A.I. & Breeding

The new discovery of a lethal gene may explain why pregnancy rates in dairy cattle have dropped sharply in recent years, a University of Wisconsin – Madison researcher says.

PACE success reaches new levels with November sire summary
Accelerated Genetics continues to maintain an active lineup full of leading genetic sires in all breeds that graduate from the PACE young sire program. Topping Accelerated Genetics lineup for both Net Merit and TPI™ is PACE graduate 014HO04099 Billion. Eighteen daughters were added to his type proof, bringing this high-ranking sire to the elite +2.00 PTAT level. Billion also increased significantly on his Udder Composite (UDC) at +1.63, and his Foot and Leg Composite (FLC) at +2.44.

In recent years, several estimates of embryonic mortality in cattle have been made. Embryonic mortality is generally defined as loss of the conceptus which occurs during the first 42 days of pregnancy, which is the period from conception to completion of differentiation when organ systems develop.

In the years since the formation of the Newaygo Dairy Testing Association, the first Cow Testing Association (CTA) that started in America in the fall of 1905, production records have become the foundation for herd improvement. This was noted in the early years by the fact that the name was changed nationally in 1927 to the Dairy Herd Improvement Association or DHIA.

A dairy herd’s reproductive program is one area that often leads to large profit losses. This [article] takes a look at the economic considerations associated with reproduction.

Call it the high-producer paradox – as dairy cows’ milk production rises, pregnancy rates fall and reproductive difficulties increase. The most profitable, highest producing cows in a dairy herd can become the least profitable because of reproductive problems.