From pregnancy scanning through to accurate calving records, data is key to your herd BW and reproductive performance.
Genetic merit sets the foundation for the profitability of your dairy herd. The info below guides you through five ways to enhance your herd’s Breeding Worth. Each action contributes to building a stronger herd, and the more strategies you combine, the better the results.
The national herd improves every year, and the value of this compounds over time. However, he underlying foundation is herd reproductive performance. Getting more of the right cows in-calf to high genetic merit bulls will enable options to select the best replacements and accelerate genetic gain.
Use high Breeding Worth sires
If you can do only one thing, choose high BW sires. Select the bull team that aligns with your goals for the animals you want to be milking. The higher the BW of the bulls you use, the faster your herd’s genetic gain.
Target replacements from your top BW cows and heifers
Keeping replacements from top BW cows and using artificial insemination over your heifers gives you more options when selecting heifer calves to rear. It also means calves from those top heifers will be in the herd one year sooner – a boost to genetic gain.
Use DNA parentage verification
Around 25% of calves are mismothered at birth or when completing data entry. DNA parentage verification helps avoid accidentally keeping replacements from low-performing cows, preventing a loss in genetic gain.
Measure cow performance
Regular herd testing helps you accurately identify which cows are productive and which cows are costing you. Liveweight is a key component of BW. Consider weighing the herd to gain insights into overall efficiency, and to identify individual cow performance.
This story first appeared in Inside Dairy, the official publication of DairyNZ.
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