A.I. & Breeding

Physical dehorning of dairy cattle is a standard practice to protect both human dairy workers and other animals from injury. However, it is not only costly for producers, but also painful and stressful for the animals. As a result, dehorning is currently facing increased public scrutiny as an animal welfare issue. Despite these factors, 94 percent of U.S. dairy cattle producers report routine dehorning.

I belong to an internet service called ResearchGate. ResearchGate keeps track of the research articles one has published and who is reading them. As an old school extension person, my list of peer-reviewed scientific publications is not massive, but I have been involved in several interesting research projects.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an aggressive reproductive tool, but how can it be practically applied to achieve goals like genetic progress and reproductive efficiency?

Should dairy producers use conventional semen, sexed semen or beef semen when breeding their heifers and cows? The simple answer is: “It depends.”

With a large dose of genetics and breeding strategy articles in this issue of Progressive Dairyman, we turned to our editorial advisory panel to get their insights on those topics.

Dairies are constantly learning how to put the actionable data from animal monitoring systems to work in new and different ways to benefit their herds. Astute producers use this information to elevate animal productivity and management to new heights while improving cow comfort and health at the same time.