A.I. & Breeding

In 2019, age at first calving is on course to be added to the Net Merit Index, and residual feed intake may not be far behind.

Over the last decade, we have seen significant changes in the dairy industry, including the adaptation of new technologies and management of reproduction and genetics:

That semen tank sitting in the corner of the barn office or vet room generally goes unnoticed except for the times you are pulling out a dose of semen from one of your favorite sires.

Technology has changed how the herd is managed and decisions are made at Reuter Dairy in Peosta, Iowa, where Dan Reuter and his father, Rick, milk 900 cows with a 32,000-pound average and a somatic cell count (SCC) averaging 80,000 over the last 10 years.

Imagine yourself on the Autobahn. There is no speed limit, so you can drive as fast as you desire. What car would you want to drive? Would you feel comfortable driving your current car at max speed?

Think about the healthiest cows in your herd. What defines them as your healthiest? Is it their older age? Is it the fact they’ve never had mastitis?