Breeding

Voluntary waiting period (VWP) is more than just an arbitrary time frame. Even under the most ideal of circumstances, parturition is undeniably among the most strenuous actives an animal can undergo.

The national genetic index, Net Merit, was updated with the genetic evaluations on Aug. 10, 2021 – delivering an improved tool to breed profitable and feed-efficient cows.

For Holstein breeder Duane Hershey from Ar-Joy Farms in Chester County, Pennsylvania, genomics have played a big role in the decisions he makes for his breeding program. As technology advances, Hershey uses genomic testing to strengthen the performance and longevity of his 725-cow herd.

Training and working with many A.I. technicians – both herdsmen, inseminators and professional inseminators – reveals common mistakes that should be avoided. The following are seven points that can make or break insemination results.

It is easy to measure the impact certain decisions on your dairy have to your profitability. Changing the number of cows you are milking has a direct impact to the pounds of milk produced, changes to rations have a direct impact on feed costs, and high animal health incidents directly increase the vet and drug bill, just to name a few.