A.I. & Breeding

When genomic testing was first introduced to the dairy industry in 2009, there was considerable debate and pushback about the value and reliability of the information. At first, the industry was focused on determining if we could choose bulls without progeny testing – a sea change for the A.I. industry. Rapidly, A.I. companies completely altered their approach to bringing new sires to market – the timing, investment and reliability of information.

Make breeding day more effective by being mindful of the expectations you are placing on your breeding technician.

Before beginning work, check that all necessary equipment and supplies are ready. Identify potential problems before starting, as errors and fixes can waste time and compromise fertility.

Despite being designed and built to be robust and reliable, nitrogen tanks are more fragile than they appear. They need proper, consistent care to achieve a long service life. A malfunctioning tank can compromise the semen inventory and reduce fertility of your cows.  

COVID-19-induced crisis mode is creating a scramble for short-term, and sometimes shortsighted, adjustments. Unfortunately, a narrow “right now” mindset doesn’t work for genetic plans.

Prior to the April genetic evaluations, model changes were announced for both calving ease and stillbirth. These changes considerably improved the accuracy of the traits and improved the stability of the evaluations.