Uncover how diseases in dairy cattle cost farmers $65 billion each year. Learn about comorbidities’ impact and how to reduce your losses.
Summary: A silent crisis might be creeping into your dairy farm, shrinking your bottom line without realizing it. Dairy cattle diseases like mastitis, lameness, and ketosis are silently gnawing at global profits, causing a staggering $65 billion annual loss worldwide. Imagine facing these challenges while also dealing with overlapping health issues or comorbidities that further complicate management and financial recovery. This article dives into the multifaceted impact of these diseases on milk yield, fertility, and culling rates, offering insights from industry experts, regional economic analysis, and practical preventive strategies to protect your assets and maximize productivity. The actual cost of cattle diseases is in lost milk and the ripple effects across the farm. Are you ready to turn the tide against these profit thieves?
Dairy cattle diseases are causing a significant $65 billion annual loss globally.
Conditions like mastitis, lameness, and ketosis majorly contribute to these losses.
Comorbidities, or overlapping health issues, exacerbate management challenges.
The diseases negatively impact milk yield, fertility, and culling rates.
This article provides expert insights, practical strategies, and regional economic analysis.
Understanding the full extent of these impacts can help protect farm assets and maximize productivity.
Imagine losing $65 billion each year. That is the enormous yearly loss resulting from dairy cow illnesses throughout the globe. These infections are more than a health issue for dairy producers; they are a financial nightmare. But what if you could prevent a significant portion of these losses? Diseases like mastitis and ketosis, while costly, are largely preventable. Understanding the financial impact of these illnesses is critical for dairy farmers to maintain their livelihood. So, how are these losses estimated, and what can dairy farmers do to prevent them? Stay with us as we break down the data and provide practical insights to help you protect your herd’s health—and your financial line.
Imagine Waking Up to Silent Profit Thieves: Mastitis, Lameness, and Ketosis Hitting Your Wallet Hard
Imagine waking up daily to care for your dairy cattle, only to discover that problems like mastitis, lameness, and ketosis are slowly eroding your income. Dairy farming is not only a profession but a way of life. Nonetheless, these 12 significant disorders – mastitis (subclinical and clinical), lameness, paratuberculosis (Johne’s disease), displaced abomasum, dystocia, metritis, milk fever, ovarian cysts, retained placenta, and ketosis (subclinical and clinical) – are causing havoc worldwide. Explain why they are essential and how they will affect your finances.
Subclinical Ketosis: The Hidden Energy Crisis Subclinical ketosis (SCK) is the most costly illness afflicting dairy cows, resulting in yearly worldwide losses of over $18 billion (B). But why is SCK so expensive? It often goes unnoticed because it lacks apparent signs. This concealed component causes protracted periods of low production and reproductive concerns. However, these losses can be significantly reduced with early detection and intervention. Cows with SCK had a substantially lower milk yield—up to 8.4% less each lactation than healthy cows [Raboisson et al., 2014]. A farm that produces 10,000 gallons of milk each year corresponds to an 840-gallon loss, which can be mitigated with early detection and management.
Clinical Mastitis: The Visible Threat Clinical mastitis (CM) ranks second, resulting in yearly worldwide losses of around $13 billion [Boujenane et al., 2015; Heikkilä et al., 2018; Fukushima et al., 2022]. The illness causes apparent signs such as swelling, fever, and decreased milk quality, forcing producers to take fast action. However, what makes CM so harmful is its complicated influence on cow health. Fertility drops dramatically, extending the calving interval by around 8.42% [Schrick et al., 2001; Klaas et al., 2004]. The culling risk also increases, with afflicted cows being 2.3 times more likely to be killed prematurely [Sharifi et al., 2013; Haine et al., 2017]. Each early culling causes a farmer to spend on a new animal, which increases the economic burden.
Subclinical Mastitis: The Silent Milk Thief Subclinical mastitis (SCM) ranks third, with annual global losses hovering around $9B [Krishnamoorthy et al., 2021]. Unlike its clinical counterpart, SCM silently lingers, diminishing milk quality and yield without drawing immediate attention. Studies reveal that SCM can reduce milk production by up to 6.29% per lactation [Pfützner and Ózsvari, 2017]. Although it does not elevate the culling risk to the extent of CM, it still increases the likelihood by 1.45 times [Beaudeau et al., 1995]. SCM often progresses to clinical mastitis if left untreated, doubling the financial damage over time.
When you look at your herd, these figures strike home. Each cow infected with one of these illnesses incurs more veterinary costs, reduces milk output, and may need early culling. The financial pressure includes not only immediate expenditures but also missed potential. Implementing effective management methods and early illness identification may significantly reduce losses, proving that your efforts are worthwhile. Understanding and tackling these factors might help you regain control of the economic situation.
Comorbidities: The Overlapping Health Battles
When addressing illnesses in dairy cattle, it’s critical to comprehend the idea of comorbidities. This word describes several health concerns present in a single animal. Consider a farmer who not only has a terrible back but also suffers from recurrent headaches and hypertension. Each disease is complex, but they all add to the difficulty of everyday existence. The same goes for dairy cows.
For example, a cow with mastitis may have lameness or ketosis. These circumstances do not add up; they may increase one another’s effects. Mastitis affects the milk supply, but if the cow is lame, it may struggle to reach the milking station, resulting in even less milk. When forced into ketosis, the cow becomes even less productive because it runs on empty, lacking the energy required to operate correctly.
Understanding comorbidities is critical for evaluating economic losses. Suppose you overlook that cows might suffer from various diseases simultaneously. In that case, you can conclude that a cow loses 10% of her yield due to mastitis and another 10% due to lameness, for a total loss of 20%. The losses are typically more severe owing to the added stress and many necessary treatments, which may further drive up prices. This makes precise economic evaluations difficult but vital for comprehending the effect on dairy output and farm finances.
By considering comorbidities, we can construct more accurate and realistic models. This allows farmers to grasp the actual cost of illnesses and make better choices regarding preventative and treatment measures. This comprehensive strategy guarantees that no hidden losses are neglected, eventually helping to preserve the farmer’s bottom line.
Field Stories: How Comorbidities Devastate Dairy Farms Worldwide
Case studies worldwide demonstrate the high toll that comorbidities exact on dairy farms. They generally present as a slew of minor ailments that accumulate into significant economic drains.
Take Jim from Wisconsin as an example. Jim, an industry veteran, recently expressed his frustrations: “It began with lameness in a few cows, something we had previously dealt with. But shortly after, we saw an increase in mastitis. It seemed like we were patching one hole to have another open. The vet fees and lower milk output struck us hard—not something we expected.” Jim’s farm had a 15% decline in milk supply in only two months, which was related to the interconnected nature of the illnesses.
Karen encountered a different but equally difficult situation in New Zealand. “We’ve controlled ketosis in the past, but this time it escalated. We had cows suffering from milk fever simultaneously, which exacerbated their symptoms. When cows suffer from several health conditions, recovery is delayed and more costly. Our expenditures virtually quadrupled, and we had to cut more than I’d like to admit.” Karen’s dilemma demonstrates the need to control and predict these overlapping health problems.
In India, the effects of comorbidities are felt deeply due to the scale of their dairy operations. Rakesh, who manages a 200-head dairy farm, said, “We already struggle with diseases like mastitis and lameness. The cost is enormous When an outbreak and multiple diseases overlap. The productivity dips, and so does the families’ income dependent on these farms. It’s a vicious cycle hard to break without significant support and intervention.” His experience underscores the broader socio-economic impacts beyond just the farm gates.
These real-world examples highlight the importance of comorbidities in dairy farming. These are not isolated occurrences or figures but pervasive difficulties that farmers encounter daily, making proactive management and sound health regulations more critical than ever.
The Global Economic Impact: How Your Region Stacks Up
One intriguing conclusion from the research is that the economic burden of dairy cow illnesses varies significantly by area. For example, overall yearly losses differ substantially, with India, the United States, and China bearing the worst economic impacts. Losses in India total $12 billion, outweighing those in other areas. The US is just a little behind, with an estimated yearly loss of $8 billion. China ranks third, with $5 billion in annual losses.
Various variables, including herd size, management approaches, and local economic situations, drive these variances. Herd size is critical; more enormous herds naturally have more significant aggregate losses when illness strikes. For example, Indian farms often have bigger herd sizes, significantly increasing overall loss estimates. Management techniques have a significant impact. Advanced technology in the United States may mitigate certain losses. Still, significant economic expenses remain due to the large amount of milk produced.
Local economic factors further impact regional variances. The cost of veterinary services, medicine, and other inputs varies greatly, influencing farmers’ financial burden. While labor and treatment expenses may be cheaper in certain nations, reduced productivity might be more evident in higher-income areas with higher milk prices, increasing the economic impact per unit of lost output. This geographical variance highlights the need for personalized therapies and illness management techniques that consider these local differences. This guarantees that each area can successfully offset the unique economic repercussions.
Digging Deeper into Regional Variations: Key Players and Economic Factors
While overall aggregate losses are significant internationally, they vary significantly by area. For example, India, the United States, and China lead the way in absolute losses, with projected yearly estimates of roughly USD 12 billion, USD 8 billion, and USD 5 billion, respectively. Herd size is critical. India has the world’s largest dairy herd, which increases economic losses when illnesses occur. Modern dairy management methods and large herd numbers in the United States imply that health concerns may swiftly escalate into significant financial burdens.
Management strategies vary greatly and have a significant economic effect on dairy cow illnesses. Early illness diagnosis and treatment may help reduce long-term losses in places with innovative herd health management methods, like Europe and North America. However, the economic toll is generally worse in low-income communities, where preventative measures and veterinary care are scarce.
Local economic factors also contribute to inequality. Countries with solid agricultural industries, such as New Zealand and Denmark, may experience huge per capita losses since the dairy industry accounts for a significant portion of their GDP. Larger economies like the United States and China disperse these losses among a broader range of economic activity, resulting in slightly diminished per capita consequences. The heterogeneity highlights the need for specialized measures in controlling dairy cow illnesses across areas.
From Reactive to Proactive: Strategic Management to Combat Dairy Cattle Diseases
Combating dairy cow illnesses requires a proactive strategy to guarantee your herd’s health and production. Strategic management strategies may significantly decrease economic losses. Here’s how you can get started:
Regular Health Checkups: An Ounce of Prevention Regular health checks are essential. Schedule frequent veterinarian checkups to detect and treat problems early. Involve your veterinarian in creating a thorough health plan for your herd. Early diagnosis may save minor concerns from turning into expensive difficulties.
Invest in Preventive Measures: Upgrade Your Defense Preventive healthcare should be a key component of your illness management plan. Vaccinations, sufficient diet, and clean living conditions are crucial. Implement biosecurity measures to prevent illnesses from spreading. Investing in high-quality feed and supplements may strengthen your cows’ immune systems, making them less prone to sickness.
Optimize Milking Practices: Clean and Effective Mastitis is one of the most expensive illnesses; reasonable milking procedures are essential for prevention. Make sure that the milking equipment is cleaned and working properly. Train your crew on optimal milking techniques to reduce the danger of infection.
Monitor and Manage Nutrition: The Right Balance Nutritional abnormalities commonly cause subclinical ketosis. Collaborate with a nutritionist to develop feeds that fulfill the energy requirements of high-producing cows, particularly during transitional seasons. Monitor your cows’ body condition scores regularly and alter feeding practices appropriately.
Foot Health Programs: Walking the Talk Proper hoof care may treat lameness. Trim cow hooves regularly and ensure they tread on clean, dry surfaces. Implement footbaths and monitor foot health to discover and address problems early. Comfortable, well-kept flooring may help reduce hoof injuries and infections.
Data-Driven Decisions: Precision Farming
Use technology to monitor herd health. Make educated choices based on health records, milk production, and activity monitor data. Software technologies may identify patterns and detect future health issues before they worsen.
Employee Training: Knowledge is Power
Ensure that your farmhands are well-taught to spot early indicators of common illnesses and to deal with sick animals. Regular training sessions help your staff stay updated on the newest disease management methods. A competent workforce serves as your first line of protection against illness outbreaks.
These measures may reduce economic losses and improve your herd’s health and production. Proactive management is essential for a sustainable and successful dairy farming enterprise.
Veterinarian Insights: Expert Tips on Disease Prevention
Veterinarians are critical to keeping your herd healthy and your farm profitable. Their knowledge may be very beneficial in controlling and avoiding illnesses like mastitis, lameness, and ketosis. We contacted leading veterinarians to get insight into illness prevention and management. Let’s go into their suggestions.
Early Detection is Key The earlier you detect a condition, the more influential the therapy. Regular monitoring and prompt response may mitigate long-term consequences. For example, if detected early, subclinical mastitis may be treated before it impacts milk output. Routine testing and thorough monitoring of your livestock may prevent more severe problems.
Balanced Nutrition A good diet is the cornerstone of illness prevention. A well-balanced diet for your cows may help avoid diseases like ketosis and milk fever. Providing your cattle with enough minerals, vitamins, and energy will help strengthen their immune systems and make them more resistant to infections and metabolic diseases.
Clean and Comfortable Living Conditions Using clean bedding and keeping barns well-ventilated can avoid many infections. Cramped circumstances and poor sanitation may cause mastitis outbreaks and other illnesses. A clean, pleasant environment decreases stress for your cows, making them less susceptible to sickness.
Regular Vaccinations Vaccination regimens should be regularly followed to ensure the herd’s health. Keep your immunization regimen up to date. Many infections that may impede productivity can be prevented with timely vaccinations. Work with your veterinarian to develop a thorough immunization strategy that addresses all significant hazards to your herd.
Consistent Foot Care Foot care is frequently disregarded, although it is critical in avoiding lameness. Regular hoof trimming and inspections may detect problems before they develop serious lameness concerns. Implementing a foot health program will keep your cows flexible and productive.
Effective Biosecurity Measures Controlling the movement of people, animals, and equipment on and off your farm may help prevent disease transmission. Biosecurity is the first line of protection. Limiting interaction with other animals and ensuring visitors adhere to proper cleanliness practices minimize the danger of new infections entering your herd.
Strategic Use of Antibiotics Antibiotics should be administered cautiously to avoid resistance. Antibiotics should only be used when necessary and with a veterinarian’s supervision. Antibiotic overuse may cause germs to develop resistance, making illnesses more challenging to treat in the long term.
Implementing these expert recommendations dramatically enhances disease prevention and herd health. Please maintain open contact lines with your veterinarian and include them in your ongoing farm management approach. Remember, prevention is always preferable to treatment.
The Bottom Line
In this post, we looked at the substantial economic effect of dairy cow illnesses such as mastitis, lameness, and ketosis, which cause billions of dollars in worldwide losses each year. Subclinical disorders such as subclinical mastitis and ketosis may quietly drain revenues without causing noticeable signs, and the existence of many co-occurring diseases exacerbates these losses. Countries like India, the United States, and China suffer the most significant aggregate losses. At the same time, smaller countries with concentrated dairy sectors also bear the burden per capita. To protect your herd and financial success, prioritize proactive health management methods, including frequent checkups, preventative measures, enhanced milking routines, and foot health programs. Think about these ideas and consider adopting them into your operations to reduce losses and increase productivity.
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Explore the future of dairy farming: Will large dairies replace milk cooperatives as small farms vanish? Discover the impact on the U.S. milk supply and industry trends.
Imagine a day when, instead of being handled via a cooperative, the milk in your refrigerator comes straight from a large dairy farm. This is not far-fetched; it is growing more and more plausible. According to Rabobank, smaller dairy farms are fast disappearing, while around 46% of the U.S. milk supply is generated on the largest 3% of farms with more than 2,500 cows. What, then, does this imply for the distribution and manufacturing of milk? We investigate the dynamics of the dairy sector with an eye on the growth of large operations and the fall in local dairies.
Farm Size Category
Percentage of Farms
Percentage of Milk Production
Over 2,500 cows
3%
46%
Fewer than 500 cows
86%
22%
A Legacy Under Threat: The Enduring Role of Milk Cooperatives in U.S. Dairy
Established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, milk cooperatives have been pivotal in the growth of the American dairy sector. These cooperatives were designed to let individual dairy producers combine resources and sell milk together, guaranteeing fair pricing and consistent profits. They offset the difficulties of changing milk pricing and the monopolistic policies of big distributors and producers, leaving a significant mark on the industry’s history.
Milk cooperatives have always been about empowering farmers through unity. By banding together, cooperatives could negotiate better rates, access processing facilities and transportation, and fund marketing and quality control projects—resources that were often beyond the reach of individual farmers. Over time, their responsibilities expanded to include legislative lobbying, bulk buying, and technical support.
Milk cooperatives support smaller dairy farms by providing market access, allowing fair pricing and financial sustainability. Sharing information encourages better agricultural methods and management, strengthening community and mutual support among small dairy farmers. Despite the challenges, this resiliency has been a beacon of hope for the American dairy sector, ensuring its stability and promising a bright future.
Milk cooperatives guaranteed smaller farms could enter a concentrated market even as the dairy industry developed. Small farmers attained economies of scale and streamlined supply chains by group organizing and leveling the playing field against more large-scale commercial dairy enterprises. The historical contributions made by milk cooperatives are enormous; they provide small dairy farms throughout the country with assistance and infrastructure.
Assessing Today’s Dairy Landscape: The Accelerating Trend Toward Consolidation
Year
Number of Dairy Farms
Average Herd Size
2000
105,250
85
2005
81,740
110
2010
59,130
144
2015
43,520
198
2020
31,657
252
2023
20,000
300
Examining the present state of dairy output in the United States shows that the consolidation trend is fast developing. According to Rabobank, the largest 3% of dairy operations—those having more than 2,500 cows—account for an astonishing 46% of the country’s milk supply. This is much different from smaller dairies, which account for 86% of all farms yet generate just 22% of the milk.
Year
Number of Large Dairy Farms (2,500+ cows)
Percentage of Total Milk Production
2015
567
38%
2018
630
42%
2021
700
44%
2023
725
46%
Historically home to many small, family-owned farms, the Midwest and Eastern U.S. show especially this change. Based on projections, just over 20,000 dairy farms—mostly smaller businesses—should still be active in 2023. Most closures in this regard come from This trend, which draws essential issues about the viability of smaller farms among market pressures and changing industry dynamics as it emphasizes the growing dominance of larger dairy operations.
Consolidation Pressures: Economic Challenges Crushing Small Dairy Farms
Small dairy farms face many different and frequently overwhelming financial constraints, which causes a notable drop in their population. Rising operating costs, including feed, gasoline, labor, and healthcare, mainly burden these smaller dairy farms. Compared to their bigger counterparts, small dairy businesses need economies of scale, which means they need to produce a large volume of milk to spread their costs over more units, enabling affordable bulk buying and simplified efficiency.
Variability in the market increases these difficulties. Driven by global trade dynamics, such as international trade agreements, tariffs, and local supply-demand mismatches, variations in milk prices may destroy business margins. Smaller dairies, running with smaller financial buffers, are more sensitive to these pricing changes and can need help to keep running during recessionary times.
The problem is made worse by competition from bigger farms equipped with sophisticated technology and vast infrastructure. These larger operations gain from economies of scale, improved access to finance, and more robust marketing skills, which allow them to produce milk more effectively and at a reduced cost. Their competitive edge helps them control market share, therefore isolating smaller farms.
The scene of dairy production is progressively gathering around larger-scale activities. From manufacturing to retail, survival now depends on vertically growing and integrating, which means that companies are expanding their operations upstream and downstream in the supply chain. This trend threatens small dairy farmers’ livelihoods and raises questions about the resilience and variety of the American dairy sector overall.
From Mainstay to Marginalized: The Uncertain Future of Milk Cooperatives Amid Small Dairy Decline
Historically, the fall of small dairies, the pillar of fair pricing and market stability for dairy producers, has long loomed over milk cooperatives’ future. These cooperatives’ whole basis is shifting as more large-scale companies define the U.S. dairy scene. The mainstay has been family-owned farms cooperating to negotiate the erratic dairy market.
However, falling milk prices and growing expenses have caused a decline in these small-scale dairies, pushing cooperatives to change their approaches. How can cooperatives remain strong with fewer small dairies to maintain relevance and sustainability?
Looking Ahead: The Increasing Tilt Toward Consolidation in the U.S. Dairy Industry
Looking forward, the path of the U.S. dairy sector veers primarily toward consolidation. Large dairies are taking control, drastically altering milk’s consumer access. Milk cooperatives have historically assisted smaller farmers by combining resources and obtaining better prices, yet this consolidation presents a severe risk. Larger dairies are starting to form direct partnerships with stores and avoid cooperatives.
This change has advantages and drawbacks. Big dairies might cut consumer prices, simplify processes, and minimize expenses. This reflects patterns in other agricultural fields, where fewer middlemen translate into better profitability and efficiency. Direct retail alliances could also inspire creativity in marketing plans and product offers.
However, the fall of milk cooperatives might deepen the disparity between small and big producers, hastening the departure of smaller farms. This might damage rural economies, especially in places where small farms are essential. Less unique regional items mean less consumer choice as well.
Even with these estimates, unanticipated events can veer the sector’s path. Growing consumer demand for locally grown, ecologically made milk might help niche markets and provide smaller cooperatives and dairy farms a lifeline. Policies supporting fair market practices and agricultural variety also surface, encouraging a more balanced sector. These potential policy changes offer a ray of hope for the future of the dairy sector.
The Bottom Line
The future of milk cooperatives with the emergence of large-scale dairies remains to be discovered as the U.S. dairy sector consolidates. Whereas the smaller farms, which account for 86% of all farms, only provide 22% of the milk, the largest 3% of farms now generate 46% of the milk supply for the country. These figures show a significant change in the dairy scene, with local dairies disappearing mainly in the Midwest and Eastern U.S. We have to wonder whether milk cooperatives, the cornerstone of collective bargaining and support, can endure or will disappear as market pressures drive out smaller farmers. Will Big Dairy skip cooperatives and sell milk straight to stores, altering the distribution dynamics? Our decisions today will shape our agricultural scene in the future. A future that strikes efficiency and equality using creative ideas and stakeholder cooperation depends on big and small dairy enterprises’ health. This is about the future of our farms, towns, and food systems as much as milk.
Key Takeaways:
Approximately 46% of the U.S. milk supply is produced by the largest 3% of operations, each housing more than 2,500 cows.
Dairy farms with fewer than 500 cows make up 86% of the total number of farms but only contribute 22% of the milk supply.
There are just over 20,000 dairy farms in operation as of 2023, with most closures occurring among smaller operations in the Midwest and Eastern U.S.
The consolidation trend poses significant challenges to the traditional role of milk cooperatives, potentially paving the way for large dairies to sell directly to retailers.
Summary:
Milk cooperatives have played a crucial role in the growth of the American dairy sector, enabling producers to combine resources and sell milk together, ensuring fair pricing and consistent profits. They empower farmers through unity, negotiation of better rates, access to processing facilities and transportation, and funding marketing and quality control projects. Milk cooperatives also support smaller dairy farms by providing market access, fair pricing, financial sustainability, and sharing information to encourage better agricultural methods and management. However, the consolidation trend is rapidly developing in the US, with the largest 3% of dairy operations accounting for 46% of the country’s milk supply. Smaller dairy farms face financial constraints, including rising operating costs and market variability. Larger farms with sophisticated technology and vast infrastructure further complicate these challenges, gaining economies of scale, improved access to finance, and more robust marketing skills. The future of milk cooperatives with the emergence of large-scale dairies remains to be discovered.
Discover the new mutation linked to calf muscle weakness in Holsteins. How does this affect calf mortality and what are the implications for dairy farming?
When it comes to dairy farming, calf health is key to the success and sustainability of your herd. A growing concern in Holsteins, a major dairy breed, is calf muscle weakness. This condition leads to high calf mortality, posing a serious challenge for breeders and farmers.
Researchers have identified a recessive haplotype at the end of chromosome 16 (78.7–80.7 Mbp) linked to this problem. Tracing the haplotype’s history back to 1952, with a key ancestor named Southwind born in 1984, has been crucial in understanding its spread.
This article delves into a study on a new mutation within a common haplotype causing calf muscle weakness in Holsteins. It provides important insights into genetic tracking methods and implications for the dairy industry.
Unveiling Gene Mysteries Within Holsteins: The Journey from Elevated Calf Mortality to Advanced Genetic Insights
Research has unearthed vital insights into a recessive haplotype linked to elevated calf mortality in Holsteins. This haplotype, which shows incomplete penetrance, means not all calves with the genotype display the syndrome, making detection tricky for breeders and geneticists. Tracing back to 1952, the notable ancestor Southwind (HOUSA1964484), born in 1984, was identified as crucial, being homozygous for the suspect haplotype.
Scanning sequence data from Southwind and the sire of an affected calf revealed a missense mutation at 79,613,592 bp, likely having a harmful impact. The affected calf was homozygous, while the sire and Southwind were heterozygous. This comprehensive analysis covered 5.6 million Holsteins, showing the haplotype is widespread, complicating management and eradication efforts.
Breeders face significant challenges with this haplotype’s link to higher calf mortality and incomplete penetrance, necessitating advanced tracking and management methods. Continuous advancements in genetic analysis and breeding strategies are essential to improve calf viability and overall herd health.
The Hidden Genetic Legacy in Holstein Herds: Tracing Calf Muscle Weakness to an Ancestral Haplotype
The genotype analysis of 5.6 million Holstein cattle has revealed crucial genetic insights, linking a specific haplotype to calf muscle weakness. The study focused on DNA variations on chromosome 16, identifying a recessive haplotype associated with increased calf mortality rates. Tracing lineage data back to 1952, researchers identified a bull named Southwind, born in 1984, as homozygous for this haplotype.
The prevalence of this haplotype underscored the value of genetic monitoring in detecting long-standing patterns within the bovine genome. By combining genotypic data with phenotypic records, the study established the haplotype’s link to muscle weakness, marking a key step in genomic selection strategies aimed at addressing this issue. This breakthrough emphasized the necessity of genetic vigilance to foresee and curtail harmful traits in cattle herds.
Decoding the Genetic Blueprint: Sequencing Efforts Reveal Key Mutations in Holstein Muscle Weakness
The scanning process focused on aligning sequence data from Southwind, the affected calf, and the sire. High-throughput sequencing technologies were employed to pinpoint mutations, emphasizing regions previously linked to the phenotype. The search targeted single nucleotide variants (SNVs) that could affect protein function.
This analysis revealed a crucial missense mutation at position 79,613,592 bp. This mutation modifies the resulting protein’s amino acid sequence, likely impairing its function. It was homozygous in the affected calf, indicating its probable role in muscle weakness. Conversely, Southwind and the sire were heterozygous, pointing to a recessive inheritance pattern. The concordance in these findings strengthens the link between this missense mutation and the observed calf muscle weakness, suggesting the need for further functional studies.
Harnessing Genetic Concordance: Insights from the Cooperative Dairy DNA Repository
The concordance study, leveraging the Cooperative Dairy DNA Repository, pinpointed the genetic roots of calf muscle weakness in Holsteins. The investigation revealed a 97% concordance between the sequence data and the haplotype and achieved an 89% call rate. These findings underscore the reliability of the genetic markers and highlight the potential for enhanced genetic tracking and selective breeding to combat such inherited conditions.
The Evolutionary Conservation of CACNA1S: Insights into Muscle Function and Disease Across Species
The exon amino acid sequence in the CACNA1S gene is highly conserved across species, underscoring its critical role in muscle function. This gene, coding for a voltage-dependent calcium channel, shows remarkable similarity in sequence across different species, reflecting its importance.
In humans, CACNA1S mutations lead to conditions like hypokalemic periodic paralysis and malignant hyperthermia, characterized by sudden muscle weakness or rigidity. In mice, similar mutations cause myotonia and muscle dysfunctions. These parallels illustrate the gene’s vital role in muscle excitability and its evolutionary conservation.
The conservation of CACNA1S has significant implications. It allows findings from one species to inform our understanding in others, aiding in the study of genetic diseases. In dairy science, identifying such mutations supports better breeding strategies and health management in cattle populations. Furthermore, these insights can guide the development of targeted therapies across species, benefiting both agriculture and medicine.
The Evolution of Pedigree Tracking in Dairy Cattle: Precision in Identifying Mutations Within Existing Haplotype Frameworks
The landscape of pedigree tracking in dairy cattle has advanced with modern methodologies enhancing the precision in identifying new mutations within existing haplotypes. In this study, focus was given to the muscle weakness haplotype (HMW) and Holstein cholesterol deficiency (HCD), utilizing innovative techniques to gain actionable insights.
Researchers effectively used high-resolution genetic mapping and comprehensive pedigree analyses to trace the HMW mutation. This dual approach successfully tracked the HMW haplotype through contemporary genotyping and historical records, confirming Southwind as a key ancestor. These refined methods achieved a 97% concordance rate and an 89% call rate, validating their effectiveness.
Regarding Holstein cholesterol deficiency, the integration of direct gene tests with precise pedigree tracking improved gene test accuracy. This harmonized approach significantly enhanced concordance rates, leading to more effective management strategies for breeders, and reducing HCD incidences through informed mating decisions.
Reviewing heifer livability records substantiated the findings. For HMW, 46 heifers, all homozygous and traceable to Southwind, showed a 52% mortality rate before 18 months, compared to a mere 2.4% for noncarriers. These results highlight the importance of advanced tracking techniques in breeding programs to minimize the impact of such mutations.
From identifying elevated calf mortality to pinpointing genetic causes, this journey underscores the power of modern pedigree tracking. These methodologies have not only revealed key genetic insights but also paved the way for enhanced herd management and health outcomes for Holsteins. The future of dairy cattle breeding stands to be revolutionized by these advancements, fostering a more precise and informed approach to genetic selection.
Quantifying the Genetic Toll: Heifer Livability Analysis in HMW Homozygous Calves
Analyzing heifer livability records for 558,000 calves revealed vital insights into genetic effects on viability. For the HMW haplotype, 46 homozygous heifers, all tracing back to the ancestor Southwind, were studied. A significant 52% died before 18 months, with an average age of 1.7 ± 1.6 months. In stark contrast, the mortality rate among non-carriers was just 2.4%. This death rate for homozygous heifers might be underestimated due to possible healthier calves being genotyped.
Incorporating Holstein Muscle Weakness (HMW) into Selection and Mating Strategies: Rethinking Reporting Methods and Dominance Effects
Integrating Holstein Muscle Weakness (HMW) into selection and mating strategies requires rethinking current reporting methods and considering dominance effects. The incomplete penetrance of HMW may cause traditional methodologies to miss or underestimate its prevalence and impact. More accurate reporting is essential to reflect the genetic status concerning HMW.
Dominance effects further complicate HMW inheritance. Unlike simple recessive traits, HMW’s variable penetrance creates a range of phenotypic expressions that must be considered in breeding decisions. Comprehensive genetic testing, including both genotypic and phenotypic data, will enable informed decisions and help manage partial lethality traits within the herd.
Direct genetic tests for HMW mutations should be standard in selection protocols, especially for lines tracing back to carriers like Southwind. This approach helps maintain the herd’s genetic fitness without inadvertently continuing the risk of HMW-related calf mortality. By refining these methods, the dairy industry can better balance productivity with animal welfare, fostering a healthier Holstein population.
The Bottom Line
The discovery of a common haplotype linked to calf muscle weakness in Holsteins highlights the importance of genetic research in animal husbandry. Identifying a missense mutation at 79,613,592 bp in the CACNA1S gene, researchers have deepened our understanding of this condition. The analysis, showing a 97% concordance rate, underscores the mutation’s significance. Improved pedigree tracking methods have clarified the relationship between haplotypes and calf mortality, revealing a significant survival rate difference between homozygous calves with the mutation and noncarriers. Direct tests for new mutations within common haplotypes are crucial. These tests provide a precise framework for managing genetic defects, facilitating informed selection and mating strategies, and strengthening Holstein genetic resilience.
Key Takeaways:
A novel missense mutation at 79,613,592 bp within a common haplotype on chromosome 16 is associated with calf muscle weakness in Holsteins.
The identified haplotype is linked to elevated calf mortality and traces back to an ancestor born in 1984, indicating a long-standing genetic issue within the breed.
The mutation was found to be homozygous in affected calves, while the sires and the key ancestor Southwind were heterozygous carriers.
Genetic data from the Cooperative Dairy DNA Repository demonstrated a 97% concordance with the identified haplotype, reinforcing the reliability of genetic markers.
The CACNA1S gene, associated with muscle function, is highly conserved across species, hinting at parallel phenotypes in humans and mice.
Advanced genetic tracking and pedigree analysis methods are crucial for identifying new mutations within existing haplotypes, especially in high-frequency cases.
Heifer livability records showed a significant mortality rate among homozygous calves, underlining the condition’s impact on herd productivity and management.
Revised selection and mating strategies are necessary to address HMW, including potential direct testing and consideration of partially lethal genetic effects.
Summary:
Calf muscle weakness, a growing concern in Holsteins, is a significant issue in dairy farming. A recessive haplotype at the end of chromosome 16, traced back to 1952, has been identified in 5.6 million Holsteins, complicating management and eradication efforts. This haplotype’s link to higher calf mortality and incomplete penetrance necessitates advanced tracking and management methods. The genotype analysis of 5.6 million Holstein cattle revealed crucial genetic insights, linking a specific haplotype to calf muscle weakness. The concordance study, leveraging the Cooperative Dairy DNA Repository, found a 97% concordance between sequence data and the haplotype and an 89% call rate, highlighting the reliability of genetic markers and the potential for enhanced genetic tracking and selective breeding to combat inherited conditions. The CACNA1S gene, a key component in muscle function, is highly conserved across different species and is important in various diseases. Modern methodologies have enhanced the precision in identifying new mutations within existing haplotype frameworks.
Boost dairy herd longevity for sustainable, profitable farming. Learn how to convert heifers into productive cows, meet consumer demands, and reduce environmental impact.
In the pursuit of a more economical and sustainable dairy industry, the strategy of extending the productive life of dairy cows is not just crucial, but also inspiring. This approach not only boosts milk production and reduces the need for frequent replacements, leading to cost savings and improved farm efficiency, but also meets consumer demands for transparency and animal care, instilling a sense of pride in our work.
Despite challenges like high replacement costs and disease outbreaks, significant opportunities exist to enhance herd longevity and productivity. The key to modern dairy farming is converting young heifers into mature, productive cows, essential for a sustainable and profitable future.
This article outlines steps that you, as dairy farmers and agricultural professionals, can take to ensure young heifers mature into productive cows. By implementing these strategies, you are not only improving your dairy operations’ economic health and environmental impact, but also playing a vital role in the future of sustainable dairy farming.
Early Life Management: The Keystone of Dairy Herd Productivity
From birth, a calf’s future productivity takes shape. This early period is crucial for developing “platinum heifers,” which can grow into high-yielding “golden girls,” essential for a sustainable dairy operation.
Colostrum management is vital in the first hours of life. High-quality colostrum provides essential antibodies and nutrients, boosting the calf’s immune system. It must be administered promptly and in adequate amounts to be effective.
Early-life disease mitigation is also critical. Respiratory and digestive issues can hinder growth and future productivity. Vaccination programs, vigilant monitoring, and rapid interventions are crucial.
Starter dry matter intake is equally important. Early nutritional support aids in both frame and weight gain, influencing the heifer’s future size and milk production.
Meticulous growth tracking is necessary. Using weight tapes and digital scales ensures heifers reach 55-58% of mature body weight at breeding age. This allows timely adjustments to feed and management practices, supporting optimal outcomes.
This blend of colostrum management, disease mitigation, nutrition, and growth tracking forms a solid foundation for a productive dairy herd. By following these steps, you can be confident that you are enabling heifers to become long-living, high-yielding members, ensuring the sustainability and profitability of your dairy operation.
Nutrition, Genetics, and Management: Pillars of Heifer Development
While genetics set the foundation for a heifer’s potential, daily management and nutrition shape her future productivity. Nutritional management is crucial for herd productivity. Heifers need a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients from birth to maturity to ensure optimum growth and future milk production.
Proper nutrition begins with effective colostrum management, providing calves with antibodies for solid immunity. Following this, milk replacers and calf starters with high-quality proteins support early growth. Consistent access to forage and high-quality concentrates ensures steady development as heifers transition to weaning.
Monitoring heifer growth meticulously avoids underfeeding or overconditioning, which can harm long-term productivity. Achieving the ideal weight and frame size at breeding age is crucial. Lighter heifers may have lower conception rates, while over-conditioned ones could face calving difficulties and fertility issues.
Genetic selection is vital for developing long-living heifers. Advances in genetic evaluation help identify longevity traits like udder health and fertility. Using sexed semen further improves genetic potential and traits like health and production efficiency.
Prioritizing animal welfare—such as comfortable housing, adequate space, and proper ventilation—impacts the lifespan and productivity of dairy cows. Regular health monitoring and preventive care, including vaccinations and parasite control, maintain herd health and reduce early culling.
Combining these pillars—nutrition, genetics, and management—supports the conversion of platinum heifers into golden girls. By focusing on these aspects, dairy farmers can enhance their herds’ productive lives and meet economic and sustainability goals.
Transitioning Heifers: Paving the Way for Productive Lactation
Smooth transitioning heifers from the growth phase to the lactating herd is critical for a productive and sustainable dairy operation. The key to success lies in meticulous management that ensures heifers are in optimal condition and healthy at calving.
The transition period, encompassing the weeks before and after calving, demands close monitoring and dietary adjustments. A well-balanced transition diet is essential for helping the rumen adapt to nutrient-dense lactation feed while preventing digestive disorders. Proper feed intake during this period is crucial; any reduction can lead to weight loss, decreased milk production, and a higher risk of postpartum diseases like ketosis.
Environmental and physiological stressors must also be managed. Implementing heat abatement measures, especially in warmer climates or seasons, can alleviate heat stress and thus support better feed intake and milk yield. Ensuring ample access to clean water, providing shade, and installing cooling systems help maintain optimal body temperature and performance during this critical phase.
Reproductive management is equally important. Advances in reproductive technologies have made it more reliable for heifers to calve at the ideal age and body condition. However, over-reliance on these technologies can lead to an abundance of heifers, which pressures culling rates and shortens the productive life of older cows.
Effective management during the transition phase reduces morbidity and mortality rates, setting the stage for heifers to mature into high-producing, long-living cows. By investing in meticulous transition management, dairies can enhance both economic and environmental sustainability, aligning with the goals of increased productivity and meeting consumer expectations for animal welfare.
Optimizing Nutrition and Health for Lactating Cows: A Comprehensive Approach to Sustained Productivity
Nutritional management is crucial for sustaining the productivity of lactating cows. Effective feeding systems must deliver essential nutrients tailored to each cow’s growth and lactation stage. High-yielding cows need rations that balance energy and protein levels while ensuring rumen health. Component feeding, which meets individual cows’ production and metabolic needs, is essential.
Quality of feed matters as much as quantity. Nutrient-dense forages, high-quality concentrates, and appropriate supplements support lactation, reproduction, and body condition, preventing metabolic diseases and boosting productivity and fertility.
Managing dietary needs during the transition period—weeks before and after calving—is critical. Transition diets should enhance dry matter intake pre-calving and provide high-energy diets post-calving, avoiding metabolic disorders like ketosis or milk fever.
Maximizing economic efficiency involves keeping healthy, productive cows through at least their third lactation to increase profitability and reduce replacement costs. Nutritional strategies should aim to extend cows’ productive lives, ensuring better milk yields and a sustainable dairy operation.
In conclusion, optimizing nutrition for lactating cows requires a holistic approach. This means [specific aspects or components of the holistic approach, such as monitoring and adjusting diets, ensuring high-quality feed, and focusing on transition management], which safeguard productivity and longevity in dairy herds. Such practices enhance farm viability and align with sustainability and ethical objectives valued by consumers.
Extending Dairy Cow Longevity: A Synergy of Economic Gains and Environmental Stewardship
Metric
Young Herds
Mature Herds
Culling Rate (%)
45
25
Milk Yield per Cow (liters/year)
7,000
9,500
Methane Emission per Cow (kg/year)
120
100
Phosphorus Excretion per Cow (kg/year)
60
45
Replacement Heifer Requirement (%)
35
20
Average Age of Herd (years)
3
5
Strategic management practices can simultaneously achieve economic benefits and environmental responsibility. When dairy producers focus on extending the productive life of their cows, they enhance profitability and contribute to environmental sustainability. This is done by reducing the frequency of replacement heifers, thereby lowering the resources needed for raising young stock.
Incorporating longevity into breeding goals is critical. Milk production is crucial, but traits like udder health, reproduction, and overall robustness are equally important. Genetic selection favoring these attributes leads to a resilient herd with longer productive lives, reducing health or reproductive issues that lead to culling.
Extending the productive lifespan also aligns with consumer expectations for ethical animal treatment. Producers commit to animal welfare by reducing frequent culling, enhancing public perception, and building consumer trust. Cows that stay in the herd longer have fewer health issues and benefit from established immunity and stable social dynamics.
Environmental impacts are reduced when fewer replacement heifers are needed. Raising heifers significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and resource use. Producers can decrease replacement animals by optimizing the herd’s productive life, leading to fewer methane emissions and lower land and water use.
Achieving longer productive lifespans involves more than genetics and breeding. Management practices, including nutrition, housing, and health monitoring, are crucial. Balanced diets, adequate space, and prompt medical attention maintain cow health and productivity. Advanced monitoring technologies help in early issue detection, allowing for timely interventions.
Integrating genetic selection, superior management practices, and a commitment to animal welfare enables dairy producers to achieve a productive and sustainable model. This holistic approach benefits farmers, consumers, and the planet, ensuring the long-term viability of dairy operations in an ever-evolving agricultural landscape.
The Bottom Line
Extending the productive life of dairy cows is vital for boosting milk production, cutting costs, and improving farm sustainability. Dairy farmers should adopt strategies to enhance cow longevity, such as proper nutrition, health management, and genetic selection. By prioritizing herd longevity and strengthening the dairy industry’s resilience, farmers can achieve better sustainability and profitability.
Key Takeaways:
Productive life is crucial: Improving the productive lifespan of cows leads to higher milk production, better feed efficiency, and greater profitability.
Public perception: High culling rates in young herds can be difficult to justify to consumers concerned with animal welfare.
Healthy mature cows: Retaining older, healthy cows (the “golden girls”) is essential for reducing cull rates and improving longevity.
Environmental benefits: Older cows emit less methane and excrete less phosphorus, contributing to a more sustainable dairy operation.
Early life management: Effective colostrum management, disease mitigation, and growth monitoring from birth are critical to developing high-yielding, long-living cows (the “platinum heifers”).
Importance of monitoring: Weighing and tracking heifers ensure that they reach the desired body weight for breeding, setting them up for long-term productivity.
Sustained productivity: A comprehensive approach involving nutrition, genetics, and management is key to maintaining the health and productivity of both heifers and lactating cows.
Summary: The dairy industry is working to extend the productive life of its cows for a sustainable and profitable future. This involves early life management, disease mitigation, and early dry matter intake to develop high-yielding “golden girls.” Meticulous growth tracking is necessary to ensure heifers reach 55-58% of mature body weight at breeding age. Nutrition, genetics, and management are the pillars of heifer development, with a balanced diet from birth to maturity. Consistent access to forage and high-quality concentrates ensures steady development as heifers transition to weaning. Genetic selection is vital for developing long-living heifers, and prioritizing animal welfare, such as comfortable housing and proper ventilation, impacts the lifespan and productivity of dairy cows. Transitioning heifers from growth to lactation is critical for a productive and sustainable dairy operation.
Unlock powerful treatments for dairy cattle ringworms and master strategies to save your show season. Ready to eliminate ringworm and enhance your chances of winning the ribbon?
Imagine this: months of meticulous preparation for the show season, with early mornings, late nights, and countless hours grooming your prized cattle. Just as the season starts, you notice dreadful hairless, scaly skin patches. It’s ringworm, a fungal infection that can spread like wildfire through your herd and wreak havoc on your plans.
Ringworm is no minor inconvenience; it’s a show season saboteur. One infected cow can quickly lead to widespread issues. Not only does it mark your cattle’s appearance, but it poses significant health risks and can lead to competition disqualification. The stress of combating this fungus can overshadow even the best-planned show season, turning potential triumph into tragedy.
Recognizing the Symptoms Early On
Stage
Duration
Description
Incubation Period
1 Week
Initial phase post-infection where ringworm spores begin to grow and infection develops before symptoms manifest.
Early Symptoms
1-2 Weeks
Appearance of initial lesions, characterized by hair loss in circular patterns and small raised areas.
Advanced Symptoms
2-4 Weeks
Formation of gray-white crusts, pronounced redness, and circular lesions growing up to ten centimeters in diameter.
Early detection is crucial in managing dairy cattle ringworm. At first, symptoms might seem like minor skin issues. Still, observant caretakers will notice classic signs: hair loss in circular patterns, gray-white crusts, and raised red lesions. Typically, these measure between one to ten centimeters in diameter, signaling a fungal infection.
With an incubation period of around a week, recognizing these signs promptly enables timely intervention. Younger animals, especially calves, are more vulnerable due to their developing immune systems. Environmental factors, such as damp and unsanitary conditions, exacerbate the spread, while poor nutrition and concurrent diseases increase susceptibility.
Effective identification involves noting these symptoms and assessing the animal’s health and living conditions. Regular screenings and handling animals with gloves can prevent zoonotic transmission. Improving environmental and dietary conditions can bolster the herd’s resilience against dermatophytosis.
Early recognition of ringworm requires keen observation, knowledge of lesions, and awareness of vulnerability factors. Proactive measures enhance animal welfare and reduce economic losses from widespread infections.
Shielding Show Cattle from Ringworm
Preventing ringworm in show cattle hinges on rigorous biosecurity measures, strict hygiene, and maintaining clean, dry facilities. These strategies can dramatically reduce the risk of this skin ailment.
Biosecurity measures are essential. Isolate new or returning cattle to monitor for symptoms before mixing them with the show herd. Regularly disinfect equipment, fences, gates, and vehicles to prevent fungal spread.
Proper hygiene practices are crucial. Regular grooming and inspection help identify early signs of ringworm. Brush and scrape away crusts from lesions to promote healing and minimize spore shedding. Use Enilconazole or other topical medications consistently for effective treatment.
Clean and dry facilities are vital. To deter fungal growth, ensure housing is well-ventilated and sunlit. Reduce animal density and provide dry bedding materials. Regular cleaning and disinfection prevent fungal establishment.
By embracing these measures, show cattle can remain healthy and ready for the competitive arena, avoiding the pitfalls of ringworm.
Conventional Treatments: When and How to Use Them
Ringworm in dairy cattle is more than a cosmetic nuisance—it’s a persistent problem that can impact animal health and farm productivity. Knowing the array of potential treatments and understanding their effectiveness can be crucial in maintaining a healthy herd. Here’s a breakdown of some commonly used treatments and their efficacy:
Treatment
Effectiveness
Topical Antifungals (e.g., Miconazole)
Highly effective when applied consistently over several weeks. Results can often be seen within a few days but require continued application to fully resolve the infection.
Oral Antifungal Medications
Effective for severe or widespread infections. Typically prescribed by a veterinarian and used for two to four weeks, with results varying based on the specific antifungal used and the extent of the infection.
Lime Sulfur Dips
Moderately effective, often used in conjunction with other treatments. Provides a fungicidal effect but can be harsh on the skin and requires multiple applications.
Tea Tree Oil
Natural remedy with antifungal properties. Effectiveness is variable and often best used as a complementary treatment rather than a primary one.
Improved Nutrition and Supplements
Indirectly effective by boosting the animal’s immune system. Not a direct cure but can help in quicker recovery and prevention of future outbreaks.
Effective treatment of ringworm in dairy cattle requires a multifaceted approach, combining topical treatments with environmental management. One widely recognized treatment involves applying topical medications like Enilconazole directly to the lesions caused by Trichophyton verrucosum. Removing crusts by scraping or brushing can enhance these treatments, aiding medication penetration and speeding up recovery.
For show cattle, the stakes are higher—unsightly lesions can impact their health and performance. Regular application of fungicidal sprays or ointments, ideally twice a week, is crucial. Beyond medication, maintaining high hygiene standards is essential. Stalls, grooming tools, and equipment should be regularly cleaned and disinfected to prevent the recurrence and spread of ringworm. Show cattle should be kept in well-ventilated areas with ample sunlight, as UV light has natural fungicidal properties.
Caring for cattle during show season involves meticulous management. Avoid overcrowding; provide spacious, clean, and dry living conditions. Always treat infected animals last, changing gloves and clothing to minimize cross-contamination. Promoting overall health through balanced nutrition and reducing stress strengthens the immune system, lowering susceptibility to fungal infections.
Preventing the spread of ringworm within a herd requires a proactive strategy. Isolate infected individuals promptly to limit direct contact with healthy animals. Thoroughly disinfect the environment, including equipment and housing facilities, to eliminate fungal spores. Consider vaccination where applicable, and consistently monitor the herd for early signs of infection. Educating farm personnel about hygiene and specific protocols for handling ringworm can further safeguard the herd’s health.
Exploring Natural Remedies for Ringworm
Natural remedies for ringworm are gaining popularity due to their minimal side effects and the increasing resistance to conventional treatments. One effective remedy is sunlight. Ringworm-causing fungi thrive in moist, shaded environments, so exposing cattle to direct sunlight can significantly speed up healing. UV rays from the sun harm these fungi, thereby aiding recovery.
Another powerful natural treatment is garlic. Garlic contains allicin, a compound with potent antifungal properties. Farmers can make a paste by crushing garlic cloves and mixing them with a carrier oil, then applying this paste to the lesions several times a day. This method provides a cost-effective, natural alternative to synthetic treatments.
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is also highly effective due to its antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Dilute ACV with an equal part of water and apply it to the infected areas twice daily using a clean cloth or sponge until the infection clears.
Essential oils like tea tree oil and coconut oil are also promising. Tea tree oil is known for its strong antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Diluting a few drops in carrier oil and applying them to the lesions can relieve and expedite healing. Similarly, coconut oil contains lauric acid, which has antifungal effects and can be massaged onto the affected areas.
While natural remedies show potential, it’s essential to use them knowledgeably. Consulting with a veterinarian before starting these treatments ensures the safety of the cattle. It allows for a holistic approach combining natural and conventional methods for optimal recovery.
Diet and Nutrition: Boosting Immunity from Within
Addressing ringworm in dairy cattle starts with enhancing immunity through diet and nutrition. Proper feeding isn’t just about quantity; it’s about the right mix of essential nutrients—vitamins, minerals, and proteins—that bolster health and disease resistance.
Trace minerals like zinc, copper, and selenium are crucial. Zinc maintains skin integrity, copper supports white blood cell production, and selenium and vitamin E protect cell membranes from damage, all vital for immunity.
Age, nutrition, and concurrent diseases also affect susceptibility to ringworm. Young animals with developing immune systems and older cattle with nutritional deficiencies need targeted dietary support. Providing high-quality feed and clean water, with regular health and nutritional assessments, is essential.
Reducing environmental stressors like poor hygiene, overcrowding, and inadequate ventilation complements dietary efforts, minimizing infection risks.
By bolstering immunity from within, dairy farmers can decrease reliance on external treatments, promoting a healthier, more resilient herd. This holistic approach emphasizes nutrition as a critical factor in disease prevention.
Creating a Ringworm-Free Environment
Creating a meticulously clean environment is crucial in preventing the spread of ringworm. Thorough and regular cleaning of barns, stalls, and equipment is essential. Use disinfectants that target fungal spores, such as those containing chlorine or hydrogen peroxide. Please pay special attention to grooming tools, bedding, and feeding troughs, ensuring they are disinfected frequently.
Reducing animal density also plays a significant role in prevention. Overcrowded conditions facilitate fungal disease spread. Ensure well-ventilated and sunlight-exposed areas, as ultraviolet rays deter fungal spores. Eliminating standing water is another crucial aspect of maintaining dry lots.
Biosecurity measures are equally important. Quarantine new cattle to monitor for infection before integration. Vigilance combined with a clean, well-managed environment underpins a successful ringworm prevention strategy.
Grooming Tips to Prevent Ringworm
Grooming isn’t just a cosmetic task; it’s crucial for preventing ringworm in dairy cattle. Regular grooming helps detect skin issues early, allowing quick intervention. A daily routine removes dirt, debris, and fungal spores from the coat. Soft-bristled brushes are ideal for avoiding irritating skin, mainly if minor abrasions exist.
It’s vital to sterilize grooming tools after each use. Ringworm spores cling to brushes and combs, spreading the infection. Use diluted bleach or commercial disinfectants, ensuring tools are dry before reuse. This simple step can significantly reduce contagion.
Incorporate antifungal shampoos like Terminator periodically for both prevention and treatment. Routine washing shouldn’t be too frequent to avoid skin dryness. Still, periodic antifungal baths are effective, particularly after ringworm incidents or during high-risk times.
Ensure cattle have adequate sunlight and ventilation. Ringworm thrives in damp, dark conditions, so keeping living areas dry and well-ventilated is crucial. A clean environment combined with diligent grooming forms a strong defense against ringworm.
When to Call the Vet: Professional Help for Stubborn Cases
Although diligent care and topical treatments can manage many ringworm cases, there are times when professional help is essential. Persistent, widespread, or severe infections that resist over-the-counter treatments require a vet’s attention. Signs like increased swelling, discharge, or unusual hair loss extending beyond typical ringworm lesions shouldn’t be ignored.
Veterinarians can offer precise diagnoses using fungal cultures or microscopic exams. They can prescribe stronger systemic antifungal medications tailored to your cattle’s needs. These treatments, crucial for deep infections, must be administered by a vet due to their potency.
Moreover, vets provide holistic herd management advice, including nutrition and environmental adjustments to boost immunity. This preventive approach is vital, particularly in winter when crowded conditions make infections more likely.
Young animals are especially vulnerable to dermatophytosis. Timely veterinary intervention prevents complicated health issues and ensures ringworm doesn’t hinder their growth and health.
While home treatments are crucial, knowing when to seek veterinary help can save time, reduce suffering, and protect your show prospects’ season on the tanbark trail.
Myth-Busting: Common Misconceptions About Ringworm
Many myths and misconceptions surround ringworms, leading to unnecessary panic or ineffective treatments. One prevalent myth is that an actual worm causes ringworm. Contrary to this, it’s a fungal infection caused by Trichophyton verrucosum. It thrives in moist, warm environments and spreads through contact with infected animals or surfaces.
Another misconception is that ringworms only affect calves and young cattle. While more common in these groups due to their developing immune systems, adult cattle are not immune. Stress, poor nutrition, or a compromised immune system can make them susceptible, underscoring the importance of overall herd health.
Aside from waiting for the infection to resolve itself, there’s also a belief that little can be done once an animal is infected. While self-limiting and typically lasting from one to four months, prompt treatment can alleviate discomfort and reduce spread. Conventional antifungal treatments or natural remedies can shorten the duration of infection and prevent outbreaks.
The zoonotic nature of ringworms is another misunderstood point. Handlers might underestimate the risk of cross-species transmission, not realizing humans can contract ringworm from cattle. Proper hygiene and personal protective equipment are essential to prevent this. Regular cleaning and disinfecting of barns, grooming tools, and equipment is crucial.
Finally, the importance of environmental control is often underestimated. Poor ventilation, damp conditions, and overcrowded conditions breed fungus. Effective management practices, including proper ventilation, regular cleaning, and ensuring dryness, play a substantial role in controlling and preventing ringworm. Addressing these factors is as critical as treating the infected animal.
The Bottom Line
Addressing ringworm in show cattle is critical for maintaining herd health and performance. Unchecked, this fungal infection spreads quickly, diminishing its show appeal and potentially causing severe skin issues. Visible lesions can negatively affect a dairy farmer’s reputation and the perception of their meticulously groomed animals.
Proactive management is critical. Regularly monitor for early infection signs, adhere to strict grooming, and keep living areas spotless. Combining conventional treatments with natural remedies and a nutrient-rich diet enhances immunity, building a robust defense against this stubborn fungus.
Combining conventional and natural treatments, better nutrition, and strict environmental management builds a strong defense against ringworm. Vigilant monitoring, prompt treatment, and an immunity-boosting diet ensure a resilient herd, safeguarding animal health and farm productivity. Follow these expert recommendations to turn a potential ringworm outbreak into a victory for proactive animal care and show season success.
Key Takeaways:
Early detection of ringworm symptoms is essential for timely treatment and prevention of widespread infections.
Young animals are particularly susceptible due to their underdeveloped immune systems.
Environmental factors like damp conditions and poor nutrition can increase the risk of ringworm.
Effective identification involves careful monitoring of symptoms and the animal’s living conditions.
Regular screenings and the use of gloves during handling can prevent zoonotic transmission.
Improving the environmental and dietary conditions can bolster the herd’s resistance against infections.
Strict biosecurity measures and hygiene practices are crucial for protecting show cattle.
Professional veterinary help should be sought for stubborn cases of ringworm.
Summary: Ringworm is a common fungal infection that can cause widespread issues in dairy cattle during the show season. Early detection of ringworm symptoms is crucial, as they may seem like minor skin issues. Younger animals, especially calves, are more vulnerable due to their developing immune systems. Environmental factors, such as damp conditions, poor nutrition, and concurrent diseases, increase susceptibility. Effective identification involves noting symptoms and assessing the animal’s health and living conditions. Regular screenings and handling with gloves can prevent zoonotic transmission, while improving environmental and dietary conditions can strengthen the herd’s resilience against dermatophytosis. Proactive measures enhance animal welfare and reduce economic losses from widespread infections. Shielding show cattle from ringworm requires rigorous biosecurity measures, strict hygiene, and maintaining clean, dry facilities. Careful management during show season involves avoiding overcrowding, providing spacious, clean, and dry living conditions, and treating infected animals last.
Unlock the secrets to dairy cow fertility: How does the age at puberty predict longevity and productivity? Discover the genetic connections and elevate your herd’s performance.
Have you ever considered how a dairy cow’s age at puberty impacts its entire productive life? Surprisingly, it’s a critical factor influencing fertility, longevity, and productivity. Research shows that cows reaching puberty earlier tend to have better reproductive performance, resulting in consistent milk cycles and longer lifespans.
This relationship isn’t just theoretical; it’s crucial for dairy farmers. Predicting and optimizing reproductive performance can mean thriving or struggling in pasture-based, seasonal systems. Farmers breeding cows for early puberty traits see improvements in calving rates, milk yields, and overall herd health.
Age at puberty is a critical trait that dairy farmers must prioritize. Its profound influence on fertility and productivity makes it essential for maximizing dairy operations. Understanding the genetics behind this trait can enhance herd efficiency and sustainability.
This article delves into the genetic underpinnings of age at puberty in Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle and its correlations with fertility and body size traits. It offers insights for improved dairy herd management.
Introduction: The Link Between Puberty and Productivity
The drive to boost productivity and longevity in dairy cattle compels researchers to investigate the genetic foundations of critical traits like reproductive performance and body growth. Among these, age at puberty (AGEP), mainly through blood plasma progesterone levels (AGEP4), stands out for its moderate heritability and early occurrence.
Recognizing that early-life traits can predict future performance, this study examines AGEP4’s genetic roots and its link to fertility and physical growth in Holstein-Friesian cattle. Despite fertility traits like calving rate and pregnancy rate having low heritability, they are crucial for a cow’s productive life. The research aims to enhance breeding programs focused on fertility and productivity by pinpointing genetic markers and correlations.
Studies, such as those by Nilforooshan and Edriss (2004), highlight reproductive timing’s impact on dairy traits. For instance, reducing age at first calving may slightly decrease productive life but positively affects lifetime profit. Conversely, increasing it can improve productive life and milk income, showing a balance that breeders must manage.
In pasture-based, seasonal calving systems, predicting and enhancing reproductive traits boosts individual animal performance and aids the whole herd’s economic viability. This comprehensive approach to analyzing genetic and phenotypic variances and genomic associations seeks to link early-life indicators with long-term productivity.
The Science Behind Age at Puberty: Understanding AGEP4
AGEP4, or the age at first measurable elevation in blood plasma progesterone, is crucial for understanding reproductive efficiency in dairy cattle. This early-life trait is more heritable and predictable than traditional fertility metrics like pregnancy rate or inter calving interval, which are less heritable and occur later in life. AGEP4 provides an early indicator, helping farmers make informed decisions long before the first calving event.
Our study explored the genetic and phenotypic relationships between AGEP4, fertility traits, and body size indicators such as height, length, and body weight (BW). We measured these traits in approximately 5,000 Holstein-Friesian or Holstein-Friesian × Jersey crossbred yearling heifers across 54 seasonal calving herds to reveal insightful patterns and correlations.
We found that AGEP4 has a moderate heritability of 0.34. In contrast, traditional fertility traits like calving rate (CR42), breeding rate (PB21), and pregnancy rate (PR42) have low heritabilities, often under 0.05. This contrast highlights AGEP4’s potential as a predictor of reproductive success. Genetic correlations between AGEP4 and fertility traits ranged from 0.11 to 0.60, indicating significant genetic linkage.
Moreover, our Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) identified a strong association between AGEP4 and a genomic window on chromosome 5. We also found suggestive associations on chromosomes 14, 6, 1, and 11, suggesting a complex genetic architecture. These discoveries pave the way for refining genomic predictions of fertility using AGEP4 and other early traits.
Understanding AGEP4 enhances our grasp of reproductive genetics and provides a strategic tool for improving fertility and longevity in dairy cattle. This knowledge underscores the transformative power of genetic research in achieving efficient and sustainable dairy farming.
Age at Puberty and Longevity
Age at puberty, marking dairy cow reproductive maturity, significantly influences their lifespan. The age at first calving is tied to puberty onset, and reproductive performance is crucial for cow longevity in dairy systems. Optimal age at puberty enhances reproductive performance, boosting longevity and productivity.
Early puberty correlates with a shorter lifespan. Nilforooshan and Edriss (2004) noted that early or late first calving impacts milk yield, fat percentage, and overall productive life. Cows calving before 700 days see more lifespan variability, underscoring the need for balanced reproductive timing for sustained productivity.
Proper nutrition and management are crucial to achieving optimal puberty age. Balanced diets and effective health management ensure timely puberty, improving fertility, lifespans, and overall productivity. Strategic feeding, regular health check-ups, and tailored breeding programs are essential for dairy cows to develop appropriately and achieve beneficial reproductive maturity.
Age at Puberty and Productivity
The age at which dairy cows reach puberty, known as age at puberty (AGEP), is pivotal for their productivity and reproductive performance. Understanding the genetic factors behind AGEP helps us predict and enhance fertility, improving milk production in dairy systems.
Studies consistently show that AGEP significantly affects reproductive performance, impacting traits like inter calving interval and pregnancy rates. Earlier puberty leads to better reproductive outcomes, allowing timely breeding and reducing intervals between lactations. Strategically managing AGEP enhances reproductive efficiency and extends productive life spans for dairy cows.
Research highlights the link between early puberty and increased milk yield. Nilforooshan and Edriss (2004) found that age at first calving affects milk yield, fat percentage, and overall productive life. Cows reaching puberty early can be bred optimally, resulting in earlier milk production and higher lifetime yields, vital for dairy farm profitability. Reducing the age at first calving, tied to an earlier AGEP, can boost lifetime profit despite potentially shorter productive lives.
Optimizing AGEP requires a multi-faceted approach: genetic selection, nutritional management, and herd health strategies. Using genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we can identify genetic markers linked to AGEP. Selecting for these traits allows dairy farmers to breed more advantageous heifers. Optimal nutrition during the rearing phase supports earlier puberty without compromising health. Regular health monitoring ensures early-reproducing heifers remain productive.
In summary, focusing on AGEP optimization enhances reproductive performance and milk production. Leveraging genetic insights, improved nutrition, and robust health management practices leads to more efficient and profitable dairy operations.
Reproductive performance is crucial for a profitable dairy operation. Fertile cows mean higher milk yields, lower culling rates, and overall efficiency. When cows conceive and calve on time, milk production synchronizes, maximizing output and minimizing input costs. Effective fertility management ensures steady income and economic stability for dairy farms.
The key to optimizing fertility starts early in a cow’s life. Genetics, nutrition, and management are pivotal. Age at puberty (AGEP) is a critical marker; when cows hit puberty early, they are more likely to calve timely and have a healthy reproductive life. Factors like body condition, health, and environment also impact fertility.
Monitoring AGEP is essential to managing fertility. This involves balanced nutrition, regular health check-ups, and genetic selection. Utilizing genomic data to manage reproductive traits can enhance breeding strategies and improve fertility outcomes. Dairy farmers can boost fertility rates and long-term profitability by refining these practices.
Key Findings: The Genetic Architecture of AGEP4
One of our study’s key revelations is the robust heritability of AGEP4, quantified at 0.34. This indicates that age at puberty is significantly influenced by genetics, making it a reliable early predictor for reproductive performance in dairy cattle. Conversely, direct fertility traits like calving, breeding, and pregnancy rates had markedly lower heritabilities, all below 0.05. These findings highlight the potential of AGEP4 as an alternative selection criterion to enhance fertility through genetic means.
The genetic correlations between AGEP4 and fertility traits further underscore its utility. Our data revealed correlations ranging from 0.11 to 0.60, demonstrating a moderate to substantial genetic link between early puberty and reproductive success. This suggests that selecting for lower AGEP4 could improve fertility outcomes, promoting longer-lasting and more productive cows.
We also explored the associations between AGEP4 and key body size traits—height, length, and body weight—measured at approximately 11 months of age. Although these traits had lower heritabilities (0.21 to 0.33), their genetic correlations with AGEP4 increased to 0.28. These moderate associations indicate that body size traits might indirectly influence or be influenced by the same genomic factors affecting AGEP4.
Our genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified several genomic regions associated with AGEP4. A significant genomic window on chromosome 5 emerged as a strong candidate influencing AGEP4, with other suggestive associations found on chromosomes 14, 6, 1, and 11. These findings provide insight into the genetic architecture of AGEP4. However, further research is needed to understand the biological mechanisms and validate these associations.
The practical implications are substantial. By leveraging the genetic basis of AGEP4, dairy farmers can adopt more informed breeding strategies that prioritize early puberty as a marker for better fertility. However, further studies are essential to refine genomic predictions and fully capitalize on selecting AGEP4 to enhance overall herd fertility and productivity.
The Bottom Line
Our research underscores the crucial role of age at puberty (AGEP4) in predicting the longevity and productivity of dairy cows. With moderate heritability and solid genetic links to fertility traits, AGEP4 is an early indicator for future reproductive performance. This is especially valuable given the typically low heritability of direct fertility traits. By understanding AGEP4’s genetic architecture, dairy farmers can make decisions that enhance reproductive efficiency and herd profitability.
Attention Dairy Farmers: Incorporate AGEP4 into your herd management practices. Monitoring and selecting for AGEP4 can improve fertility rates and extend the productive lifespans of your cows, leading to higher economic returns and a more sustainable farm.
Future research should aim to deepen our understanding of AGEP4’s relationship with dairy cow health and productivity. Refining genomic predictions and exploring the genetic mechanisms influencing AGEP4 and fertility will pave the way for better breeding strategies and herd management practices, securing the dairy industry’s future.
Key Takeaways:
Early puberty as a predictor: Age at puberty, particularly measured through AGEP4, is a moderately heritable trait that can provide early predictions of a cow’s reproductive success.
Genetic correlations: The study highlights moderate genetic correlations between AGEP4 and fertility traits, underscoring the importance of genetic screening for improved reproductive performance.
Body size relationship: There’s a discernible association between AGEP4 and yearling body-conformation traits like height, length, and body weight, which also hold heritable values.
Genomic insights: Research identifies several critical genomic regions associated with variations in AGEP4, opening avenues for targeted breeding strategies.
Low heritability of direct fertility traits: Traits such as calving rate, breeding rate, and pregnancy rate exhibit low heritability, making early-life indicators like AGEP4 more valuable for genetic selection.
Summary: The age at puberty in dairy cattle significantly impacts its productive life, affecting fertility, longevity, and productivity. Early puberty results in better reproductive performance, consistent milk cycles, and longer lifespans. This relationship is crucial for dairy farmers, as breeding cows for early puberty traits improves calving rates, milk yields, and overall herd health. Understanding the genetics behind this trait can enhance herd efficiency and sustainability. Researchers are investigating the genetic foundations of critical traits like reproductive performance and body growth, particularly age at puberty (AGEP) through blood plasma progesterone levels (AGEP4). AGEP4 stands out for its moderate heritability and early occurrence, making it an important factor in predicting future performance. Reproductive timing’s impact on dairy traits is highlighted by studies by Nilforooshan and Edriss (2004), which show that reducing age at first calving may slightly decrease productive life but positively affects lifetime profit. Proper nutrition and management are crucial for achieving optimal puberty age, improving fertility, lifespans, and overall productivity.
Sounds rule the dairy day. But even those who rise when the cock crows and listen intently for pasture moos or dog alerts or the rumble of properly working farm machinery, can’t honestly say that they are masters of the finer aspects of attentive listening. Author Stephen R. Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People) says, most of us have had years and years of learning how to read and write, and to speak but then he asks a revealing question, “How much training have you had in listening?” Well, the answer for most of us is “None!”
Cows and Communication. You’ve Got to Market Both!
There are so many skills to learn as a dairy farmer. Even more if you intend to be profitable and sustainable in an industry that is consolidating many pieces into larger and larger dairy operations. The pieces should fit together like a puzzle. However we sometimes skip the work needed to win our customers hearts and wallets. We think we can talk our way into the marketplace but, in actual fact, we need to listen first. Consider this. If you listened to your potential customers of semen, embryos or animals better than anybody else could, how do you think it would affect your sales?
It’s fine to promote your milking stats, classification scores or showring successes but, if you aren’t listening to your marketplace, all you will probably hear is the echo of your own voice.
Every one of us in the dairy industry is a salesperson of one sort or another. Whether it’s an idea, an association, a service or a product, we all have something to sell. Quite often it’s that personal agenda that we carry around with us that prevents us from really listening. “Everybody wants show type/genomics/ ” or “Nobody wants show type/genomics” Fill in the sales feature of choice. It isn’t the feature that we need to establish first. It is listening to the customer first. Our business grows when we focus on the customer’s frame of reference ahead of our own.
Here at the Bullvine we are well aware that enthusiasm can have us pushing an agenda that is mostly ours and not necessarily that of the majority of breeders. Having said that, we have been shown over and over again that listening and asking questions goes much further than talking and telling. It is the only way to understand what is happening in the marketplace and who is asking for what. Listening doesn’t mean there is only one way. It means listening to the market you are intending to serve. It means knowing what they want more than pushing what you’ve got.
Are we Car Salesmen or Cow Salesmen?
The day of the fast talking cattle salesman with a big car and the “right” connections, no longer sells cattle. Today in the dairy industry, as in most other businesses, new tools are in our faces every day. Genomics, robotics, nutri-science and much more combine with instant worldwide communication. Today the choices for both selling and buying are multiplying exponentially.
Social media makes it easier for customers to express their needs. Imagine! They expect to be listened to. “Don’t talk me into changing my mind about the kind of cows to work with. Listen and give me what I want.”
Live cattle auctions are facing challenges from attendance to lineup to top price relevance.
Show string marketing isn’t the “sure” thing it once was.
Where are Your Customers Talking From?
There was a time when your strategy for selling would be based quite specifically on geographic location. Unless you had an “in” with specific buyers or cattle dealers, you were pretty much limited to selling what the local marketplace wanted. Today you can set your strategy based on your dairy vision and particular skill and, find a market worldwide. This means more focused targets, deeper discussions about customer wants and providing and maintaining an ongoing relationship. But first off, it means gaining expertise in the digital marketplace.
Come and Get It?
So you know what the dairy cattle buyers want. You know what you have. How do you put the two together? Whether you use social media, tag sales, auctions or simple word of mouth you have to be found. Sales don’t happen unless the market knows what you have and how to find you. More and more the marketplace is customizing the product to a specific buyer. When you can customize your product to a specific marketplace you can leave the pontificating, posturing and politics behind.
Who do YOU listen to?
When you’re talking all the time, you’re limited to what you already know. When you’re listening, there is much to learn. Having said that, if you just listen to people who reflect back who you are (and what you believe in) – then you’ll stay where you are. Anti-genomics. It’s fairly simple to pick the crowd to talk to. Pro showring. You know where to spend your time. It makes for comfort, but it doesn’t make for progress. Comfort may be your goal but if you’re feeling stalled, perhaps you need to set your GPS for a different dairy destination.
The RIGHT information at the RIGHT time from the RIGHT source.
Even the smallest dairy operation has the marketing budget to make use of listening skills. It’s not expensive to listen. It starts with knowing what your customer wants. Insights derived from that information means you can take action. So what? What does the customer want? How will my dairy operation respond? If the market wants a genomic baseline of 2400+ gTPI, why are you settling for 2000 to 2300 gTPI in your breeding decisions? When you serve the type market are you seeking the udders and legs of longevity or do you breed for the showring judge who gives the advantage to stature?
Do You Hear the Criticism?
Marketplace criticism is valuable. Especially if you listen closely and make changes. If your sales are bogged down, finding out the cause is especially necessary. What a lever to get you unstuck! Use the power of two way communication. Social media adapts the old formula: “Two ears. Two eyes. One mouse.” Listen first and then respond pro-actively. Don’t hide from criticism. Accept and respond by making adjustments. One of the telltale signs of success are those dairy/genetics operations that are building new brands and experiencing exponential growth in a fraction of the time it takes to “launch”, advertise and push your own agenda. If you’re so busy putting your own stamp on the marketplace – regardless of what they’re asking for – you are also squashing any creative new direction that could take you to the next level.
Customer first. Then what?
We can all understand and repeat the sales mantra, “The customer is always right!” That’s what the message so far has been emphasizing. It’s easy to accept that the one who listens the best will serve the customer best. But there is other listening that can lift your business higher on the ladder of success.
Listen to your Dairy Staff
Sometimes we forget that the people who work with the calves, heifers and cows every day have the clearest picture of the assets we are trying to sell in the marketplace. Here is a listening skill that is absolutely basic to dairy success that is too often overlooked. What does your staff say about working in the milking parlor with your cattle? What do they like about certain cow families? What insights do they have that can be used to attract buyers to your operation. Even more than the glossy ad or a catchy tag line is the endorsement of someone who works every day in the barn or in the show ring. Simple question. “What is she like to work with?” and then really listening to the answer. That is the easiest, fastest and most effective way to re-start, re-design and remake a dairy marketing strategy that is stagnating. Listening begins in the barn.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
Now listen up. It’s fair to say that dairy cattle marketing can be complicated. However, if you put some of these listening skills to work in your dairy marketing strategy, the next sound you will hear could be coming from your cash register. Dairy genetic businesses sell best when they listen best! Cha-Ching!
The dairy industry is an excellent place to discover people who are exceptional at what they do. At The Bullvine, we are fortunate to meet and share with these remarkable people on a daily basis. They tell us of the efforts they have invested in every area of the dairy industry from what they feed and breed to what they value in people and animals. In short they pursue improvement and growth in all aspects of their dairy businesses. Of course, we can all benefit from emulating these role models. However, do we really know what sets them apart?
1- The Best Dairy Businesses are People Businesses First
When you’re separating out the best cow managers, you can do it quickly by finding the best people managers. Super-successful dairy farms recognize that they are primarily in the people business. From the staff who works directly with the herd to other professionals and consultants, people are fundamental. Training programs are in place to help new workers become oriented to the job. People are encouraged to help each other. Teams are encouraged, and cross training is expected. The veterinarian, nutritionist and accountant are part of the team. Workers are considered valued team members. Opportunities to improve are encouraged and supported. The best managers work to get the best out of staff. This contributes to lower turnover which is also a characteristic of top dairy farms. Managers realize that, as cow numbers grow, staff numbers grow and managers must be people managers.
2 – The Best Have Clear and Measurable Expectations
The ability to clearly articulate their vision, including short and long term goals, is a skill exceptional managers develop. Dairy staff are given clear responsibilities, they know what is expected of them and what they are trying to achieve. Regardless of herd size, every dairy owner/manager relies on other sets of hands to complete the work that is necessary to operate a dairy business. One of the most common disconnects between a manager and subordinate is a basic lack of understanding of what is expected of the job, role or task. The best operators have developed a disciplined ability in setting clear and measurable expectations not only for those people who are on their payrolls, but for their advisers as well. There are well-structured crop programs, breeding programs, feed management systems, financial plans, annual budgets and job descriptions are well-structured. There are written protocols for livestock care, treatments and emergencies. Machinery maintenance is planned and routine. Work schedules are developed, so everyone knows what is expected.
3 – The Best Focus on Production that Produces Profit
A characteristic that truly sets the best apart from the rest is focus. It is easy to become distracted by opposing opportunities or encroaching challenges. We do this quite often in the dairy industry. Breeding? I’ll use sexed semen. NO! I’ll try polled. NO! Genomics is great. My growth strategy? Definitely large AI companies only! NO! Homebred. All that flailing about creates enormous amounts of headwork and busywork, but it doesn’t guarantee success. Successful farm businesses have the ability to focus on those things that are important to productivity and profitability. They are not distracted for long by what others are doing, the newest fad, or the brightest paint.
Three main areas are particularly well managed by top managers:
Milk quality and udder health and improved SCC.
Short Calving intervals which impact milk production internal herd growth.
Time management not crisis management empowered by advance planning and optimum implementation.
4 – The Best Excel at Informed Management Decisions
This skill isn’t about how to make decisions but about how to collect data and use it as a tool. As an industry, we still do a pretty poor job of utilizing information (financial reports, production summaries, scorecards, etc.) to make informed management decisions, finding the tools, resources, and people needed for success. Great managers have strong problem solving skills. If things are not going as planned or unforeseen problems develop, they quickly identify the problems, find alternatives, select solutions and make decisions. Decisions are methodically arrived at. Once made, they are implemented. There is seldom much time wasted delaying the obvious.
5 – The Best Dairies USE Records
Dairy records, crop records and financial records are extensively used to monitor all aspects on every operation that achieves stand apart success. They see collection of data not as a burden but as an invaluable tool. Records are routinely used for specific purposes and with established benchmarks. Quality control principles are continuously developed to improve the value of the information from records. All levels, employees, managers, owners and outside consultants and farm professionals are solicited for information and insight and action planning. They build data banks and use the information in working with special teams on the farm and those they consult with. The best farms use technology. Computers and social media are used to enhance record keeping and decision making and for speed and accuracy of problem solving, promotion and sales.
6 – The Best are Always Growing – 10% per year
The target of 10% a year may seem like an arbitrary number. On any specific dairy operation, that number could be raised up or down. The point isn’t an exact number but the fact that an exact goal has been clearly set. Top managers target an overall annual growth plan as a strategic business decision. They recognize that the dairy industry has been consolidating for decades. Scale has become an increasingly significant dynamic for success. Growing size is not the sole reason, but it is one factor. Beyond the added challenges of more cows this growth means more housing, more crops, more labour, more financing. Growth is desired not for the sake of growth itself but in order to maintain in a competitive position within the industry. Thus, efficiency targets must evolve/grow too. Aggressive herd management, good reproduction performance and good health program that minimizes culling — can increase 10 % from within. An alternative is to purchase expansion cattle. Regardless of the process. It is a necessity to keep the facilities filled with producing cattle. Best managers have a minimum of underutilized barn space.
7 – The Best Have an Attitude of Excellence
Good leaders know it is important to be aware of what separates them from other contenders as they continually strive to provide the best product for the end consumers. This attitude of excellence boils down to a never-ending attitude of doing the right things and doing things right. An essential aspect of this is the recognition of the need to continuously improve results. As farms get bigger it is important for individuals and teams to develop into the new roles. This rarely happens without setbacks, pitfalls and hurdles. It takes courage to try something different. It is a risk that successful businesses must survive. Exceptional managers know that the must master the challenges that come from markets (milk, feed, land prices), production (milk, disease reproduction) and business (leverage, interest rates, liability). Continuous mastery of all the pieces … is what makes exceptional managers.
8 – The Best Leaders Value Interaction With the Dairy Community
Many people have success but haven’t built strong enough relationships with the community they have the pleasure to serve. Just ten years ago, you might have asked what difference could one dairy farmer or even dairy farmers from one state or province make, when it comes to the global dairy community? You were unlikely to be heard unless you were a world class cattle exhibitor, a large breeding company or a well-known speaker or conference trainer. Today armed with social media, handheld camera and dozens of free “apps,” you can make quite an impact. You can organize a hundred or a thousand people. You can get them in sync with a weekly newsletter or charitable cause or research on issues to make dairying better, sustainable, or more profitable. Digital sharing provides global access so that you can self-market to your truest customers and share your dairy focus with the crowd that matters.
9 – Above Everything Else the Best are Real Leaders
The most important ability possessed by top dairy managers is leadership. These individuals provide the leadership to get things started, keep them going, and to draw projects to a meaningful conclusion. It is a person who has extraordinary vision and a strong desire for success. These individuals not only lead in decision-making including making tough decisions, but they also excel in a very unique way. They know when to admit when a decision isn’t working. They admit it and then they move on. Too often on farms that don’t quite reach the top it is because consensus or vote taking is used to determine a new course of action and leads to paralysis by analysis. It is rare to find a truly successful business that is really run by a committee of the whole, although, some of the best farms may seem that way. In reality, there is a gifted leader somewhere in the background that knows how to make it appear that everyone is involved. This is a real gift possessed by top leaders. Some exceptional managers lead average teams of staff and yet produce excellent results. Some exceptional staff if led by a weak leader produce very average results.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
We have keyed in on nine best practices that set apart the best from the rest. In actual fact, there is one 10th best practice that is necessary to make the rest work. Only the very best are committed to taking action. The best are never satisfied with the status quo. At the end of the day, every day, action separates the best from the rest.
With three children who have had significant home moves in the last three years, I am very receptive to the idea that moving dairy cattle — although a fact of life — has impacts far beyond providing them with a simple change of scenery. Therefore, when I read the March 2014 issue of the Miner Institute Farm Report it seemed to speak to something I could relate to. Having said that, moving animals from pen to pen, or barn to pasture is necessary and, therefore, is not an option. Or is it?
The Pitfalls of Too Many Moves
For the typical dairy animal, her farm residency may include six to eight pen moves per lactation not counting the sick or hospital pen (Read more: Hospital Pens for Better or Worse). Depending on farm size and management strategy, during her lactation cycle an average cow might be housed in a fresh pen, high production pen, low production pen, far-off dry pen, and close-up pen. From a management standpoint, there are good reasons for these necessary moves but, until recently, very little attention has been paid to how cows adapt to these moves. It is important to know how they are affected by stocking density. The main conclusion is that all pen changes are stressful for the animal.
How To Minimize Pen Moves
Current recommendations for managing the transition of dry cows or heifers into lactation would include the following moves (and duration of stay):
From a lactating group into a far-off dry group (5 to 6 weeks).
From the far-off group to a close-up group (approximately 3 weeks; heifers are often introduced here).
From the close-up group to a calving/maternity pen (approximately 24 hours).
From the calving/maternity pen to a fresh group (approximately 3 weeks).
From the fresh group to a lactating group.
Who is in Charge?
Recognizing that all moves are stressful and that each group has specific needs, the ideal would suggest that there should be a pen manager for each different group. While it is possible for one person to manage different penning groups, it is wrong to commingle two groups with different needs.
Above All, Do NOT Overcrowd.
Overcrowding sometimes seems to make economic sense, but at a certain level it hurts your cows and your bottom line. Rumination, reproduction and milk quality may all suffer in an overcrowded pen. Think again when adding that “last cow” to the group.
Spanish research found that, milk production declined as stall stocking density increased. Stocking density is an essential component of the cow’s social environment. It determines if she will meet her time budget requirements for feeding, resting and ruminating and, consequently, be healthy and productive. Pen size, as well as stocking density, has an effect on lying and ruminating time. Moving to a smaller pen decreased lying time and to a larger pen increased this behavior.
Research at Miner Institute found that, as stall stocking density surged from 100 to 142 percent, milkfat percentage was reduced and somatic cell count spiked. In fact, overstocked cows ate 25 percent faster and ruminated 1 hour per day less which explained the reduction in the milkfat test. Overstocked cows also experience a greater pathogen load in their environment, have greater teat end exposure to pathogens and may experience immune suppression. These changes could explain the observed adverse effect of overcrowding on milk quality.
Penning by the Numbers
Conclusions drawn from studies of pen stocking include the following:
Change in stocking density affected the cows’ response to regrouping. When cows were moved into a pen with a relative higher stocking density, time spent lying following regrouping decreased. Alternatively, when cows were moved into a pen with a lower stocking density, their total resting time increased.
Data from the University of British Columbia demonstrated multiple negative effects on feeding behavior and potentially rumen health in the 48 hours following the regrouping. They found that aggression at the feedbunk climbed two-fold, DMI (dry matter intake) dropped 10 percent, feeding rate rose 10 percent and rumination times were 10 percent lower after regrouping.
Studies have concentrated on various behavioral changes
Lying and feeding behaviors. Lying and feeding behaviors were monitored from 1 day before regrouping to 1 day after regrouping.
Social aggression at the feed bunk. Social aggression at the feed bunk was monitored for 3 hours following the delivery of feed on the day before and after regrouping. Social aggression increased when stocking density increased and decreased when stocking density decreased following the regrouping.
Regrouping behaviors. Increasingly larger dairy farms result in increased social crowding and social mixing, which in turn causes social stress. Regrouping is more stressful for introduced cows than for resident cows.
Keep Your Pens Clean
Sometimes what seems easiest is counterproductive when it comes to dairy pen management. Although it would seem obvious from the parallel with human hospitals, there seems to be a letdown in sanitation protocols in dairy hospital pens. With so much at risk, in terms of the lifetime production and animal health, overlooking pen cleanliness is a costly decision to make.
Timing is key
Data from Purdue University and the University of British Columbia indicated that moving cows later in the day and avoiding feeding times may be beneficial. This will minimize the reduction in DMI for resident cows as the majority of consumption will occur during the two hours after delivery of fresh feed anyway. Another benefit is that the new cows will enter a pen where minimal activity is occurring, which affords the greatest opportunity to eat and find other resources (resting space, water, grooming brush and so forth) with little competition.
A Danish study observed easier adaption to a new pen for first-lactation cows when introduced in pairs rather than individuals. The result was longer lying times for these cows. Most importantly, no pen moves should occur within one week of calving (other than to a calving pen) and, if possible, moves in the last 14 to 21 days of gestation should be avoided.
Finally, to avoid prolonging the final stages of calving, research from the University of British Columbia and Arahus University suggests moving dairy cows into a calving pen at least five hours before calving. While this may not always be possible, it does reiterate the importance of routine checks on a close-up group to watch for signs of the onset of labor.
Pen Moves Have Both Short and Long Term Effects
The benefits of a longer stay in the close-up pen are not limited to the transition period. Cows and heifers housed in this pen for at least five days produced more milk over the next lactation. This response was greatest for first-lactation heifers, resulting in 3,300 pounds more milk over the lactation. Lengthening the stay in the close-up pen to at least nine days improved production over the first lactation by an additional 2,200 pounds. The same trend, but to a lesser degree, was evident in cows entering their second or greater lactation.
Moving cattle between groups brings about a considerable change in behavior and a period of increased interaction for about 48 hours before social stabilization and the development of a stable hierarchy. These changes may have a negative effect on milk yield and health in the moved individuals. Effects on milk production for mature cows moved after the transition period are small and short term in nature. However, not all movements between groups should be considered equal, and the effect on individuals, first-lactation animals and subordinate animals in particular, during a high-risk period such as the transition period, may be greater and last far longer. Although detected changes in milk yield may be small, there may be longer-term effects on health and reproduction yet to be identified that are of greater significance.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
Every pen move has two main parts: the reason for the move and the intended outcome.
Keeping those two goals in mind, there are opportunities to reduce the negative impacts of physical moves while maximizing the potential of your dairy herd. That`s always a good move!
Awareness is one of the best tools dairy managers can make use of. A daily barn or pasture walk with boots that don`t hesitate to poke into manure piles behind the cattle, can be a valuable signal of what`s happening with herd health and nutrition. No special equipment is required to make a speedy determination of the color, consistency and content of the manure being passed by a group of dairy cows.
The Three C’s: Consistency, Color and Content
If the cows share the same diet, their manure should share similar characteristics. In a 200-cow dairy, a walk-through that checks the manure of 15 to 20 cows should be able to provide enough observations to draw conclusions. The expectation is that less than five per cent will stand out as significantly different from the general herd. It is important to determine what is causing the difference.
Check Consistency First!
Feed drives production. Knowing the digestion status of the working cows is an important tool for making management decisions. What you see in the manure output, should be porridge-like and produce the dome-shaped 1 or 2 inch thick ‘plop’ that is the sign of healthy digestion. Feed type, the nutrient and fibre content, water quality and intake and passage rate all have an impact on the final product. Restricted water or protein produces firmer feces. Dehydration results in firm balls of manure. Seeing loose feces or diarrhea may indicate excessive protein intake or high levels of rumen degradable protein. Manure may be loose during periods of stress. Other cases of loose manure are far more serious and their actual causes seem to be harder to pinpoint. For example, sub-clinical acidosis (SARA) causes loose manure consistency to vary amongst herd members as well as other multiple changes over time for each suffering cow.
Color Paints a Management Checkpoint
Fecal color is influenced by feed type, bile concentration, and the passage rate of feedstuffs and digesta. Recognizing what is `normal` for the current type of diet being fed, sets up the opportunity to identify variations that could indicate a need for action. Typically, manure is dark green when cattle graze fresh forage and darkens to a brown-olive if animals receive a hay ration. When cows consume a typical TMR, feces are usually a yellow-olive color. This color results from the combination of grain and forage and will vary by the amount of grain and processing of that grain. If an animal experiences diarrhea, feces may change to a gray color. Animals undergoing medical treatment may excrete abnormal colored feces as a result of drugs that are administered. Dark or bloody manure may indicate hemorrhaging in the gastrointestinal tract from watery dysentery, mycotoxins, or coccidiosis. Light-green or yellowish manure combined with watery diarrhea can result from bacterial infections such as salmonella. Of course, any rapid change in colors signals that something is not right and immediate corrective action needs to be taken.
Content is Last but Not Least!
The third “c” to inspect is content. The contents of manure can provide dairy managers with information about how the dairy diet is working. Manure that is produced from cows fed a well-balanced nutritious ration (with adequate effective fibre) is very uniform. It contains digested feed particles with the majority of processed forage fibre no greater than 1/2 inch, and with little escaped grain.
Long forage particles or undigested grains are a sign that rumination has been challenged and the cause needs to be determined. It could be a problem with the animal or with the processing of the grain itself. Obviously these large particles in the manure mean that the nutrition in them has not been made available to the animals or to rumen microbes.
Mucus is another indicator to use as an alert. The presence of excessive amounts of mucus indicates chronic inflammation of or injury to gut tissue. Mucin casts also may be observed. These indicate damage to the large intestine, possibly caused by extensive hindgut fermentation and low pH. The mucin is produced by cells lining the intestine in an attempt to heal the affected area. As well manure that appears foamy or bubbly may indicate lactic acidosis or excessive hindgut fermentation resulting in gas production.
A Poop Picture Helps with Informed Decision Making
Manure scores 1 and 5 are not desirable and may reflect a health problem besides dietary limitations. Score 4 droppings may reflect a need to rebalance the ration. As cows progress through their lactation, manure score may also shift as outlined below.
Fresh cows (score 2 to 2 ½)
Early lactation cows (2 ½ to 3)
Late lactation cows (3 to 3 ½)
Far off dry cows (3 to 4)
Close up dry cows (2 ½ to 3 ½)
Increasing the amount of degradable, soluble, or total protein; deceasing the amount or physical form of the fiber; increasing starch level, decreasing grain particle size (such as fine grinding or steam flaking), and consuming excess minerals (especially potassium and sodium) can cause manure scores to decline (for example from 3 to 2).
The color of manure is influenced by feed, amount of bile, and passage rate. Cows on pasture are dark green while hay based rations are more brown. High grain-based diets are more gray-like. Slower rates of passage causes the color to darken and become more ball-shaped with a shine on the surface due to mucus coating. Score 1 may be more pale due to more water and less bile content. Hemorrhage in the small intestine causes black and tar-like manure while bleeding in the rectum results in red to brown discoloration or streaks of red.
Physical Analysis
When it comes right down to manure evaluation, you have to get right down to it. After the 3 C’s inspection using eyes, boots and cow sense information, it’s time to look deeper. Collect at least five manure samples that appear to be representative of the group of animals. Mix the collected samples and place a pint-sized sample on a .05-.08- inch mesh sieve or in a strainer. Using a hose, wash a gentle, steady stream of water over the sieve, passing across the sample continuously until the water running from the bottom of the sieve is clear. Then gently use running water to roll or float the particles to one corner of the sieve and remove all material from the sieve.
Place the washed sample on a flat dark surface and examine it for the following:
Long fiber particles — It is inevitable that some long forage particles will appear, but if most are greater than 0.5 inch there may be cause for concern. Poor digestion of forages may be due to the makeup of the fiber component of the diet (low quality forages) or to the ability of the animal to digest the forage being fed (poorly balanced rations).
Grain particles — The small intestine is capable of digesting starch, allowing the cow to utilize this nutrient. However, the amount of starch digested is limited by the rate of digesta passage through the small intestine.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
It cannot be overemphasized how important it is to effectively manage herd health and nutrition. Every tool that informs that decision making process is valuable and manure evaluation is a valuable link in that chain of understanding. Don`t overlook the simplicity of a boots through the barn examination of your herd’s manure production. It’s not science but it gives the start to analyzing how your dairy diet is being consumed, digested and left behind.
Costs for raising replacement heifers, like other inputs on dairy operations, have been rising continuously for more than 15 years. Unfortunately market prices received for heifers are landing in the exact opposite direction. Today the market value is below the rearing costs which place dairy managers between a rock and a hard place. You can`t do without replacements but it`s costing too much to raise them. It`s all about being more economical. Ironically the way to get more is achieved by focusing on less.
You Need Advisors Who Know “LESS”
It seems almost counter-productive to expect less from those who are experts in their field, but with the state of the market and the obligation to be profitable, everyone needs to be a specialist in the less proposition: less feed costs, less raising time, less time to weaning, less time to breeding. Each person that you consult with or work beside on your dairy needs to have this appreciation for less: Extension Dairy specialists, nutritionists, veterinarians, geneticists and financial advisors can apply their resources to your specific situation and help you find how to make “less” your value proposition.
SIX ways to MAKE MORE with “LESS”
There are many ways to improve your heifer replacement program. It is no surprise that prolonged challenges in this area is having the positive effect of producing specialists who have focused on solving the numerous issues that are involved. Of course, the Internet is a gold mine of ideas, examples, charts and field trials that can make your decision making more focused. Dr. Larry Tranel and Dr. Lee Kilmer, both of Iowa State University, have provided a compendium of materials to polish up your understanding of this area (Click here). You can start by reviewing published materials or seek out on line or live seminars.
Of course, once you know the exact number you are targeting it is equally important to determine which heifers are actually the best. One option is to identify the lower genetic potential calves by genomic testing and then cull the bottom 10-25% before investing dollars in raising them. Making an informed decision can result in very significant improvements in milk and fat yield.
2. Less Feed Cost
Feed literally eats up a large portion of your dairy expense budget. It therefore is a prime target for management efficiency. Meticulous record keeping is needed to make sure that you have good data for decision making. This is an area which can have wide variation on inputs – due to geography, logistics or specific farm variables such as soil fertility and availability. More than in the past, managers are considering rotational grazing. Motivated by using what is already available, reducing labor and machinery costs or some seek the better profit margins on organic milk which requires pasture-fed management of the milking herd. Other location dependent options could include using various by-product feedstuffs to reduce feeding costs. I recall my first surprise when I learned that cookies and donuts from local factories and fast-food operations were becoming part of dairy herd rations. It gives a whole new meaning to “milk-and-cookies”.
3. Less Confinement Feeding Could Net Profits
Intensive grazing of dairy heifers can reduce cost of labor and feed by reducing manure management and the feeding of harvested forages. Reducing costs by grazing heifers on productive crop ground depends on management skills, yield and assumptions used. Reports of field trials are available on line. Also reported are significant health benefits (ultimately less illness, less cost, less staff time) from rotational grazing for dairy heifers (Click here).
Weight and milk production gains with heifers raised on pasture compared to confinement have also been realized. In a study by Posner and Hedtke, 2012, (CIAS Research Brief #89), yearling heifers gained 1.97 and 1.86 pounds per day on pasture and in confinement, respectively. For ME Milk production, the first lactation heifers produced 25,328 and 23,415, pounds of milk respectively for those raised on pasture versus those raised in confinement. Thus, from reducing costs, increasing health and milk production, raising heifers on pasture makes sense.
A significant conclusion is summed up by Dr. Tranel in “Optimizing Your Heifer Enterprise” where he points out: “Feed costs make up the largest share of the costs to raise a calf to freshening. One method to reduce feed costs is to combine corn co-products with low quality forages. A difference of $0.23 per head per day doesn’t sound like a lot until you consider the 800 pound heifer to be the “average” size heifer in a dairy herd. Therefore, a herd of 100 cows would have about 75 heifers that could be fed this lower cost ration. In one year that is a saving of over $6,000.”
4. Less time to Weaning
Tranel and Kilmer point out the benefits of taking less time in getting replacement heifers to the weaning stage. “It typically costs $5-$6 per calf per day to raise a calf from birth to weaning. A 56 day birth-weaning period typically has an estimated $336 of expenses. If this birth-to-weaning cost is subtracted, along with the ownership cost and initial value of the heifer, the cost to raise from weaning-to-calving is $1,661.50 over 674 days or $2.47 per day for the average weight heifer.”
5. Less Time to Breeding
It isn’t unexpected that heifer replacement specialists target less time taken in getting heifers to breeding stage. “Producers should make every effort to grow heifers faster so that they reach the target weights by 13 months of age so that they can be bred.” Getting heifers bred and calving sooner, means they will join the milk string sooner and start generating income.
6. Less Time to Calving
Management strategies targeting less time to calving are positive to many aspects of your heifer replacement program as outlined by the Iowa State Extension Specialists. “Reducing the age at first calving will have one of the greatest impacts on reducing the total costs of raising replacement dairy heifers from birth to calving. Another great impact would be that the doubling of the birthrate from birth to weaning may actually increase costs during that time frame but the milk production benefits later on far outweigh the added costs. More Holsteins calved at 23 or 24 months of age than any other age and these heifers produced more milk in their first lactation than heifers that calved at an older age. Thus there is no economic advantage to calving heifers at 26 months or older.” The article also contained this nugget from Kilmer and Tranel: “It is important to realize that reducing the heifer raising period from 24 months to 23 months saves approximately $94 per heifer for a total cost of $2,166 per heifer raised. For a 100- cow herd raising 40 replacements each year, this savings would equal $3,760 per year.”
Source: Optimizing Your Heifer Enterprise
The Bullvine Bottom Line
The cost of raising heifers is well above the market value they bring on today’s market. Management practices that focus wherever possible on getting MORE from LESS heifers, in LESS time and with LESS feed costs is the best way to get more out of your replacement heifer program. That also means MORE profitability for your bottom line.
On a regular basis The Bullvine produces lists of sires that meet the breeding goals of our readers. Since producing a list of 30 Sires that will produce Feed Efficient Cow$ a year ago (Read more: 30 Sires that will produce Feed Efficient Cows) we have done considerable research into what makes for feed efficient and lifetime profitable cows (Read more: She Ain’t Pretty – She Just Milks That Way!).
What is Efficiency?
Researchers from a number of institutions and countries are jointly studying which cows are the most feed efficient. To date the studies continue and there are not yet definitive answers. In Hoards Dairyman in 2012 University of Illinois Professor Mike Hutjens brought forward a very interesting thought. His reasoning is that cows are fed a wide variety of diets and that it is the income over feed costs (net dollar returns after feed costs) that is the important factor when it comes to herd profit.
In research herds it may be possible to capture feed intakes but at the farm level it is currently not possible. Without feed intakes on a cow by cow basis it will not be possible to rank sires for their daughters’ feed efficiency. So, at least, for the immediate future the most practical thing to do will be to compare diets on their income over feed costs and tocompare sires’ daughters on their ability to: 1) live is group environments; 2) get pregnant; 3) require minimal individual care; and 4) produce high volumes of fat and protein from low SCS milk on the feed they are fed. And, 5) they need to last for four or more lactations.
Bullvine Efficiency Index (BEI)
A year ago The Bullvine developed and published this index based on information from a number of sire listings. It has been very reassuring to see that with further investigation that this index continued to be a very good predictor for sires that will produce cows that will ring the bell when it comes to profit over a lifetime.
BEI = Production (45%) + Durability (30%) + Health & Fertility (25%)
Production = 30 Fat Yield + 50 Protein Yield + 10 Fat % + 10 Protein %
Durability = 17 Herd Life/Productive Life + 42 Mammary/UDC + 25 F&L/FLC – 8 Body Depth – 8 Stature
Milk Yield is not included as it contributes to more udder strain and additional milk volume to be transported or on-farm water removal cost.
The negative weightings on Body Depth and Stature reflect that larger cows require extra feed to grow to that size and to maintain that larger size each and every day compared to cows of more moderate size.
BEI is calculated using CDN’s Custom Index Calculator. An overall sire ranking is not possible using the calculator as it only allows quires for three groupings – Proven Canadian, Proven MACE and Genomically Evaluated Sires. Bulls are ranked for BEI within each list as a percent of the top bull on the list.
Young Sires Currently Being Sampled
Table 1 contains North American sires that are currently being sampled or will be sampled over the next few months.
Name
LPI
Sire
Dam Name
DESU MOGUL 2439-ET
3748
MOGUL
DE-SU 192-ET
LACTOMONT NIKOTA SARGEANT
3682
SARGEANT
JOLICAP LOLY OMAN OMAN
DE-SU MOGUL 2458-ET
3664
MOGUL
DE-SU 8947-ET
DA-SO-BURN UNO 781
3631
NUMERO UNO
DA-SO-BURN DORCY BECKA-ET
GILLETTE MOGUL CARREL
3631
MOGUL
GILLETTE IOTA CARMEN
BUSCHUR MOGUL 6512
3623
MOGUL
ROYLANE SOCRA MIRA 1760-ET
T-GEN-AC MOGUL SHIMMER-ET
3620
MOGUL
TRANQUILLITY AC DREARYS SHOT
S-S-I SUPRSIRE MIRI 8679-ET
3537
SUPERSIRE
S-S-I BOOKEM MODESTO7269-ET
S-S-I UNO MATTEA 8445-ET
3528
NUMERO UNO
S-S-I SNOW MALENA 7514-ET
KERNDTWAY MCCUTCHEN DAYO-ET
3498
MCCUTCHEN
GOLDEN-OAKS OBSRVR DIXIE-ET
SUMMERLIZ LAYA EPIC
3471
EPIC
SUMMERLIZ MAN O MAN LAUSY
DE-SU ODADDY 2471-ET
3468
DADDY
DE-SU 719-ET
WOODCREST MOGUL ANNA-ET
3455
MOGUL
VISION-GEN SH FRD A12304-ET
OCD SUPERSIRE ENRICH-ET
3451
SUPERSIRE
OCD FREDDIE EVERLAST-ET
RAYON D'OR LEXOR ELYANE
3430
LEXOR
WABASH-WAY-I SHOTTLE EMBER
DE-SU MOGUL 2436-ET
3425
MOGUL
LADYS-MANOR PL SHAKIRA-ET
TWIN-SPRUCE CILO
3412
NUMERO UNO
TWIN-SPRUCE DORCY COTTON-ET
KERNDTWAY MCCUTCHEN DUCE-ET
3407
MCCUTCHEN
GOLDEN-OAKS OBSRVR DIXIE-ET
WOODCREST MOGUL FRANCE-ET
3387
MOGUL
VISION-GEN SH FRD A12304-ET
OCD KRUNCH MASON-ET
3387
KRUNCH
OCD DORCY MARIGOLD-ET
SIEMERS MCCUTCH KIANNA-ET
3383
MCCUTCHEN
LEVASH EXPLODE KIANNA
LACTOMONT LOCASS SARGEANT
3379
SARGEANT
SUMMERLIZ MAN O MAN LAUSY
DE-SU MCCUTCHEN 2433-ET
3375
MCCUTCHEN
DE-SU 344-ET
DE-SU MOGUL 2413-ET
3372
MOGUL
DE-SU 363-ET
SIEMERS MOGUL REAL-DREAM-ET
3372
MOGUL
CLEAR-ECHO OBSERVER 2283-ET
FARNEAR MCMORMAN MARCIE-ET
3366
MOGUL
FARNEAR MILIE MCMORMANN-ET
OCD SUPERSIRE EMBARK-ET
3365
SUPERSIRE
OCD FREDDIE EVERLAST-ET
LACTOMONT NIKITA SARGEANT
3344
SARGEANT
JOLICAP LOLY OMAN OMAN
DE-SU MOGUL 2432-ET
3343
MOGUL
DE-SU 363-ET
S-S-I CLARTA MERYL 8545-ET
3333
CLARTA
S-S-I TWIST MOJO 7326-ET
BOLDI MOGUL ALDA
3313
MOGUL
PARAMOUNT-MB OBSRV AGATE-ET
LOOKOUT RMH MOGUL GRETA
3313
MOGUL
DE-SU 9842-ET
CO-OP MOGUL SYDNEY 6894-ET
3312
MOGUL
FUSTEAD SYDNEY CRI-ET
CITILIMITS MOGUL MAJIC 681
3291
MOGUL
CITILIMITS GARRET MAJIC 562
S-S-I COSMO 68 SOSA 8628-ET
3281
COSMO
AMMON-PEACHY SUPER 7068-ET
CO-OP MOGUL SYDNEY 6891-ET
3279
MOGUL
FUSTEAD SYDNEY CRI-ET
CRACKHOLM LEJEUNE PATRICIA
3272
HUNTER
WELCOME BRONCO PATRON
B-HIDDENHILLS UNO 1882
3270
NUMERO UNO
B-HIDDENHILLS DORCY 1405-ET
DE-SU LITHIUM 2440-ET
3268
LITHIUM
DE-SU 410-ET
3262
NUMERO UNO
WILRA PLANET 946-ET
OCD SUPERSIRE ACE-ET
3258
SUPERSIRE
VISION-GEN SH FRD A12276-ET
DE-SU MCCUTCHEN 2462-ET
3254
MCCUTCHEN
DE-SU 730-ET
GEPAQUETTE SARGEANT RAVICHOU
3245
SARGEANT
GEPAQUETTE BOLTON RAVISANTE
CO-OP UNO CLASSY 6895-ET
3243
NUMERO UNO
CO-OP PLANET CLASSY-ET
HET MEER LUCKY SHOT 2990
3234
NUMERO UNO
HET MEER LUCKY SHOT 6
BARNKAMPER MARILYN 414
3232
MOGUL
BARNKAMPER MARILYN 279
SUMMERLIZ LAURYNA EPIC
3231
EPIC
SUMMERLIZ MAN O MAN LAUSY
S-S-I OCOSMO MINETTE8657-ET
3227
O-COSMOPOLITAN
S-S-I BOOKEM MODESTO7269-ET
S-S-I DONATEL MORIE 8678-ET
3225
DONATELLO
S-S-I BOOK MERAUX 7286-ET
OCD MCCUTCHEN BANKOK-ET
3215
MCCUTCHEN
FARNEAR BROCADE P BRISSA-ET
LACTOMONT NIKOTO SARGEANT
3212
SARGEANT
JOLICAP LOLY OMAN OMAN
FAVORITE
3209
MAN-O-MAN
CLARINE
BARNKAMPER MARILYN 411
3207
HUNTER
T-GEN-AC LAYNE RUSSIA-ET
3201
LAYNE
TRANQUILLITY AC DREARYS RUSH
MS EMILY EMERA-ET
3193
DADDY
TRAMILDA-N BAXTER EMILY-ET
END-ROAD MCCUTCHEN BABA-ET
3189
MCCUTCHEN
HAVILAND OBSERVER BEV-ET
S-S-I OCOSMO KALISA 8646-ET
3186
O-COSMOPOLITAN
S-S-I ROBUST KEYES 7260-ET
S-S-I DEAN MELYNE 8538-ET
3183
DEAN
S-S-I ROBUST MAGIC 7228-ET
SSI EARNHARDT 8651-ET
3177
EARNHARDT P
HENDEL OBSV TRINITY 3274-ET
DE-SU COSMO 2431
3177
COSMO
DE-SU 385-ET
ZIMMERVIEW SUPRSRE BELL-ET
3174
SUPERSIRE
ROCKYPATH-HO MN BARBARA-ET
FUSTEAD EPIC LINDSEY-ET
3174
EPIC
GLEN-TOCTIN BOLT LUCILLE-ET
JHS ALEXIA 49
3171
MOGUL
LM ALEXIA 22
LADIES-FIRST LXOR BANGLE-ET
3171
LEXOR
MAPLEMOUNT BOLTON BUNNY
TSPRUCE MOGUL 7247
3169
MOGUL
MISTY SPRINGS PLANET BRICE
WOODCREST NUM UNO FRENZI-ET
3167
NUMERO UNO
VISION-GEN SH FRD A12304-ET
DE-SU ODADDY 2447-ET
3155
DADDY
DE-SU 719-ET
DE-SU MOGUL 2428-ET
3152
MOGUL
DE-SU 8672-ET
S-S-I SPRSIRE SHARA 8547-ET
3148
SUPERSIRE
BOSSIDE SOUL SISTER-ET
BRYHILL ONE SASSY P
3147
NUMERO UNO
VENTURE SHOTTBOLT SIZZLE P
BOFRAN BREWMASTER FABY
3145
BREWMASTER
BOFRAN MAN O MAN FLORALIE
DONNANDALE HUNTER LEONA
3142
HUNTER
DONNANDALE LAUTHORITY LEMON
LACTOMONT BENZ HEFTY
3142
HEFTY
PARKHURST BEACON BALAMA
DESU MOGUL 2216-ET
3136
MOGUL
DE-SU 194-ET
DE-SU SHAN 2455-ET
3132
SHAN
DE-SU 657-ET
RSB ELDORET
3130
EPIC
RSB CANA 799
DE-SU MOGUL 2393-ET
3127
MOGUL
DE-SU 674-ET
S-S-I ANDERSON FAWN 8626-ET
3124
ANDERSON
S-S-I MANO FLOWER 7139-ET
VINBERT UNO MIDGET
3121
NUMERO UNO
VINBERT FREDDIE BRIDGET
WOODCREST MCCUTCHN LINNY-ET
3118
MCCUTCHEN
WOODCREST OBSERVE LUCIA-ET
DE-SU EPIC 2390-ET
3117
EPIC
DE-SU 9990-ET
MS APPLES UNO ARMANA-ET
3114
NUMERO UNO
KHW REGIMENT APPLE-RED-ET
SANDY-VALLEY HDLINR MACY-ET
3112
HEADLINER
BROOKVIEW MYSTERIOUS-ET
S-S-I OCOSMO MIKI 8654-ET
3111
O-COSMOPOLITAN
S-S-I BOOKEM MODESTO7269-ET
WOODCREST MCCUTCHEN LEAH-ET
3109
MCCUTCHEN
WOODCREST OBSERVE LUCIA-ET
MAPEL WOOD MOGUL BROOK
3107
MOGUL
MAPEL WOOD MAN O MAN BROOKE
RICKLAND SUPERSIRE 4469-ET
3103
SUPERSIRE
TRAMILDA-N SUPER BELLA-ET
UFM-DUBS ERRCAMAC-ET
3103
MCCUTCHEN
UFM-DUBS ERRCA-ET
SPRUCE-HAVEN MOG MI14330-ET
3099
MOGUL
VISION-GEN SH FRD M12112-ET
S-S-I OFFIE WYANET 8549-ET
3098
OFFIE
S-S-I BOOKEM WILTON 7273-ET
JM VALLEY MOGUL GALAXIE
3097
MOGUL
WELCOME PLANET GRANNY-ET
BARNKAMPER MARILYN 402
3086
HIGHLIGHT
BARNKAMPER MARILYN 279
OCD KRUNCH MASQUERADE-ET
3085
KRUNCH
OCD DORCY MARIGOLD-ET
S-S-I SPRSIRE MISTY 8684-ET
3082
SUPERSIRE
S-S-I SHAMROCK MAGIC7368-ET
OCD KRUNCH MANIFEST-ET
3081
KRUNCH
OCD DORCY MARIGOLD-ET
END-ROAD MCCUTCHEN BLANC-ET
3080
MCCUTCHEN
HAVILAND OBSERVER BEV-ET
PONDEROSA FACEBOOK EMILY
3078
FACEBOOK
WILLSBRO EMILYANN ET
BOLDI MOGUL ANGELA
3078
MOGUL
PARAMOUNT-MB OBSRV AGATE-ET
KINGS-RANSOM SHAN FLIRTY
3075
SHAN
KINGS-RANSOM ROS FLITTER-ET
* BEI (Bullvine Efficiency Index) – each sire’s ranking is as a percent of the top sire
The ten sires on this list are all very high for efficiency. Their indexes for fat yield, protein yield, SCS, herd life and mammary are high. Breeders looking for a high all around sire should take a look a Rubicon.
Young Sires Recently Sampled
Table 2 contains North American sires that have been sampled and will be proven in 3 years.
Name
Sire
GTPI*
Milk
Fat
Protein
NM$
PL
SCS
DPR
PTAT
FLC
UDC
Owner
State/Ctry
DA-SO-BURN UNO 781
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2643
1440
93
55
951
6.9
2.59
1.8
3.56
3.26
3.3
Darin & Sonya Burnikel
Cresco , IA
EDG CT UNO CINERGY
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2625
1563
110
75
935
5.1
2.6
1.3
3.19
2.71
2.22
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
SEAGULL-BAY SSIRE DEBRA-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2604
2217
101
74
942
6
2.64
0.4
3.42
2.29
2.8
Seagull Bay Dairy Inc.
American Falls , ID
S-S-I SUPRSIRE MIRI 8679-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2599
2575
87
78
934
6.2
2.74
0.6
3.16
2.97
2.65
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
T-GEN-AC MOGUL SHIMMER-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2596
1656
109
59
871
4.4
2.64
0.6
3.65
3.04
3.45
Tim Clark
Brownsburg-Chatham , IA
S-S-I OCOSMO KALISA 8646-ET
O-COSMOPOLITAN-ET
2570
1604
77
65
971
8.1
2.69
1.1
2.83
1.7
3.11
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
S-S-I DEAN MELYNE 8538-ET
RONELEE SUPER DEAN-ET
2562
1800
68
64
832
5
2.67
2
3.64
2.78
3.29
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
B-HIDDENHILLS UNO 1882
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2558
1309
70
55
899
7
2.37
0.8
3.42
2.92
3.49
B. P. & L. Brunink
Mc Bain , MI
HY-JO-DE UNO LUCILLE-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2547
2035
80
68
843
5.8
2.58
0.6
3.77
2.5
3.07
Joel F. Gerke
Bangor , WI
MS WELCOME SUPERSIRE TIA-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2544
2205
76
65
831
5.5
2.79
1
3.72
2.32
3.45
William H. Peck & Peter C. Vai
Schuylerville , NY
DE-SU MOGUL 2458-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2542
2031
96
69
908
5.7
2.54
-0.3
3.22
2.35
2.87
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
MORMANN SR GINGERBRED
LADYS-MANOR PL SHAMROCK-ET
2533
1848
89
59
913
7.2
2.71
1.3
3.29
2.25
2.5
Jennifer Mormann
Farley , IA
S-S-I UNO MATTEA 8445-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2526
2088
85
75
807
4.8
2.8
1.2
3.46
2.57
2.36
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
MS EMILY EMERA-ET
RONELEE SSI O DADDY-ET
2525
1346
86
48
871
6.9
2.58
0.8
3.65
2.85
2.87
Trans-America Genetics
St-Hyacinthe QC , CA
CO-OP UNO CLASSY 6895-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2523
674
100
44
963
7.5
2.56
2.1
2.82
2.1
2.52
Genesis Cooperative Herd
Shawano , WI
SULLHRTFORD NUNO ANA 383-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2519
1613
70
59
817
6.1
2.72
1.7
3.76
2.01
3.13
Robert Eustice & Mike Sullivan
Byron , MN
LACTOMONT NIKOTA SARGEANT
SEAGULL-BAY SARGEANT-ET
2509
1422
79
63
816
4.6
2.78
1.7
3.43
3.33
2.56
Trans-America Genetics
St-Hyacinthe , QC
S-S-I OCOSMO MINNA 8661-ET
O-COSMOPOLITAN-ET
2508
1053
64
59
821
6.2
2.78
1.5
3.54
2.23
3.29
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
S-S-I COSMO 68 SOSA 8628-ET
TEXEL BEAUTY COSMO-ET
2506
1132
85
53
852
5.8
2.57
1.9
3.26
2.76
2.5
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
BUTZ-HILL MAGICSTAR
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2504
1427
88
62
719
2.7
2.58
-0.4
4.16
3.52
3.23
Mark Butz
Mount Vernon , IA
SIEMERS MOGUL REAL-DREAM-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2503
1509
81
61
885
6
2.57
1.3
2.92
2.54
2.4
Siemers Holstein Farms Inc.
Newton , WI
MORMANN UNO GARLIC
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2501
1285
75
57
828
6.3
2.75
1.5
3.42
3.07
2.58
Jennifer Mormann
Farley , IA
WOODCREST MOGUL PRETTY-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2499
1371
83
57
855
5.5
2.59
0.3
3.27
2.73
3.36
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
Lisbon , NY
OCD KRUNCH MASON-ET
HAMMER-CREEK FRED KRUNCH-ET
2498
1675
58
50
890
8.2
2.49
0.9
2.95
2.75
3.41
Oakfield Corners Dairy
Oakfield , NY
DE-SU COSMO 2431
TEXEL BEAUTY COSMO-ET
2498
1484
65
61
848
6.6
2.5
1.5
2.95
2.58
2.46
Darin Meyer
New Albin , IA
TIGER-LILY UNO LINDSEY-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2481
1237
94
57
901
6.2
2.52
0.5
2.99
1.89
2.64
John R. Marshman
Oxford , NY
SPEEK-NJ MOG SHERYL CROW-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2480
2514
95
72
804
4.3
2.82
-0.2
3.45
2.22
2.77
Neil McDonah
Trempealeau , WI
WELCOME MCCUTCHEN CHASY-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2475
2086
71
71
715
3.7
2.71
-0.1
3.81
2.96
3.03
Welcome Stock Farm LLC
Schuylerville , NY
WOODCREST NUM UNO FRENZI-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2474
1275
81
49
772
5.2
2.77
1.4
3.69
2.94
3.21
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
Lisbon , NY
S-S-I DONATEL MORIE 8678-ET
MR OCD ROBUST DONATELLO-ET
2463
1955
79
62
752
4.5
2.77
-0.5
3.83
3.14
3.09
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
CHARTROISE UNO MAURA-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2462
1455
114
62
842
4.6
2.88
0.5
2.8
2.23
2.47
Select Genetics LLC
Manitowoc , WI
TJR DE-DIAMOND 2181-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2459
1862
69
60
813
5.5
2.56
0.2
3.24
2.06
3.18
TJR Genetics
Farley , IA
S-S-I OFFIE WYANET 8549-ET
CLEAR-ECHO OBSERVR OFFIE-ET
2458
1870
59
64
906
8.2
2.68
2.2
2.39
0.76
2.5
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
S-S-I OCOSMO MIKI 8654-ET
O-COSMOPOLITAN-ET
2455
1619
74
69
782
5.1
2.83
0.2
3.33
1.92
3.13
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
MS WELCOME SUPERSR TANIA-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2449
2508
78
73
803
5.1
2.75
1.1
2.68
2.37
1.87
William H. Peck & Peter C. Vai
Schuylerville , NY
WOODCREST MOGUL ANNA-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2447
1767
84
63
836
5.3
2.77
0.4
2.76
3.38
2.36
Samuel R Potter
Union Springs , NY
MOUNTFIELD MGL LILY-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2447
1029
86
46
860
6.1
2.51
1.2
2.83
2.37
2.94
Roger & Philip Marshfield
Marcellus , NY
LADYS-MANOR UNO DESIGNER-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2447
1322
97
53
848
6
2.57
-0.3
3.26
2.37
2.76
Ladys Manor LLC
Monkton , MD
MORMANN UNO ARABIA-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2447
1411
89
55
809
5.3
2.78
0.9
3.1
2.75
2.71
Bryhill Farm Inc
Ormstown PQ , IA
DE-SU ODADDY 2471-ET
RONELEE SSI O DADDY-ET
2443
1778
102
64
843
5.2
2.64
-0.1
3.28
2.03
2.01
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
OCD SUPERSIRE ENRICH-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2442
2723
99
80
861
5.3
2.94
0.1
2.64
2.01
1.67
Oakfield Corners Dairy
Oakfield , NY
WILRA UNO 497-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2441
1433
91
54
840
6.7
2.64
0.6
3.17
1.71
2.5
Wilra Farms Inc.
Nashville , IL
EDG RUBY MOGUL ROSE
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2440
1962
106
58
899
6
2.72
-0.2
2.53
2.54
2.25
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
EDG TIGER MOGUL TAMMY
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2439
1764
78
55
800
5.2
2.65
0.5
3.05
1.99
3.34
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
WOODCREST MOGUL FRANCE-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2437
2220
64
62
790
5.3
2.7
0
3.09
3.18
3.2
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
Lisbon , NY
FARNEAR FREEDOM FRESH-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2436
1572
69
54
869
7.2
2.69
2.2
2.31
2.07
2.25
Rick & Tom Simon
Farley , IA
WOODCREST UNO ANNE-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2436
1457
77
51
810
6.1
2.74
2.2
2.82
2.97
2.3
Samuel R Potter
Union Springs , NY
MS MOVIESTAR DADDY MIC-ET
RONELEE SSI O DADDY-ET
2436
1507
63
54
851
7.8
2.7
2.1
2.92
1.03
2.35
Butler Borba Glaz-Way & Durr
Chebanse , IL
TIGER-LILY UNO LATTA-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2435
1287
76
47
796
6.3
2.7
0.8
3.67
2.28
2.86
John R. Marshman
Oxford , NY
AURORA UNO 13474-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2434
1877
86
54
821
5.7
2.72
1.3
2.95
2.1
2.58
Aurora Ridge Dairy LLC
Aurora , NY
DE-SU LITHIUM 2440-ET
S-S-I DOMAIN LITHIUM-ET
2433
2230
69
67
755
5
2.77
0.9
3.18
1.88
2.72
Darin Meyer
New Albin , IA
SPEEK-NJ UNO DAPHNE 391-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2431
1453
98
66
834
5.3
2.82
1.2
2.76
2.12
1.78
Robert J. Eustice
Byron , MN
DE-SU MOGUL 2436-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2431
1397
88
52
769
4.1
2.7
-0.8
3.83
2.78
3.83
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
APPEALING UNO KASSIDY-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2430
874
78
45
818
5.9
2.59
2
2.9
3
2.21
S. Scott & April D. Cooper
Delta , PA
CALORI-D CS UNO SENORITA-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2429
762
83
38
755
6.1
2.61
0.4
3.95
2.9
3.46
Calori-D Holsteins
Denair , CA
OCD SUPERSIRE ACE-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2428
1769
97
72
770
3.9
3.01
0.9
2.7
2.49
1.94
Oakfield Corners Dairy
Oakfield , NY
WA-DEL MOGUL BONITA-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2427
1522
53
50
764
6
2.71
1.5
3.36
2.3
3.34
Rick L. Wadel
Shippensburg , PA
LADYS-MANOR UNO DESTIN-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2425
2101
91
67
794
4.9
2.74
-0.4
3.33
2.37
2.45
Ladys Manor LLC
Monkton , MD
THREE-STAR LEXOR CITRUS-ET
GENERVATIONS LEXOR
2425
1664
69
66
741
4
2.86
1.3
3.25
2.05
2.92
Jeffrey & Korinna Rohde
Grey Eagle , MN
HY-JO-DE MOGUL LIZZY-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2424
2131
93
68
820
4.4
2.74
0.1
2.38
2.35
2.51
Joel F. Gerke
Bangor , WI
MS BOYANA DADDY BLAZE
RONELEE SSI O DADDY-ET
2423
1691
55
50
725
6.1
2.76
0.8
3.92
3.45
2.94
Select Genetics of Indiana LLC
Crown Point , IN
S-S-I COSMO TABATHA 8548-ET
TEXEL BEAUTY COSMO-ET
2423
1259
77
48
770
5.6
2.58
0.6
3.24
2.1
3.4
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
T-GEN-AC LAYNE RUSSIA-ET
KELLERCREST SUPER LAYNE-ET
2421
1727
63
56
845
6.9
2.55
1.8
2.5
1.45
2.12
Tim Clark
Brownsburg-Chatham , IA
BUSH-BROS MOGUL 4535-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2420
978
78
47
859
6
2.53
1.1
2.24
2.79
2.96
David Leroy & Bradley Nosbush
Fairfax , MN
BRANDVALE MOGUL 4780
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2417
1096
59
40
840
6.5
2.64
2.5
2.61
2.58
2.83
Steven A. Brand
Ellsworth , WI
KERNDTWAY MCCUTCHEN DAYO-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2415
1964
70
61
726
5.3
2.83
0.4
3.45
2.62
2.52
Mark W. Kerndt
Waukon , IA
DE-SU MCCUTCHEN 2433-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2415
670
69
57
710
4
2.81
1.5
3.42
2.43
2.79
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
CO-OP MOGUL SYDNEY 6894-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2414
1375
90
48
894
6.5
2.51
0.6
2.37
2.35
2.38
Genesis Cooperative Herd
Shawano , WI
CO-OP PETRONE SUNNY 6869
WELCOME SUPER PETRONE-ET
2413
2439
59
64
888
6.9
2.48
1.4
2.12
1.5
1.89
Genesis Cooperative Herd
Shawano , WI
FURNACE-HILL MGL ZUMBA-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2412
670
75
45
783
5.1
2.76
2.4
2.88
2.87
2.58
Joel Krall & Tim Crouse
Lebanon , PA
WOODCREST SUPER YELLOW
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2409
2063
80
60
816
6.4
2.92
1.3
2.78
1.79
2.52
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
Lisbon , NY
DE-SU CASUAL 2400-ET
LARCREST CASUAL-ET
2409
2407
84
74
842
6
2.76
1
2.35
1
1.52
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
EDG RUBY UNO REESE
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2408
1166
85
45
814
6.3
2.66
1.1
2.92
2.35
2.47
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
WOODCREST MCCUTCHEN LEAH-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2408
1611
76
58
788
5.6
2.81
0.8
2.78
2.34
2.53
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
Lisbon , NY
END-ROAD MCCUTCHEN BLANC-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2406
1433
63
54
694
4.7
2.83
0.4
3.74
2.39
3.59
Duane & Janet Molhoek
Falmouth , MI
OCD SUPERSIRE EMBARK-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2406
2195
92
70
914
6.8
2.64
0.3
1.91
1.74
1.21
Oakfield Corners Dairy
Oakfield , NY
MATT-DARI MIXER PLUM-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MIXER-ET
2406
1498
77
72
712
3.3
2.6
0.3
2.84
3
2.33
Matthiae Dairy Farm Inc.
Marathon , WI
DE-SU ODADDY 2447-ET
RONELEE SSI O DADDY-ET
2404
1407
68
60
776
6.2
2.65
0.3
3.38
1.8
2.5
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
OCD MCCUTCHEN BANKOK-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2404
1520
70
55
718
4.2
2.66
-0.4
3.65
2.77
3.22
Oakfield Corners Dairy
Oakfield , NY
KERNDTWAY PETRONE DELTA-ET
WELCOME SUPER PETRONE-ET
2403
1170
44
38
755
6.6
2.48
2.3
3.5
1.94
2.94
Mark W. Kerndt
Waukon , IA
SIEMERS SHAMROCK DANA-GAL
LADYS-MANOR PL SHAMROCK-ET
2402
1528
81
47
837
6.3
2.5
0.2
2.86
2.39
2.48
Siemers Holstein Farms Inc.
Newton , WI
NO-FLA YANO TRINY 34377
CO-OP UPD PLANET YANO-ET
2401
1989
72
63
856
5.9
2.74
1.2
2.38
2.05
2
North Florida Holsteins
Bell , FL
S-S-I SPRSIRE MISTY 8684-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2400
2166
81
60
741
5.4
2.75
-0.6
3.79
2.65
2.29
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
EDG HALLIE MAY HAPPY
DE-SU D MAYFIELD 893-ET
2400
1594
67
57
728
5.1
2.75
0.3
3.59
2.63
2.77
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
RI-VAL-RE MCCTCHN DASANI-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2399
1609
77
57
681
3.9
2.98
0
3.92
2.51
3.33
Aaron Jorgensen
Webberville , MI
S-S-I CLARTA MERYL 8545-ET
2399
1523
83
70
793
4.7
2.66
0.9
2.43
2.25
1.73
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
SANDY-VALLEY MGL BISCUIT-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2399
1856
51
55
686
4.4
2.79
1.1
3.46
2.94
3.36
Dave Pat Frank Jr. & Greg B
Stevens Point , WI
WILRA UNO 494-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2398
1369
92
45
831
6.1
2.6
1.1
2.92
1.22
2.63
Wilra Farms Inc.
Nashville , IL
WOODCREST MOGUL POPPER-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2397
609
64
36
796
6.3
2.67
1.7
3.2
2.45
3.29
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
Lisbon , NY
SANDY-VALLEY LAY ABERLYN-ET
KELLERCREST SUPER LAYNE-ET
2397
1853
41
48
803
6.8
2.59
2.5
2.68
2.06
2.83
Dave Pat Frank Jr. & Greg B
Stevens Point , WI
VINBERT UNO MIDGET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2394
1521
90
60
776
5.2
2.68
-0.2
2.96
2.59
2.47
Trans-America Genetics
St-Hyacinthe , QC
DEBOER O COSMO TALITHA
O-COSMOPOLITAN-ET
2394
811
60
39
741
6
2.68
2.1
3.5
1.94
2.96
Brad DeBoer
Corona , SD
N-SPRINGHOPE MOGUL MIRTH-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2394
815
88
34
817
6.1
2.57
0.4
2.8
3.73
2.91
J Kevin & Barbara Nedrow
Clifton Springs , NY
KELLERCREST PARA CARMAX-ET
REGANCREST PARADISE-ET
2394
824
53
39
716
5.3
2.53
1.2
3.56
2.68
3.57
Kellercrest Reg. Hol. Inc.
Mount Horeb , WI
END-ROAD MCCUTCHEN BABA-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2393
186
59
27
760
6.4
2.7
2.8
3.24
2.89
3.22
Duane & Janet Molhoek
Falmouth , MI
COMYN-PBCD PET DLT 170F
WELCOME SUPER PETRONE-ET
2392
1292
39
35
819
8.6
2.73
3.8
2.71
1.71
2.67
Patrick Comyn
Madison , VA
DE-SU SUDAN 2402-ET
VA-EARLY-DAWN SUDAN CRI-ET
2392
1429
103
52
853
6.2
2.85
0.8
2.57
1.56
2.02
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
RICKLAND NUMERO UNO 4403-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2390
1135
77
43
765
5.9
2.7
1.5
2.93
2.29
2.74
Greg Rickert
Eldorado , WI
PLAIN-KNOLL HILL WINSLET
LOTTA-HILL SHOTTLE 41-ET
2389
1719
61
50
829
7.1
2.64
1.7
2.54
1.83
2.64
Buschur Dairy Farms Inc.
New Weston , OH
DE-SU LITHIUM 2441-ET
S-S-I DOMAIN LITHIUM-ET
2388
1300
47
45
744
6.5
2.69
2.1
3.05
2.5
2.75
Darin Meyer
New Albin , IA
EDG BRYSHA MOGUL BEE
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2388
1416
52
48
780
6.2
2.61
1.5
3.03
2.5
2.77
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
TWIN-SPRUCE CHANA-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2388
1345
87
51
695
3
2.78
-0.4
3.59
2.85
3.78
Chad Felten
Rose Creek , MN
FARNEAR ELLIE EVELYN-ET
S-S-I DOMAIN LITHIUM-ET
2387
1646
47
50
743
6.2
2.67
2.2
3.07
2.8
2.46
Rick & Tom Simon
Farley , IA
N-SPRINGHOPE PETRON SARI-ET
WELCOME SUPER PETRONE-ET
2387
1239
71
45
802
6
2.59
1.8
2.84
1.98
2.25
J Kevin & Barbara Nedrow
Clifton Springs , NY
REGANCREST ODADDY 7276-ET
RONELEE SSI O DADDY-ET
2386
1518
39
40
734
6.6
2.68
1.4
3.49
3.01
3.7
Regancrest Farms
Waukon , IA
FARNEAR-TBR-BH MARNI-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2385
1123
55
42
743
7
2.59
1.6
3.16
2.16
3.14
T R & M Simon B & T Rauen &
Farley , IA
S-S-I MORGAN SHALYN 8673-ET
S-S-I BOOKEM MORGAN-ET
2385
1175
66
45
825
7.3
2.65
0.9
2.94
1.87
2.61
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
TWIN-SPRUCE CILO
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2384
1299
86
49
750
4.9
2.56
0.5
3.01
3
2.46
Chad Felten
Rose Creek , MN
REGANCREST MCCUTCHN 7249-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2384
1309
61
47
663
3.9
2.69
0.7
3.59
3.29
3.5
Regancrest Farms
Waukon , IA
DE-SU DEAN 2423-ET
RONELEE SUPER DEAN-ET
2384
1973
56
61
743
5.1
2.63
0.3
3.26
2.01
3.04
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
EDG GLISTEN A GLICE
HUNSBERGER ALCHEMY-ET
2384
1413
36
58
726
6.3
2.52
1.5
2.77
1.92
2.96
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
MS DONNALYN DONEEN-ET
UFM-DUBS-I SHREWD
2383
1668
72
48
744
5.8
2.75
1.2
3.59
1.78
2.73
Trans-America Genetics
Oakdale , CA
RICKLAND SUPERSIRE 4469-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2383
1677
87
66
770
4.6
2.76
-0.2
2.86
2
2.19
Rickert Brothers LLC
Eldorado , WI
OCD SUPERSIRE APPLE-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2382
1321
82
47
706
4.4
2.6
-0.6
3.86
2.77
3.12
Oakfield Corners Dairy
Oakfield , NY
WCD-ZBW SUPERSIRE LALA-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2382
1806
69
62
777
5.8
2.58
-0.1
2.72
2.17
2.33
Kevin & Barbara Ziemba & Woodc
Lisbon , NY
CO-OP MOGUL SYDNEY 6891-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2382
1104
90
47
802
4.9
2.71
0.2
2.73
2.15
3.32
Genesis Cooperative Herd
Shawano , WI
DE-SU EPIC 2390-ET
GENERVATIONS EPIC
2382
1292
70
41
813
6
2.64
2.8
2.39
2.47
1.92
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
JOLICAP DELIGENT WIA-ET
RONELEE DORCY DELIGENT-ET
2380
1000
58
39
733
6
2.64
0.7
3.53
2.3
3.77
Ferme Jolicap Inc
Cap St Ignace PQ , CA
TWIN-SPRUCE CAPPY-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2380
649
78
42
717
4.7
2.56
0.3
3.55
3.03
3.18
Chad Felten
Rose Creek , MN
WOODCREST LAYNE LAZY-ET
KELLERCREST SUPER LAYNE-ET
2378
1766
47
48
738
6.5
2.62
1.5
3.16
1.96
2.95
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
Lisbon , NY
WOODCREST UNO ADELE-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2378
1688
75
52
770
5.5
2.78
2
2.59
2.6
1.9
Samuel R Potter
Union Springs , NY
ZIMMERVIEW KRNCH BRIELLE-ET
HAMMER-CREEK FRED KRUNCH-ET
2378
835
66
35
778
6.6
2.7
1.3
3.28
2.23
3.49
Dean E. & Brent E. Zimmer
Marietta , OH
FARNEAR MCMORMAN MARCIE-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2377
1350
63
45
714
5.6
2.79
0.6
3.61
2.5
3.48
Rick & Tom Simon
Farley , IA
REGANCREST MCCUTCHN 7262-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2377
827
59
38
651
4.5
2.74
0.5
3.82
4.24
3.52
Regancrest Farms
Waukon , IA
NO-FLA ECOYNE ISY 34455-ET
ECOYNE ISY
2377
1146
53
46
838
7.8
2.77
2.4
2.39
1.86
2.44
North Florida Holsteins
Bell , FL
OCD KRUNCH MASQUERADE-ET
HAMMER-CREEK FRED KRUNCH-ET
2375
1763
59
54
741
6.1
2.79
0.4
3.08
2.39
3.38
Oakfield Corners Dairy
Oakfield , NY
MS EMILY ECSTASY-ET
DE-SU RANSOM-ET
2375
826
90
37
844
6.9
2.68
2
2.05
2.9
1.63
Trans-America Genetics
St-Hyacinthe QC , CA
BREMER LARGE COMEDY-ET
GLEN-TOCTIN SUPER LARGE-ET
2374
1418
59
43
674
5
2.7
1.3
3.71
2.49
3.18
Ferdi Seeuws
Sheldon , WI
ZIMMERVIEW SUPRSRE BELL-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2373
1898
84
66
685
3.7
2.98
-0.3
3.53
2.21
2.6
Dean E. & Brent E. Zimmer
Marietta , OH
LACTOMONT LOCASS SARGEANT-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SARGEANT-ET
2372
1338
57
60
662
3.8
2.65
0.3
3.51
2.99
3
Trans-America Genetics
St-Hyacinthe , QC
COOK-FARM UNO HAIZE
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2371
1231
54
45
678
5.2
2.67
1
3.6
2.55
3.33
Gordon Jr. & Gordon Cook III
Hadley , MA
WELCOME SHAN WINFREY-ET
LADYS-MANOR MAN-O-SHAN-ET
2370
1149
79
56
678
3.8
2.81
-0.2
3.73
2.56
2.86
Welcome Stock Farm LLC
Schuylerville , NY
WOODCREST MCCUTCHN LINNY-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2369
1102
67
46
703
4.7
2.79
0.1
3.36
2.46
3.52
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
Lisbon , NY
EILDON-TWEED CHARISMA-ET
LADYS-MANOR RD GRAFEETI-ET
2369
1525
80
60
772
4.3
2.92
1.4
2.35
2.19
2.23
David R. Wood
Amsterdam , NY
TJR MOGUL DINAMITE
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2369
1447
71
50
725
4.5
2.69
-0.2
3.22
2.54
3.41
TJR Genetics
Farley , IA
KELLERCREST PARA CARRIE-ET
REGANCREST PARADISE-ET
2369
1691
73
62
700
3.8
2.61
-0.2
3.2
1.97
3.2
Kellercrest Reg. Hol. Inc.
Mount Horeb , WI
HY-JO-DE MOGUL LIZ-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2369
1784
71
55
745
4.4
2.83
1
2.68
2.82
2.84
Joel F. Gerke
Bangor , WI
CO-OP CALICO LULITA 6868-ET
BRANDT-VIEW CALICO-ET
2368
1627
53
65
739
4.9
2.59
1
2.4
2.39
2.44
Genesis Cooperative Herd
Shawano , WI
GRANSKOG-ACRES JABBER-ET
SHEMA JEEVES CAMERON-ET
2367
984
58
33
782
7
2.57
1.9
3.03
2.63
2.47
David P. Granskog
Stephenson , MI
DE-SU MOGUL 2393-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2367
1582
72
52
742
4.4
2.75
0.5
2.87
2.43
3.22
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
SANDY-VALLEY MOGUL AMY-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2367
1603
72
46
757
5
2.68
0.9
2.87
2.65
2.97
Dave Pat Frank Jr. & Greg B
Stevens Point , WI
NO-FLA MAURICE 34451-ET
MOUNTFIELD MSY MAURICE-ET
2366
1489
84
55
799
4.3
2.58
1.3
2.25
2.09
2.18
North Florida Holsteins
Bell , FL
GEPAQUETTE MAYFIELD RAVIBESSE
DE-SU D MAYFIELD 893-ET
2366
1261
66
52
758
5.3
2.69
1.3
2.86
2.39
2.42
Trans-America Genetics
St-Hyacinthe , QC
MS BOYANA DADDY BAARA
RONELEE SSI O DADDY-ET
2366
1486
26
49
615
5.5
2.74
1.2
4.01
3.23
3.29
Select Genetics of Indiana LLC
Crown Point , IN
WARGO-DANHOF OLIVIA RAE-ET
GENERVATIONS EPIC
2363
1377
59
56
650
3.8
2.75
1.1
3.52
2.66
2.79
Wargo Acres & Jason & Sheri Da
Lodi , WI
WILRA UNO 487-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2362
1050
59
41
807
7.2
2.57
1.9
2.76
2.08
2.3
Wilra Farms Inc.
Nashville , IL
CO-OP SUSTAN LAGOON 6901-ET
GIL-GAR ALTASUSTAIN-ET
2362
1201
49
40
689
5
2.71
1.7
3.46
3.11
3.2
Genesis Cooperative Herd
Shawano , WI
FARNEAR DAY DELORIS-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2361
1957
71
48
759
6.1
2.66
0.6
2.8
2.23
2.61
Rick & Tom Simon
Farley , IA
DANHOF M ANGELIC-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2361
1067
69
45
719
5
2.78
0.2
3.41
3.47
2.97
Jason & Sheri Danhof
Waukon , IA
NO-FLA EPIC DEJAH 34398-ET
GENERVATIONS EPIC
2360
1415
51
49
814
6.3
2.47
2.1
2.24
1.83
2.3
North Florida Holsteins
Bell , FL
EDG HALLIE MAY HALLY
DE-SU D MAYFIELD 893-ET
2359
1917
54
55
655
4.9
2.91
0.2
3.9
1.83
3.35
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
EDG BRYSHA COSMO BRINA
O-COSMOPOLITAN-ET
2358
821
83
50
771
5.1
2.71
0.6
2.78
1.86
2.52
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
MORMANN AGENT 001-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2358
1949
74
64
714
4.6
2.74
-0.2
2.97
2.89
2.35
Bryhill Farm Inc
Ormstown PQ , IA
RICKLAND MCCUTCHEN 4415-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2358
1600
50
57
657
4.8
2.78
0.4
3.51
3.13
2.83
Rickert Brothers LLC
Eldorado , WI
WCD-ZBW SUPERSIRE LINDA-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2357
1864
97
72
695
2.5
2.8
-0.4
2.92
2.1
2.11
Kevin & Barbara Ziemba & Woodc
Lisbon , NY
WOODCREST MAYFLD FINIKY-ET
DE-SU D MAYFIELD 893-ET
2356
1398
61
45
789
6
2.61
2
2.42
2.18
2.57
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
Lisbon , NY
NO-FLA MAURICE 34386-ET
MOUNTFIELD MSY MAURICE-ET
2355
1552
69
55
853
6.3
2.6
2
1.65
2.2
1.39
North Florida Holsteins
Bell , FL
SPEEK-NJ KELLY CLARKSON-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2355
2014
81
63
766
4.9
2.71
-0.4
2.89
1.82
2.4
Neil McDonah
Trempealeau , WI
AMMON FARMS SSR MOONSTAR-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2355
1667
93
63
740
4.3
2.83
-0.6
2.84
2.02
2.39
Michael & Jill Ammon
Lewistown , PA
CHARTROISE UNO MACEY-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2355
1647
99
60
749
3.8
2.76
0
2.72
2.2
2.28
Select Genetics LLC
Manitowoc , WI
REGANCREST MCCUTCHN 7252-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2354
1528
56
43
614
3.6
2.76
0.5
3.97
3.1
3.65
Regancrest Farms
Waukon , IA
FURNACE-HILL MGL ZEXY-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2354
995
51
49
718
4.8
2.69
1.6
2.84
3.02
2.85
Joel Krall & Tim Crouse
Lebanon , PA
WCD-ZBW SUPERSIRE LACE-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2353
1859
79
64
721
4
2.71
0.3
2.76
1.23
2.63
Kevin & Barbara Ziemba & Woodc
Lisbon , NY
CANGEN UNO 5453
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2353
1485
76
45
730
6
2.8
1.2
3.11
2.5
2.15
Trans-America Genetics
St-Hyacinthe , QC
WEIGELINE DEAN 2171-ET
RONELEE SUPER DEAN-ET
2353
1635
67
49
796
6.3
2.73
2.6
2.35
1.38
1.92
Dan Weigel
Richland , MI
WEIGELINE SUPERSONC 2174-ET
MISTY SPRINGS SUPERSONIC
2353
967
76
43
894
7.7
2.73
2.7
1.82
1.12
1.84
Dan Weigel
Richland , MI
BUTZ-HILL MAYFIELD MARIAH
DE-SU D MAYFIELD 893-ET
2353
990
60
45
653
3.7
2.62
0.8
3.66
2.38
3.17
Mark Butz
Mount Vernon , IA
SPEEK-NJ CHELSEA HANDLER-ET
DE-SU D MAYFIELD 893-ET
2352
1932
91
70
718
3.7
2.86
-0.6
3.28
1.3
2.23
Neil McDonah
Trempealeau , WI
MATCREST LEX CHARMING-ET
GENERVATIONS LEXOR
2352
1125
89
57
710
3.2
2.74
-0.4
3.16
2.5
2.87
Matthew R. Johnson
Baldwin , WI
DE-SU ODADDY 2394-ET
RONELEE SSI O DADDY-ET
2352
1792
67
62
797
6.4
2.73
1.1
2.28
1.16
2.07
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
RONLAND EPIC JANELLE-ET
GENERVATIONS EPIC
2352
2432
74
69
739
3.9
2.75
0.5
2.75
2.47
1.61
Ronald Hackmann
Manitowoc , WI
T-SPRUCE MOGUL 7260-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2352
1830
53
59
753
6
2.71
0.3
2.95
2.15
2.6
Arnold B. Gruenes
Richmond , MN
S-S-I SUPRSIRE MORA 8676-ET
SEAGULL-BAY SUPERSIRE-ET
2352
2264
85
60
802
6.3
2.73
0.3
2.76
1.26
1.65
Select Sires Inc.
Plain City , OH
DE-SU ODADDY 2392-ET
RONELEE SSI O DADDY-ET
2351
1829
57
42
793
7.2
2.51
0.7
2.98
1.76
2.79
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
MORMANN AQUA 2148-ET
S-S-I DOMAIN LITHIUM-ET
2351
1199
47
51
743
6.2
2.66
1.7
2.75
2.35
2.79
Jennifer Mormann
Farley , IA
VISION-GEN AIRNET AL14319
AIR-OSA-EXEL ALTAAIRNET-ET
2348
1543
69
57
742
5.3
2.74
1.5
2.52
1.76
2.12
VISION GENETICS
Mount Joy , PA
EDG GLISTEN UNO GARTH
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2348
1213
68
45
728
5.6
2.71
1.1
2.66
2.2
2.96
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
WOODCREST MCCTCHN LOONEY-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2348
338
58
27
705
5.7
2.6
1.3
3.17
2.91
3.57
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
Lisbon , NY
GOLD-N-OAKS U SOLSTA2559-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2347
1069
88
43
728
4.9
2.73
1.5
3.05
1.47
2.55
John & Judy Swenson
Barneveld , WI
EDG GLISTEN MERID GAFNA-ET
SULLY HART MERIDIAN-ET
2347
1750
68
67
623
3
2.89
-0.1
3.52
2.06
2.95
Elite Dairy Genomics LLC
Chebanse , IL
SPRUCE-HAVEN NUMERO UNO 14300
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2346
661
66
30
761
5.7
2.57
2.2
3.2
2.29
2.79
VISION GENETICS
Mount Joy , PA
KERNDTWAY MCCUTCHEN DUCE-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2346
1769
63
53
627
3.6
2.7
-0.3
3.94
2.74
3.08
Mark W. Kerndt
Waukon , IA
OCD KRUNCH MANIFEST-ET
HAMMER-CREEK FRED KRUNCH-ET
2345
1481
47
45
730
6.6
2.72
1.1
3
2.3
3.25
Oakfield Corners Dairy
Oakfield , NY
SPRUCE-HAVEN MOG MI14320-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2343
1591
60
45
676
4.1
2.66
1.2
3.14
3.49
2.7
Doug Young & James Nocek
Union Springs , NY
GLEN-VALLEY UNO SCARF-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2342
737
71
46
722
4.9
2.59
0.8
2.88
2.97
2.58
Scott M. Umble
Atglen , PA
JOLICAP DELIGENT WIANA-ET
RONELEE DORCY DELIGENT-ET
2342
1045
38
47
658
4.7
2.65
0.7
3.94
2.33
3.61
Ferme Jolicap Inc
Cap St Ignace PQ , CA
SAR-JAS UNO SPECKLE-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2342
787
56
35
645
4.7
2.8
1.9
3.66
3.25
3.19
Jason Menne
West Union , IA
VATLAND MCCUTCHEN LANA 3745
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2341
1586
83
50
708
4
2.74
-0.1
3.01
2.17
3
Josh Vatland
Caledonia , MN
GRANSKOG-ACRES JORDAN-ET
SHEMA JEEVES CAMERON-ET
2341
924
48
25
742
7.6
2.6
1.8
3.38
2.3
3.26
David P. Granskog
Stephenson , MI
DE-SU MOGUL 2413-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2341
1216
73
39
779
5.6
2.64
1.4
2.45
2.79
2.49
De Su Holsteins LLC
New Albin , IA
PLAIN-KNOLL PARISH DANCE
PLAIN-KNOLL PARISH 5534-ET
2341
1316
81
53
839
6.4
2.62
1
2.2
1.31
1.83
Buschur Dairy Farms Inc.
New Weston , OH
HY-JO-DE UNO LUCILLA-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2341
1277
89
49
764
4.8
2.6
-0.3
3.04
2.67
2.4
Joel F. Gerke
Bangor , WI
KHW MOGUL AKAHANNA-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2340
217
77
38
751
4.5
2.7
1.5
2.93
3.09
2.63
High Altitude Syndicate
Platteville , WI
SIEMERS MOGUL APPLE-STAR-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2340
943
86
40
623
3
2.76
-0.6
4.15
3.54
3.34
Siemers Holstein Farms Inc.
Newton , WI
SANDY-VALLEY MOGL BASKET-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2340
2047
55
54
674
4.8
2.86
0.8
3.33
2.32
2.91
Dave Pat Frank Jr. & Greg B
Stevens Point , WI
CAPS MAIRY 25
GENERVATIONS EPIC
2339
1589
30
49
657
4.9
2.58
0.9
3.43
3.02
3.03
Eurogenes
Fair Play , MD
T-SPRUCE MOGUL 7272-ET
MOUNTFIELD SSI DCY MOGUL-ET
2339
1667
71
58
715
4.8
2.89
0.3
3.09
2.27
2.71
Arnold B. Gruenes
Richmond , MN
NO-FLA MAURICE 34371-ET
MOUNTFIELD MSY MAURICE-ET
2338
1180
76
49
837
5.6
2.47
0.9
1.89
1.78
2.48
North Florida Holsteins
Bell , FL
RI-VAL-RE MCCTCHN OREGON-ET
DE-SU BKM MCCUTCHEN 1174-ET
2337
1570
54
61
607
3.4
3.04
1.1
3.56
2.1
3.17
Aaron Jorgensen
Webberville , MI
LUDWIGS-DG NUMBERO LUCY-ET
AMIGHETTI NUMERO UNO-ET
2337
624
89
40
735
5.2
2.76
1.4
3.09
2.63
2.14
D. Ludwig Farms LLC
Fithian , IL
* BEI (Bullvine Efficiency Index) – each sire’s ranking is as a percent of the top sire
This group of sires is high for efficiency but slightly more spread out than the sires in Table 1. They are very high for fat yield, daughter fertility and herd life. Breeders that used Divinci will be pleased to see him heading this list but there are many other top all around sires. Divinci, Mucho, Blasito and Topsy are all sons of the high indexing dam, De-Su 199. AltaBettman and Toolshop are full brothers.
Next Proven Sires
Table 3 contains sires that will receive their daughter proofs over the next year or so.
MOONLIGHT HOLSTEINS, CAISTOR CENTRE, ON, (519) 788-6917
ZUGER INNOCENT THREA
VG
85
PENNVIEW INNOCENT
FERME ZUGER, LYSTER, PQ, (819) 389-1038
* BEI (Bullvine Efficiency Index) – each sire’s ranking is as a percent of the top sire
This group of sires contains bulls that are both well known and not so well known to breeders. Supersire and Lexor stand out with high ratings in all categories contained in the table. Lexor and Lanyard are full brothers.
International Proven Sires
Table 4 contains the top ten BEI sires from the US Holstein and CDN MACE listings for top daughter proven sires.
Name
Udder Score
Feet & Legs Score
Final Score
Owner
State
KINGSWAY GOLDWYN ARTICHOKE-ET
88
90
89
Ehrhardt Farms Inc & Gene Iager
MD
MS KEN-DREN SANCHEZ FEATHER
90
90
89
Todd N. Wendorf & Douglas D. Lemke
WI
MS ROCKLEDGE SNCHEZ JAZZ-ET
90
90
89
Jeff Morris Koster
TX
ROCKLAN-T ATWOOD RALLY-ET
90
87
89
Michael J. Garrow
NY
LUCK-E BRAXTON MAEVE
90
87
89
Dalton Engel
IL
CONANT-ACRES AFTSHOCK TRINA
91
85
89
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
OAKFIELD ATWOOD HORIZON-ET
88
87
88
Michael J. Garrow
NY
FLEURY DAMION CARAIBE
90
83
88
Pat Conroy
IN
CHARWILL ATTIC MARCY
88
88
88
Gen-Com Holstein Ltd
DOUGAL LEA GOLDWYN DANITA-ET
88
87
88
Gen-Com Holstein Ltd
LEACHLAND GOLD MEDAL
90
86
88
Ehrhardt Farms Inc & Gene Iager
MD
HOFF-HILL ATLANTIC GLOW
87
90
88
Adam Hoff
TX
BVK ATWOOD ANGIE-ET
87
85
88
Catlin E. Christman
MD
FROZENES SANCHEZ CLAUDIA
90
87
88
Chad J. Ryan
WI
SHEBS GOLDWYN HAWAII-ET
89
86
88
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
LOCUST-RIDGE PLAID BEANIE
88
86
88
Robert A. Johnson
MD
WHITTIER-CF ATWOOD LOVE-ET
88
86
88
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
STONE-HAUS ALEX G6-ET
88
86
88
Glen S. Zimmerman
PA
COCALICO BRADELL PARIS
88
90
88
Paul B. Zimmerman, Jr
PA
MB-LUCKYLADY ATWOOD 5590-ET
87
88
88
Durrer Dairy
CA
PARKACRES AB FRANNIE-RED-ET
89
87
88
Jason M. & Donna G. Myers
MD
REGANCREST GOLD BILLI-J-ET
88
87
88
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
MS T-FARM ZBW BIGTIME PIECE
90
84
88
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
ZBW-JP AT LAST-ET
88
88
88
Kevin & Barbara Ziemba & Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
PUTNAM-FARM DSTRY JASMYN-TW
87
86
88
William & Cynthia &Richard & Shannon Allyn
NH
MS DREAMSALIVE SA PATTYCAKE
87
87
88
Robert & Joyce Ringler Hoffman & Terry Kuehn
PA
STOLHAVEN SOVRGN DIAMOND-ET
89
86
88
G. Alpheus Stoltzfus
PA
DIRIGO-CONANT ATWOOD RANDI
87
88
88
Duane Conant & Steve Keene
ME
CONANT-ACRES ATWOOD FARRAH
90
87
88
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
CONANT-ACRES SANCHEZ CAMMI
90
84
88
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
CONANT-ACRES ALEX ADA
88
90
88
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
CONANT-ACRES BRAXTON FAYME
89
87
88
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
DIRIGO-CONANT SANCHEZ RICKI
90
86
88
Duane Conant & Steve Keene
ME
CONANT-ACRES ATWD FLAIR-ET
90
86
88
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
DIRIGO BRAXTON JORJA
90
87
88
Brian R. Keene
ME
WESTPHALIA SS AMARYLLIS-RED
90
85
88
Grady Wendorf
WI
ROUND-HILL REALITY FIONA-TW
86
87
88
Shelby Iager
MD
RMW SANCHEZ ATHENA-ET
88
87
88
Nicholas John Raggi
MD
MOUNTFIELD SH ATW R12124-ET
88
82
88
Spruce-Haven Farm
NY
KAY-BEN ATWOOD CREAM CHEESE
89
87
88
Eben J. Benson
ME
MEY-VILLA SANCHEZ FLITTER
90
83
88
Jerome E. Meyer
WI
KEVREL MANOMAN MIA-ET
90
86
88
F. Kevin Leaverton
MD
GOLDEN-OAKS ATWD CHARLA-ET
90
84
88
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
P-ZBW SANCHEZ TRIUMPH-ET
88
83
88
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
SAVAGE-LEIGH PS LELA-ET
90
85
87
Savage-Leigh Farm
MD
OCD PICOLO LACY-ET
87
86
87
Laura Emerson & Brent A Ashley
DE
RONBETH HD DAMION DANCER
87
85
87
Brent R. Zimmerman
MD
ROCKYMOUNTAIN MANOMAN DIMPL-ET
88
86
87
Alphagen Syndicate & Ferme Jolicap Inc
WI
SILVERMAPLE BOLTON CAMEO
86
86
87
Golden Oaks & Nick Raggi
IL
RAINYRIDGE DESTINY BIANCA-ET
87
82
87
Gene Iager & St Jacobs ABC, Inc
MD
KINGSWAY ATWOOD DELICATE
88
84
87
Ehrhardt Farms Inc & Gene Iager
MD
CAVA-LANES PRNT SHANTELE-ET
88
79
87
Aaron Hass & Todd Cavanaugh
WI
ROXY-DANE SPIRTE ROCHELLE
86
83
87
Seth Elsner
WI
HAGEN S-STORM CHEROKEE
86
86
87
Keith Hagen
WI
CAR-BON SANCHEZ AKIRA
86
86
87
Thomas J. Bunkoske
WI
MD-HEAVENSENT ABSO MAGNAFIC
86
88
87
Macayla Wiles
MD
BVK ATWOOD ABILENE-ET
85
88
87
Mike & Megan Moede
WI
DONWEN SIZZLE GABRIEL
87
82
87
Donald R. Wendlandt, Jr.
WI
ABRAXAS ACCOLD RD BL MISS
86
86
87
Michael J. Garrow
NY
HAGEN SANCHEZ BANDIT
88
82
87
Keith Hagen
WI
OCEAN-VIEW SHOTLE SHERRY
88
83
87
Mark Rueth & Jeff Woods
WI
MICHIGAN DN SLUSHIE 4685-ET
89
84
87
Michigan State University
MI
WHIT-HART AFTSHK CLIMAX-ET
87
86
87
Shelby Iager
MD
SMITH-CREST-TW J VIDALLIA
90
78
87
Joshua R Butler
WI
MS PEACE&PLENTY FRISKY
88
86
87
Richard Schwartzbeck & Byron Stambaugh
MD
MARTIN-PLACE DUNDEE TRU
88
83
87
Ashley Mariah Martin
ME
GOLDFAWN SANZ ELLI
87
86
87
Nathan M. Goldenberg
TX
PROBERT Z SOLIS
87
83
87
Kate Smith & Pam Probert
WI
SMITH-CREST GIBSON MARY
90
83
87
Travis Smith
WI
ROCKLAN-T ATWOOD ROXANNE-ET
87
84
87
Michael J. Garrow
NY
KMH MONUMENT JADE
88
83
87
Brian Edward Rohloff
WI
ROSEDALE TENACIOUS ROSE-ET
88
85
87
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
STARWARD SANCHEZ JUBILEE-ET
88
85
87
Darwin D. Sneller
MI
ALMOST-MINE R PERFCT-RED-ET
87
85
87
Almost Mine Farm
WI
UNICORN ATTIC GIGI
88
83
87
Sarah Davis
MD
RALMA MANOMAN BLUEJAY-ET
88
85
87
Ringhill Holsteins & DeWeerd Farms Inc
MD-MAPLE-DELL AFTER GENA
87
84
87
Patrick Bros.
MD
MD-MAPLE-DELL SANCHEZ IMARA
87
87
87
Patrick Bros.
MD
ME-DO-CREST LHEROS IVY
87
83
87
Me-Do Meadows
WI
REGAN-BH-ALH M DANNAH-ET
88
85
87
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
LUCK-E SHOTTLE TRINITY-ET
87
85
87
Matt L. Engel
IL
LUCK-E BRAXTON RIDDLE-TW
86
83
87
Matt L. Engel
IL
LUCK-E BRAXTON KAMEKO-ET
87
85
87
Joseph M. Engel
IL
LUCK-E BRAXTON KUMIKO
86
84
87
Joseph M. Engel
IL
LUCK-E ABSOLUTE BABE-RED-ET
87
85
87
Matt L. Engel
IL
VIEW-HOME TIME DASHEA
86
87
87
Country Dairy, Inc.
MI
WINDSOR-MANOR SAN ZSAZSA-ET
87
86
87
Jason M. & Donna G. Myers
MD
WINDSOR-MANOR RAZZLEDAZZLE
88
84
87
Kelsey Zepp
MD
BURLEDGE JASPER PRADA
88
85
87
Ray & Rae Nell Halbur
WI
CLEAR-ECHO M-O-M 2150-ET
90
82
87
De Su Holsteins LLC
IA
BRIGEEN SHOTTLE GIGI-ET
87
84
87
Vivian Briggs
ME
CO-OP SUPER JULITA-ET
88
82
87
Genesis Cooperative Herd
WI
CONANT-ACRES AFTRSHK LUSTRE
88
88
87
Duane W. Conant
ME
SELLCREST DBONAIR RITA-RED
90
82
87
Allen & Shirley Sell
WI
NO-LIMIT SHOTTLE LICORICE
87
85
87
Durrer Dairy & MB Luckylady Farm
CA
KLASSENS SANCHEZ JAMIE-3773
86
86
87
Jeff Morris Koster
TX
GOLDEN-OAKS AS CHARITY-ET
86
82
87
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
GOLDEN-OAKS GWYN CHRISTA-ET
87
84
87
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
GOLDEN-OAKS-NR GABRIELA
88
82
87
Golden Oaks & Nick Raggi
IL
DRENDEL-PM DAMION ELOISE
87
84
87
Kristina Drendel
IL
LINDALE SANCHEZ TATIANA
88
83
87
Dale & Linda Drendel
IL
TEX-STEIN COLBY PERRI
88
86
87
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
TEX-STEIN PONTIAC GRACE
86
88
87
Gavin Steinberger
TX
TEX-STEIN PONTIAC FIREBIRD
90
82
87
Gavin Steinberger
TX
TEX-STEIN DEUCE HEIDY
89
83
87
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
FARNEAR B ABBIE AKA
88
85
87
Rick & Tom Simon
IA
FLICKSTEAD SHOTTLE 1529
87
86
87
Diane G. Flickinger
MD
MS CRESCENTMEAD DANIE-ET
88
83
87
Budjon Farms, Peter C. Vail & Pierre Boulet
WI
GBM ATWOOD ACCENT-ET
88
85
87
Mark Douglas Cain
DE
BUCHHOLZ BALTIMOR HAMBONE
87
85
87
James & Susan Buchholz
WI
BEAVER-FLATS ALEX CORKY-ET
88
86
87
Jeffrey D. Dana
NY
MISS REAL HOT-RED
87
82
87
Troy Wendorf
WI
VISION-GEN SH SHO A12037-ET
88
83
87
Rick & Tom Simon,B & T Rauen & Butz-Hill Hol.
IA
VISION-GEN SUP GUVA-C037-ET
90
83
87
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
LADYS-MANOR GINGERSNAP-TW
87
87
87
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR FRD GIZELLE-ET
89
83
87
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LEEMODE BRAXTON PONTIA
90
83
87
Ross W. Lee
CA
EHRHARDT GOLDWYN BRITNEY-ET
88
87
87
Ehrhardt Farms, Inc.
MD
COLDSPRINGS BRODY 4093
87
84
87
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS DUSK 4095
88
83
87
Courtney K. Hoff
MD
KEVREL PLANET MIA-ET
90
85
87
F. Kevin Leaverton
MD
GOLDEN-OAKS CARLA-RED
88
86
87
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
STAR-ROCK EMPHASIS 6427
88
87
87
Star Rock Farms
PA
DURCHAN ALLEN DELIGHT-ET
86
90
87
Kingstead Farms & Tom Mercuro
MD
ROSEDALE LIFE IS SWEET-ET
90
81
87
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
ROSEDALE LUCK WITH A KISS
87
90
87
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
JENESIS-B KYLE NAOMI
87
85
86
Tom & Jacqueline Barends
MI
L-C-V BRAXTON LILLY 2067
86
85
86
Macey B Vieira
CA
L-C-V LOTHARIO SARY 2164
88
83
86
Macey B Vieira
CA
AARDEMA DORCY 84309
86
83
86
Double A Dairy
ID
CRAVE BALTIMOR BLUES 6291
85
85
86
Crave Brothers Farm LLC
WI
COSTA-VIEW BOLTON 41447
88
82
86
Costa-View Farms
CA
GROSS-FARM OUTSIDE HONEY
86
85
86
Norman Gross
MI
COSTA-VIEW AL 39808-ET
85
87
86
Joseph Azevedo
CA
B-HIDDENHILLS BEACN 1298-ET
86
86
86
Hidden Hills Dairy
MI
RUGG-DOC AFTRSHOCK CARAH-ET
88
83
86
Jeff Rugg
WI
CITYVIEW GOLDWYN ACE
88
84
86
Richard A. & K. Lisa Schwartzbeck
MD
BUTZ-BUTLER JASPR ASPIRE
86
85
86
Mary Feucht
WI
NINE-CEES LARAMEE SKY
85
84
86
Nine Cees Dairy
WI
POLLACK-VU IS LOW RIDER
86
82
86
Steven & Dori Lichty
WI
MISTY-Z ROY JAZZY
86
85
86
Dale L. Zimmerman
PA
GOLDFAWN-SYM JASPER JODI
85
83
86
Addison Anne Goldenberg
TX
WILDWEED ATLAS DINA
86
82
86
James, Kari & Linda Behling
WI
FISCHERDALE SANCHEZ JUDY-ET
90
80
86
Kamphuis Farms LLC
WI
GLEN-TOCTIN GOLD LEENA-ET
86
83
86
Katelyn M. Allen
MD
PHEASANT-ECHOS SHOTL ELAINE
88
85
86
Byron & Deborah Stambaugh
MD
PHEASANT-ECHOS MILN DARLENE
87
83
86
Trinity Kaye Miller
MD
VALMONT HARRY SHADE DELLA
86
82
86
Aaron A. & Aaron L. Widrick
NY
MAPLEGRAND SHOTTLE GABBY
86
82
86
Maplegrand Farms
NY
BUDJON-JK DURHAM EARRING
85
82
86
Budjon Farms & Joel Kietzman
WI
GLORYLAND-SA SONYA RAE-ET
87
86
86
James R. Putman
NY
GLEN-TOCTIN SUPER LAVENA-ET
88
85
86
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
PLAYBALL MOM LITTLE
86
87
86
Tim Schmitt
IA
RYAN-VU PRONTO KORRAL
86
86
86
Mark J. Ryan
WI
CLELAND MR BURNS ANNIE
85
85
86
Jason J. Cleland
WI
GALESTONE PASSION-ET
86
85
86
Robert A. Johnson
MD
ABRAXAS DEBONRRD BARBIE
87
82
86
Michael Faucher
NY
WILDWEED TOUCHDOWN CARMEL
86
85
86
Frank Behling
WI
ROCKLAN ADVENT REGAN-ET
86
82
86
Michael J. Garrow
NY
ROKEYROAD ATWOOD ELSIE-ET
86
83
86
Mason Dairy Farm LLC
OK
MICHIGAN DN ROUGHIE 4686-ET
89
78
86
Michigan State University
MI
PERLANE BOHNVIEW J FANTASIA
86
85
86
Daniel Bohn
WI
HOWARDVIEWWG SUPR AMBRIA-ET
86
84
86
Logan A. Zanzalari
IN
OUR-BEST SHINING STAR-TW
86
82
86
Mark & Joseph Wolf
WI
HOFF-HILL SANCHEZ TWINKIE
85
86
86
Adam Hoff
TX
DESTINY-ROAD DUSK DYNAMITE
87
85
86
Jay Stoltzfus
PA
CLASS-E CLASSIC CHEDDAR-ET
86
85
86
Lucas & Eric Moser
MI
HEADWATER LENNY JENNY
90
81
86
Eric Sherman
NY
ABRAXAS GABOR MOONSHINE
86
86
86
Carl, Samuel & Aaron Moore
NY
INSPIRACRES DEBON FAY-RED
86
85
86
Steve & Sharon Patterson
WI
WA-DEL SUPER BATHSHEBA-ET
87
82
86
Rick L. Wadel
PA
MD-LOCUSTCREST ARTIE MILKY
87
81
86
Md-Locust Crest
MD
SMITH-CREST FR IDEE-ET
86
80
86
Matt & Travis Smith
WI
AEBI-THAL ATWOOD RENE
87
84
86
Jim Abey
WI
PROTEGE RIANNA ROSE
87
82
86
Colt & Nikki Voegeli
WI
CLOVER-PRAIRIE 5038 JEWEL
85
83
86
Kyle A. Batista
CA
PHEASANT-ECHOS TURVY-RED-ET
87
83
86
Kenny Stambaugh
MD
MAPLEGRAND SANCHEZ PAL
87
83
86
Maplegrand Farms
NY
ROSSDALE KNOWLEDGE ROYCE-ET
83
86
86
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
ROCKLAN-T GOLDWYN TOPS-ET
86
87
86
Michael J. Garrow
NY
BEE-BOW SHOTTLE PARFAIT-ET
87
87
86
Kamphuis Farms LLC
WI
IDEAL-KR IVANKA
86
86
86
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
PHEASANT-ECHOS PHNX LEANDRA
87
83
86
Byron & Deborah Stambaugh
MD
RAGGI JASPER CUPID
87
83
86
Ronald E. Statler II
PA
SHADY-WOOD DEUCE JENNY
86
85
86
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
NEHLS-VALLEY SUPER LIPPY
87
82
86
Gene P & Seth L Nehls
WI
RAGGI ATWOOD TONI-ET
86
85
86
Nicholas John Raggi
MD
MOONDALE JASPER TJ-ET
86
83
86
Cindy L. Krull
WI
MD-MAPLE-DELL AFTER DICEY
86
84
86
Maple Dell Farms
MD
MD-MAPLE-DELL ALEX SUE-ET
87
83
86
Derek Patrick
MD
MD-MAPLE-DELL ALEX SALLY-ET
87
84
86
Derek Patrick
MD
IRIS-HILL ADVENT NIKO-RED
86
85
86
Paul L. & Titus Mast
NY
WOODLEDGE ROY 955
87
83
86
R. Garnett Smith, Jr.
VA
LE-O-LA ATWOOD GYPSY
86
85
86
Richard F. & Kathy S. Demmer
IA
APPEALING G W ATWOOD JINX
86
85
86
S. Scott & April D. Cooper
PA
KAY-BEN ATWOOD KELLY
87
82
86
Erica J. Benson
ME
REGANCREST FRD LISANNE-ET
85
86
86
Kenneth J. Pfaff
WI
ZBW-WG AFTER EFFECT
86
85
86
Jeffrey D. Dana
NY
LUCK-E ABSOLUTE CINEMA
84
86
86
Matt L. Engel
IL
LUCK-E ABSOLUTE ZANG
87
84
86
Matt L. Engel
IL
F-A-F SIDNEY LOMIRA
85
84
86
Luke Borchardt
IL
SPRUCE-HAVEN ATW BJ11846-ET
88
82
86
Spruce-Haven Farm
NY
ROPUT DAMION GRINDAL
87
85
86
James R. Putman
NY
CHRIS-DA ALFREDO JULIET
87
82
86
LaVern & Cheryl Davis
WI
KOZ-DA SHAKIRA-RED
88
86
86
DaMartini Holsteins
WI
HILLTOP-LLC BOLTON 4574-TW
86
82
86
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
SPEEK-NJ PROM QUEEN-RED-ET
87
82
86
Neil McDonah
WI
WINDSOR-MANOR JEEV ROCHELLE
86
83
86
Jason M. & Donna G. Myers
MD
JUNLYN FRONTRUNNER WILMA
87
81
86
Junlyn Farms, Inc.
WI
PIERCE-VALE MAC TAMMY-ET
86
84
86
Pierce-Vale Farms LLC
WI
K-MANOR NIAGRA MODEL
86
86
86
K-Manor Holsteins
WI
STONE-FRONT JELLY-RED
85
85
86
Tom Lyon, Jr.
WI
COLDSPRINGS REECE 3923
88
85
86
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS BOLTON 3975
87
86
86
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
KA-MITZ KASPER KAITLYN-RED
86
85
86
Todd Kahl
IL
MIDAS-TOUCH TRUMP RYLEE
87
82
86
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
LOCUST-VALE S ROSETTE
86
85
86
Wilmer L. & Vera C. Peachey
NY
BLUE-GENE SHOTTLE SOUPEY-ET
87
82
86
Eugene M. Poirier
NY
HEINZE SANCHEZ PARIS
87
85
86
Mark T. Heinze
WI
ROB-SARA ATLANTIC FLOR 1888
85
86
86
Robert L. III & Laura Emerson
DE
MATT-DARI SPEARMINT SOCIETY
86
85
86
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
MATT-DARI ALEXANDER BIRDIE
85
85
86
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
MATT-DARI SHOTTLE DELISA
86
85
86
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
SIBIC MATT-DARI BADEN
87
80
86
Amy Simon
WI
MATT-DARI AL WINK
86
85
86
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
MATT-DARI AFTERSHOCK FIFI
86
85
86
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
HOEK-TEX APPLE 5508
86
86
86
Meagan Jessyka Hoekman
TX
HOEK-TEX SANCHEZ 5526-ET
85
86
86
Gerard Hoekman
TX
HOEK-TEX BOULDER 5529-ET
86
86
86
Gerard Hoekman
TX
HOEK-TEX BEDFORD 5555
85
87
86
Gerard Hoekman
TX
GREEMLEA-TM DES BEULAH-ET
86
87
86
Savage-Leigh Farm
MD
MISS DEBONAIR BEAUTIFUL-RED
85
86
86
Richard M. Green
DE
T-C-G APPLE ROLEX-RED-ET
86
82
86
Joseph K. Panter & Triple Crown Genetics
ID
T-C-G JEEVES MADDY-ET
87
83
86
Triple Crown Genetics
ID
MILKSOURCE FORTUNE LAYNE
83
85
86
Frank Behling
WI
CONANT-ACRES GOLD SUKEY-ET
86
85
86
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
CONANT-ACRES BRAXTON TESSA
88
81
86
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
SELLCREST LB MISSY-RED-ET
85
86
86
Gary Sell
WI
SELLCREST JONAH KALA-RED
87
85
86
Allen & Shirley Sell
WI
NO-LIMIT SHOTTLE HAZEL
87
83
86
Durrer Dairy & MB Luckylady Farm
CA
KINGSMILL ALLOY ATARA
85
85
86
Kaitlyn R. Corbett
MD
KINGSMILL ALLOY ALETTE
87
85
86
Kaitlyn R. Corbett
MD
WESTPHALIA RR ASTONISH-RED
85
87
86
Charles A. Westphal
WI
GOLDEN-OAKS ADVENT ALEXA-ET
85
85
86
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
GOLDEN-OAKS GW CHAMPAGNE-ET
87
84
86
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
GOLDEN-OAKS AB FLIRT-RED-ET
88
82
86
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
BULLDOG BRAXTON GRAND
86
85
86
Bulldog Holsteins
MD
GA-IL AWOOD CLARICE-ET
86
82
86
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
GLADE-ROCK TIME ERICA
85
86
86
Emily P. Ausherman
MD
TEX-STEIN COLBY YAJAIVA
87
85
86
Gavin Steinberger
TX
TEX-STEIN COLBY AQUILLA
86
86
86
Gavin Steinberger
TX
TEX-STEIN GABOR DARBI
90
83
86
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
TEX-STEIN GABOR SHARON
88
85
86
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
TEX-STEIN DEUCE CHELLSEY
88
85
86
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
FARNEAR BROCADES BAKA-ETS
87
83
86
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
FARNEAR ADA ADVOCATION-ET
87
83
86
Rick & Tom Simon
IA
MDF SANCHEZ 3120
85
90
86
Mason Dairy Farm LLC
OK
WEBB-VUE GABOR MS JACHEIA
88
83
86
Robert A. Webb
WI
ROCK-HOME PRONTO FJEARA
85
85
86
Jeff Morris Koster
TX
NEHLS-VALLEY STARDUST-RED
85
88
86
Shawn Nehls
WI
NEHLS-VALLEY SUGARLAND-RED
85
85
86
Shawn Nehls
WI
B-ENTERPRISE SUPER GIGI-ET
85
85
86
Rick & Tom Simon & Butz-Hill Holstein
IA
T-C-G DESTRY GOLD-RAE
87
84
86
Seagull Bay Dairy, Inc.
ID
T-C-G GOLD RHIANNA-ET
85
86
86
Triple Crown Genetics
ID
R-E-W CHARM BRACELET-ET
87
85
86
Derek Lease
MD
HARDEE-ROCK RB SHARA-RED-ET
88
84
86
Darwin D. Sneller
MI
ROCK-HOME DESTRY LIVIA-ET
86
86
86
Adam Hoff
TX
WARGO-ACRES MUSIC-ET
85
83
86
Wargo Acres
WI
WARGO-ACRES JANE
87
85
86
Wargo Acres
WI
WARGO-ACRES SUPER MILEY
85
85
86
Wargo Acres
WI
WARGO-N-JD SUPER DELUX-ET
87
83
86
Craig Carncross & Jason Danhof
WI
MDF G W ATWOOD 3240
86
83
86
Mason Dairy Farm LLC
OK
HILLPINE REALITY JAN
88
85
86
Byron W. Bruins
WI
LADYS-MANOR ALLOY FRESCA
87
83
86
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR DORCY ODA
90
81
86
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR DORCY AMELIA
85
86
86
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR SHOT AT LUCKY
86
83
86
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR DORCY AMIRA
88
86
86
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR BIGTIME BUFFY
87
83
86
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
KAY-BEN ALEXANDER LOLIPOP
87
86
86
Kay-Ben Holsteins
ME
MAPLE-HILL-FARM LUCKY SEVEN
87
80
86
Paul E. Horning
PA
HNKES-WESSEL ATW ECLIPSE-ET
86
83
86
Douglas D. Lemke
WI
CASTLEHOLM ROSIE RAE-RED-ET
86
84
86
Nicole K. Wright
WI
MILKSOURCE ADV INDIANA-RED
87
82
86
Robert & Matt Puskas
NJ
SPRINGHILL-OH BOWSER ICE-ET
87
86
86
End Road Farm
MI
ROPUT AIRRAID BEARLY
86
87
86
James R. Putman
NY
BER-SHER EXPLO CARISSA CIN
86
85
86
Bernard & Ronald Brinks
MI
LORITA ATWOOD ANNA STAR
85
85
86
Durrer Dairy
CA
EHRHARDT ASHOCK LAURIN-ET
86
86
86
Ehrhardt Farms, Inc.
MD
COLDSPRINGS SILVAN 4076
87
83
86
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS DUSK 4107
86
82
86
Ian A. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS BAXTER 4161
87
86
86
Ian A. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS LIGHTNING 4198
86
84
86
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
MEY-VILLA CHRIS DELLA
87
83
86
Bernard & Jerome Meyer
WI
MEY-VILLA SANCHEZ FANCLUB
87
80
86
Jerome D. Meyer
WI
PEACE&PLENTY ASPEN BONJOUR
87
82
86
Joseph A. Schwartzbeck
MD
PEACE&PLENTY FREEDOM ROYAL
88
82
86
Richard A. Schwartzbeck
MD
CO-OP UPD FREDDIE 4332
88
83
86
Genesis Cooperative Herd
WI
PIERCE-VALE AFSHK TAFFY-ET
86
85
86
Pierce-Vale Farms LLC
WI
MS TODDSDALE GOLD TRILEY-ET
86
85
86
Michael J. Garrow
NY
KEVREL MAN-O-MAN 1525
87
85
86
F. Kevin Leaverton
MD
ARB-FLO-SPR BUCKEYE SHABAM
88
82
86
Jamie Arbaugh
MD
HORIZON-JAY SHOT-OBSEE-ET
90
82
86
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
MS APPLES ARIA-ET
89
83
86
Luke & Megan Rauen & Josh & Adam Simon
IA
GOLDEN-OAKS ATWOOD VENUS-ET
87
84
86
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
STONE-FRONT HVEZDA ROADIE
88
84
86
Andrew Jay Buttles
WI
NELSON-MILL AUGIE 969
87
84
86
J. Walter Rutledge, II
MD
HILMAR SUPER 4745
87
86
86
Hilmar Holsteins, Inc.
CA
WINDSOR-MANOR Z STICKY
86
83
86
Jason M. & Donna G. Myers
MD
P-ZBW SANCHEZ TRINITY-ET
87
82
86
Tyler Nephew
NY
MS SUGAR-C ALEXNDR QUEEN-ET
86
85
86
Sugar Creek Dairy
WI
RAGGI-MANOR SHANE SILVER
86
86
86
Nick Raggi & Robert E.& Mary O. Smith
MD
BUR-RODZ SANCHEZ BETH
90
80
86
Rodney A. Zietlow
WI
ROSEDALE ENOUGH TALK
87
82
86
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
ROSEDALE FASHION SENSE
86
83
86
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
ROSEDALE COURAGEOUS CAT
86
82
86
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
LONE-MAPLE LHEROS 101
87
83
86
Linford R Weber
MD
TRI-KOEBEL SNOFALL TICKTOCK
86
82
85
Stephen J. Reed
MI
JENESIS-B KYLE ECHO
83
84
85
Isaiah Barends
MI
JENESIS-B ARMSTEAD MARISSA
85
85
85
Tom & Jacqueline Barends
MI
JENESIS-B KYLE ELITE
85
82
85
Tom & Jacqueline Barends
MI
S-S-I BOWSR WHISPER 7054-ET
86
83
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
NORZ-HILL-C ATWOOD EMILY-ET
85
78
85
Richard & Richard Norz, Jr. & Peter Chatain
NJ
GREENLEA DESTRY RAE
83
86
85
Wayne & Cindee Savage & Richard Green
MD
SAVAGE-LEIGH RR STACEY
86
85
85
Jami Leigh Savage
MD
SAVAGE-LEIGH LIBERTY GABBY
85
82
85
Jami Leigh Savage
MD
SAVAGE-LEIGH ASPEN DARCI-ET
85
85
85
Kelli Ann Welsh
MD
SAVAGE-LEIGH SHAQUILLE ROXY
85
86
85
Savage-Leigh Farm
MD
SAVAGE-LEIGH SHAQ MAZEL-ET
85
81
85
Savage-Leigh Farm & Matt & Kelli Welsh
MD
TOM-ANNA MICHELLE 2160-ET
86
82
85
Tom & Deanna Stamp
MI
END-ROAD MACHINE BECCA-ET
84
86
85
End Road Farm
MI
END-ROAD GRAYBIL MACHA
83
87
85
End Road Farm
MI
END-ROAD AL MONTANA
85
84
85
End Road Farm
MI
B-HIDDENHILLS PADDY 1368-ET
86
86
85
Hidden Hills Dairy
MI
B-HIDDENHILLS DORCY 1405-ET
86
84
85
Hidden Hills Dairy
MI
B-HIDDENHILLS GABOR 1419
86
85
85
Hidden Hills Dairy
MI
WARDIN RUSSELL RITA-ET
86
82
85
Wardin Bros.
MI
CLAYTOP DREAM NAKED
85
83
85
Jeffrey L. Paulen
MI
JO-JO JONAH JOY-RED
86
82
85
Joseph A. Kubacki
MI
OAKFIELD-BRO FRANCESCA-ET
85
82
85
Douglas D. Lemke
WI
CRAVE TOYSTORY WINTER 6172
85
85
85
Crave Brothers Farm LLC
WI
COSTA-VIEW BOLTON 40777
87
84
85
Costa-View Farms
CA
GROSS-FARM 818 MAVE
85
85
85
Norman Gross
MI
GROSS-FARM MILLION ANTONIA
86
85
85
Norman Gross
MI
WELCOME OBSERV CORA-ET
86
85
85
Rock Hill Dairy LLC
NM
S-S-I ROBUST MAGIC 7228-ET
86
85
85
End Road Farm
MI
COSTA-VIEW ALEXANDER 41931
85
87
85
Costa-View Farms
CA
S-S-I BEACON LAROSE 7281-ET
87
86
85
Kevin & Barbara Ziemba
NY
WOODCREST ATWOOD ESTHER-ET
84
87
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
COLSTEIN ATWOOD MEOW MEOW
87
77
85
Kevin & Barbara Ziemba & Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
LOCUST-AYR AFTERSHOCK MICKI
86
82
85
Michael R. & Anita L. Haines
MD
FROZENES ADVT ENGLISH-RED
85
83
85
James H. Janes
WI
CADY-LEE LARAMEE PENELOPE
83
82
85
Michelle P. Lee
NY
LOCUST-AYR MILLION AIRE-ET
85
82
85
Michael R. & Anita L. Haines
MD
CRYSTAL-JOY GIBSON FRISBEE
85
84
85
Amy M Stoltzfus
PA
LARS-ACRES RR-MM MM TINA-TW
86
83
85
Riley Miller
WI
POLLACK-VU MILN JOLLY1-8-ET
86
82
85
Pollack-Vu Dairy, LLC
WI
RYAN-VU LAURIN ECLIPSE
86
80
85
Chad & Mark Ryan
WI
RYAN-VU SANCHEZ BOTANY
85
82
85
Chad J. Ryan
WI
STONE-HAUS DRAKE ASHTON
86
87
85
Glen S. Zimmerman
PA
LONG-HAVEN KITE TALIA-TW
85
84
85
Orin J. Engelhardt
MI
PENTUCK MAC MOPSIE
85
85
85
Johnathan Heinsohn
IL
DONWEN DREVIL DOMAIN
87
81
85
Donald R. Wendlandt, Jr.
WI
WIL-O-MAR POTHOLE LAUREL
85
83
85
Wil-O-Mar Farm
MD
KNOTT-RUN CON PENNY-RED
86
81
85
Andrea Vaz
NM
MEYERVILLA SZ SOPHIE RAE-ET
85
82
85
Tyler J. Meyer
WI
PHEASANT-ECHOS MELSINA-ET
87
81
85
Byron & Deborah Stambaugh
MD
PEACE&PLENTY FREEDOM VAN
82
86
85
Richard A. Schwartzbeck
MD
BUDJON LIGHTNING ALLI
82
81
85
Budjon Farms
WI
GREYSTONE MITEY JASMAN
84
83
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
WHITTIER-FARMS SUPR ALEN-ET
83
88
85
The Brown Eye Syndicate
CA
STONE-TD SANCHEZ BLITZ
85
85
85
Templeton Farms LLC
WI
A-SURE-BET ATTIC KELLY
85
85
85
Emily & Tommy Smith
DE
L-MAPLES MONUMENT HELEN
86
80
85
Tom Lyon, Jr.
WI
GLEN-TOCTIN MANO HEIDI
86
82
85
Glen-Toctin Farm
MD
POLLACK-VU SANCHEZ REVERIE
85
84
85
Pollack-Vu Dairy, LLC
WI
RYAN-VU JASPER ARROW-ET
86
81
85
Mark J. Ryan
WI
RYAN-VU LAURIN NADIA
87
82
85
Chad & Mark Ryan
WI
LOCUST-AYR STRLNG MARIE-ET
87
81
85
Michael R. & Anita L. Haines
MD
SAM-SIM TLNT CREME DE CREME
85
83
85
C K Kerrick III & Jerrel Heatwole
DE
MORAM PEARL ESCAL PLENTY
84
84
85
Shaun D. & Betty Jo Hyde
MI
MORAM MISS ESCAL ELSIE
86
82
85
Richard D. & Patricia L. Hyde
MI
BVK ALEXANDER ASHIKA-ET
85
83
85
Francis W. Daniel III
WV
SENLAND GABOR SALAMONA
85
85
85
James P. Senn
WI
GAHMS ASTEROID TYRA
85
85
85
Mackenzie Spears
AR
BRU-DALE SUPER SASHA-ET
87
82
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
LOCUST-RIDGE DSTRY MEREDITH
86
84
85
Jamie Arbaugh
MD
MEYERVILLA SANCHEZ ROXXY
86
85
85
Tyler J. Meyer
WI
MEYERVILLA DESTRY TICKL-RED
85
78
85
Tyler J. Meyer
WI
PHEASANT-ECHOS FRTR SHIRLEY
88
83
85
Byron & Deborah Stambaugh
MD
CASS-RIVER DEUCE PRESTIGE
85
85
85
Larry, Ronald & John Keinath
MI
PHEASANT-ECHOS WENDALL-ET
86
83
85
Bud Stambaugh
MD
MD-LOCUSTCREST JULIO PAM
86
83
85
Md-Locust Crest
MD
KELDEAN MATSON ELITE
87
84
85
Dean Michael Davenport
MI
BUDJON-JK MA ELLIOTT
84
82
85
Riley Miller
WI
WA-DEL SUPER BRANDY-ET
87
84
85
Lester C. Jones & Sons, Inc.
MD
WA-DEL SUPER BRISTOL-ET
85
86
85
Rick L. Wadel
PA
BOHNVIEW LAURIN ELECTRA
84
83
85
Aaron Bohn
WI
BOHNVIEW LAURIN ELLYMAE
86
82
85
Daniel Bohn
WI
MS ARIEL FREDDIE ANNA-ET
86
85
85
Sebastien Dion
WI
BELL-STONE AFTERSHOCK TONI
85
82
85
W. Franklin, Jr. & Jeffery F. Moore
MD
MORAM MINN DAMION TANSY
85
84
85
Richard D. & Patricia L. Hyde
MI
LOCUST-AYR SSTORM TATER TOT
87
81
85
Ryan Matthew Haines
MD
MISTY-Z SANCHEZ TEMPO
86
82
85
Dale L. Zimmerman
PA
MISTY-Z SANCHEZ EILEEN
86
81
85
Dale L. Zimmerman
PA
WA-DEL ROSS BETHIA-ET
85
83
85
Rick L. Wadel
PA
HEADWATER AVALANCHE PANDORA
85
83
85
Eric Sherman
NY
HEADWATER REDLINER JEZABELL
86
85
85
Eric & Lorelle Sherman
NY
HEADWATER AFRSHOCK JORDACHE
87
82
85
Eric & Lorelle Sherman
NY
INSPIRACRES ABSOLUTE MAISIE
87
83
85
Steve & Sharon Patterson
WI
INSPIRACRES FRNTRNNR LYDIA
86
85
85
Steve & Sharon Patterson
WI
INSPIRACRES SANCHEZ JULIE
85
85
85
Steve & Sharon Patterson
WI
GLEN-TOCTIN SUPER LOUISA-ET
85
82
85
Glen-Toctin Farm
MD
BROEGE-ACRES DESTRY KRISTIE
86
80
85
Caleb Broege
WI
CADY-LEE BUCKEYE HELLEMINA
87
80
85
Stephen H. & Sally C. Lee
NY
EDEN-VIEW SANCHEZ COKE-ET
85
83
85
Eric Niswander
PA
CADY-LEE DUNDEE CHELSEY
87
78
85
Michelle P. Lee
NY
WA-DEL ROSS MATTIE
86
81
85
Rick L. Wadel
PA
WA-DEL-DH BOOKEM CLAIRE-ET
87
82
85
Darwin Gene Horst & Rick L. Wadel
PA
BUDJON LAURIN ABBOTT-ET
85
80
85
Budjon Farms
WI
MARSH-VUE LB PRECIOUS-RED
86
82
85
Douglas D. Lemke
WI
JERLAND DEB GOGETTER-RED-ET
88
76
85
Rebekah & Miles Schraufnagel
WI
STARWARD BOLTON CARLY
87
82
85
Darwin D. Sneller
MI
STRAWBERRY-ACRES SANC MICA
84
83
85
John, Ann & Barbara Schenning
MD
ROCKY-MOUNT SANCHEZ FINESSE
85
82
85
Parker F. Welch
MD
LIME-VALLEY FROST-ET
86
82
85
Jeff & Dan Liner
WI
MAPLE-ARBOR CRIMSON FLAVIA
86
81
85
Fred D. & Annette L. Prichard
MI
OCEAN-VIEW LL ZANDRA-ET
86
83
85
Kamphuis Farms LLC
WI
CLAYTOP ROSS PEAR-ET
84
85
85
Jeffrey L. Paulen
MI
IA-WILSIM MARY
86
79
85
W. Franklin, Jr. & Jeffery F. Moore
MD
SCHWANDT COLBY GWENORA
87
77
85
Robert L. Schwandt, Jr.
WI
CAR-BON ALEXANDER AVERY
86
85
85
Kevin J. Bunkoske
WI
WRT-GIES ADVENT CHER-RED-ET
87
83
85
Gies Farms & D & T Dairy LLC
WI
HAZELS GLDWN HEART-ET
86
83
85
Eben J. Benson
ME
HIL-SURROUND CONTENDER WOW
90
82
85
Jared G. Martin
MD
MAPLEGRAND LHEROS RUTH
86
82
85
Maplegrand Farms
NY
MAPLEGRAND LHEROS ADALINE
86
82
85
Maplegrand Farms
NY
RHYTHM LAURIN KETTLE
85
85
85
Bradley Farms
WI
GOLDFAWN ROCK SELMA-RED
86
85
85
Addison Anne Goldenberg
TX
HEADWATER PHOENIX PUNKY
85
86
85
Eric Sherman
NY
FROZENES LYDON RITZ
85
88
85
Aaron L. Hass
WI
SMITH-CREST MILLER WINNIE
88
81
85
Matt & Travis Smith
WI
GR-ACRES ATWOOD LOVELY
86
85
85
Rebekah Schraufnagel
WI
WILFARMS P KNOWLEDGE DESIE
86
85
85
Carson Acres LLC
MI
D-L-BENNETT ATLANTIC JINNA
87
82
85
Lawson D. Bennett
MI
D-L-BENNETT R ROYCE TRIXY
84
82
85
Lawson D. Bennett
MI
MS BENNETT ATLANTIC ANGEL
87
81
85
D. D. L. & D. Bennett & Tyler DeWeerd
MI
MISTY-Z BRONCO TARGET
87
83
85
Dale L. Zimmerman
PA
COCALICO SHOTTLE AVERY-ET
85
82
85
Paul B. Zimmerman, Jr
PA
REED-ELI SSDEUCE AVENGA-RED
86
85
85
Elizabeth Reed
MI
COCALICO SHOTTLE MAGGIE
83
84
85
Paul B. Zimmerman, Jr
PA
MISS SUMMER BUNNY-ET
85
80
85
Brett Hildebrandt
WI
COCALICO DAMION JOLEE-TW
82
85
85
Paul B. Zimmerman, Jr
PA
COCALICO MAC ASHLYN
85
85
85
Paul B. Zimmerman, Jr
PA
COCALICO SHOTTLE PIPER
86
83
85
Paul B. Zimmerman, Jr
PA
NINE-CEES BALTIMOR PARK
87
80
85
Nine Cees Dairy
WI
JORICH-WAY BURNS IRIS
85
77
85
Richard E. Schulz
WI
JORICH-WAY LHEROS RHEA
86
83
85
Richard E. Schulz
WI
JORICH-WAY BALTIMOR RAINBOW
88
77
85
Richard E. Schulz
WI
MORAM SHASTA SANCHEZ PIZA
86
82
85
Shaun D. Hyde
MI
MAPLE-NOOK JACKSON FLIER
86
81
85
Maple-Nook Holsteins
NY
COCALICO DUNDEE CANDY
82
86
85
Paul B. Zimmerman, Jr
PA
KMH PURE GOLD MEMORY
85
82
85
Brian Edward Rohloff
WI
CHANDALE-D DURHAM SANDY-ET
86
83
85
Gary M. & Crystal Annie Dell
MD
SERB ZACH SANCHEZ BUZBY
86
82
85
Lyle Allen
ME
MOLLY-MAE FANCY CANDY
85
86
85
Adam Hoff
TX
WEA-LAND GOLDWN NAKIESHA-ET
85
82
85
Michael J. Garrow
NY
JORICH-WAY BOXER ILA
85
85
85
Adam J. & Jennifer E. Bertz
WI
RAGGI ATWOOD TONYA-ET
85
87
85
Nicholas John Raggi
MD
HARGRAVE PRONTO 743
86
79
85
Chelsea A. Hargrave
NY
WILLOW-BROOK FIN CUT DROPS
85
83
85
Laurie B. W. Koneck
WI
WILLOW-BROOK GENEVA SAL
87
81
85
Kurt Koneck
WI
CAMPSIDE MATSON 112
90
82
85
W. Ray Halteman
MD
VALENTIA OUTBOUND LULU
83
85
85
Earl B., Jr. & Keitha F. Grove
MD
CHAN-LEE AL GLASALLY-ET
87
77
85
Charles L. & Anne B. Lethbridge
MD
CHAN-LEE SHAMPOO GLENDELTA
85
83
85
Charles L. & Anne B. Lethbridge
MD
HUN-VAL AFTERSHOCK AMY-ET
85
82
85
Dempsey Farms
DE
BRUINS-DALE BLVA DIAMOND-TW
86
83
85
Byron W. Bruins
WI
GREENLEA DES MAE-RED
85
82
85
Erin E. Corbett
MD
ALL-RIEHL AL PIE-ET
86
82
85
Dale E. Niswander
PA
NORTHERN-GLO REAL SILLY
87
80
85
Scott E. Hamilton
NY
TRI-DEE-KR DURHAM CORA-ET
87
82
85
W. Franklin, Jr. & Jeffery F. Moore
MD
FRAN-BAR LAURIN LIZA-ET
85
83
85
Logan E. Moore
MD
FRAN-BAR LIGHTNING ELECTRA
85
84
85
Logan E. Moore
MD
FRAN-BAR SANCHEZ DOROTHY
85
81
85
Leslie Moore
MD
FRAN-BAR PRO ELSA MAE
87
81
85
Jeffery F. Moore
MD
FRAN-BAR PRO DORADOO
85
83
85
W. Franklin, Jr. & Jeffery F. Moore
MD
FRAN-BAR PRO ROMILEE
86
84
85
Jeffery F. Moore
MD
HASS-ACRES MIRANDA-ET
86
84
85
Aaron L. Hass
WI
PENTA-PAT COLT ADRIA
85
85
85
Michael D. Patrick
MD
JANESTEAD SENSATION CARA
85
82
85
James H. Janes
WI
JC-KOW RUSSEL JULIE
85
81
85
JC-Kow Farms LLC
WI
BRECAR CARUSO ASHLEY
87
80
85
Brett Bruins
WI
CIRCLE-F LIGHTNING WISIA
86
82
85
Allan L. Friend
NY
SOLID-GOLD SHOTTL ESKIMO-ET
87
84
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
SWEET-WILLOW JAYZ ELM
87
83
85
Scott E. Hamilton
NY
VIETHSONS BOLIVER PANSY
85
84
85
Jerry Vieth
TX
FOREST-RIDGE MARLA MAPLES
85
85
85
Kurt & Sarah Loehr
WI
FOREST-RIDGE MONA LISA-ET
84
85
85
Kurt & Sarah Loehr
WI
NORDIC-RIDGE AFTER GLORY
85
81
85
Les Frere Syndicate
WI
OVERSIDE AFTERSHOCK HALEY
85
84
85
Joseph & Hidde Osinga
TX
WALK-ERA SANCHEZ JENNAH
83
85
85
Walk-Era Farms, Inc.
WI
WALK-ERA DUNDEE ALBA
84
85
85
Walk-Era Farms, Inc.
WI
WALK-ERA LRN MOTTO
85
83
85
Walk-Era Farms, Inc.
WI
WALK-ERA AFTERSHOCK OMLET
88
85
85
Walk-Era Farms, Inc.
WI
WALK-ERA SHOTT SUNRAY-ET
85
87
85
Walk-Era Farms, Inc.
WI
LE-O-LA SUPER ELLEN-ET
86
82
85
Richard F. & Kathy S. Demmer
IA
REGANCREST DOMAIN CINDER-ET
86
83
85
Wargo Acres
WI
REGANCREST-BH O GALLORY-ET
86
83
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
LUCK-E ADVENT BERETTA
85
84
85
Joseph M. Engel
IL
LUCK-E ABSOLUTE MILLY
85
83
85
Matt L. Engel
IL
LUCK-E BRAXTON BUBBLY
85
83
85
Joseph M. Engel
IL
LUCK-E ADVENT KATESHA-ET
87
82
85
Matt L. Engel
IL
LUCK-E ADVENT KATERRA-ET
85
85
85
Matt L. Engel
IL
MILGENE ROY SHANAE
86
80
85
Cindy L. Krull
WI
SPRUCE-HAVEN SPR BS11998-ET
85
82
85
Spruce-Haven Farm
NY
CHRIS-DA DESTRY 350
82
85
85
LaVern & Cheryl Davis
WI
STRAUSSDALE AS GEMMA-ET
83
83
85
Straussdale Holsteins LLC
WI
STRAUSSDALE ATWOOD JULIET
88
78
85
Straussdale Holsteins LLC
WI
MAPLE-NOOK SHAQ TASTIC-ET
87
83
85
Maple-Nook Holsteins
NY
MNH-RF SHOTTLE ERICA-ET
86
83
85
John Zeh, James R. Putman & Lauri L. Beggs
NY
MAPLE-NOOK LAURIN BRIEN
86
82
85
Maple-Nook Holsteins
NY
LANGS-TWIN-B CASE-ET
86
85
85
Keith A. Nettekoven
WI
HILLTOP-LLC SHOTTLE 4555
85
82
85
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
HILLTOP-LLC BOLTON 4575-TW
85
85
85
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
HILLTOP-LLC BOWMAN 4584
85
78
85
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
HILLTOP-LLC OSCAR 4596
85
84
85
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
HILLTOP-LLC SANCHEZ 4599
84
83
85
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
SPEEK-NJ DESTRY RUFFI-ET
86
82
85
Neil McDonah
WI
AMES-WAY-NM SHOTLE VICTORIA
86
82
85
Paul & Sarah Trapp & Neil McDonah
WI
VIEW-HOME IZZY 19296-1
84
85
85
Country Dairy, Inc.
MI
LJP ACE ROXY
85
85
85
Louis J. Palmatary & Sons
MD
KEVREL SANCHEZ MELODY-ET
83
85
85
F. Kevin Leaverton
MD
PENN-GATE C FORTUNE-RED-ET
85
84
85
Bradley Hoffman
PA
ALAMANA JADE
90
75
85
L. Alan Lobdell
NY
BEAVER-FLATS ADVENT CAN-ET
87
84
85
Lauryn Dana
NY
VIEW-HOME COKE 19197-1
84
82
85
Country Dairy, Inc.
MI
VIEW-HOME BRADELL FAITH
84
85
85
Country Dairy, Inc.
MI
VIEW-HOME EXPLODE MORISSA
85
83
85
Country Dairy, Inc.
MI
VIEW-HOME DIXIE 13883-3
84
82
85
Country Dairy, Inc.
MI
VIEW-HOME EUREKA PARTY
85
83
85
Country Dairy, Inc.
MI
VIEW-HOME DOMAIN VICTORIA
84
85
85
Country Dairy, Inc.
MI
ELM-SPRING AFTERSHCK CALLY
85
85
85
Dempsey Farms
DE
PIERCE-VALE MAC RAIZEL-ET
86
82
85
Pierce-Vale Farms LLC
WI
MORNINGVIEW SUPER ELLIE-ET
87
85
85
Rick & Tom Simon
IA
BURLEDGE SOCRATES PREMIER
86
86
85
Ray & Rae Nell Halbur
WI
BURLEDGE JASPER TRUMP
86
81
85
Ray, Rae Nell & Joseta Halbur
WI
STONE-FRONT MAC CORONA
85
85
85
Tom Lyon, Jr.
WI
STONE-FRONT FRUN AZURE-RED
86
82
85
Tom Lyon, Jr.
WI
STONE-FRONT MAC CASHEW
85
85
85
Tom Lyon, Jr.
WI
COLDSPRINGS SHOTTLE 3888-ET
86
83
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS MYRON 3895
87
82
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS RUDY 3896
85
82
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS FLYER 3934
86
84
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS TEMPTATION 3953
87
81
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
PALMYRA M-O-M MANHATTAN-ET
86
82
85
Ryan Shank & Chris & Jenneifer Hill
MD
MINSU JASPER JAZZY-ET
86
82
85
Stephen J. Reed
MI
M-6 SANCHEZ BLUE-ET
85
79
85
Megan Marie Meyer
OK
CROIX-LINE SERENA CRI-ET
87
80
85
Genesis Cooperative Herd
WI
MS WELCOME MM LULITA CRI-ET
86
82
85
Genesis Cooperative Herd
WI
LOCUST-VALE STRLNG STEAMER
85
84
85
Wilmer L. & Vera C. Peachey
NY
BLUE-GENE ROGER REBA
88
78
85
Homer Bushey
NY
BLUE-GENE JASPER JILL-ET
85
81
85
Eugene M. Poirier
NY
BLUE-GENE SHOTTLE SHANIA-ET
85
85
85
Eugene M. Poirier
NY
BLUE-GENE AFFIRM ALICE
86
83
85
Eugene M. Poirier
NY
BLUE-GENE AFTERSHOCK ALEEN
85
83
85
Eugene M. Poirier
NY
LADYS-MANOR ALAN Z MARIA
85
87
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR AFTR RASPBERRY
85
82
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR GOLD LEXEE-ET
85
82
85
Katelyn Iager
MD
RICKLAND TIME 3446-TW
86
82
85
Rickert Brothers LLC
WI
WOODCREST APPRENTICE 20068
87
82
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
WOODCREST CHRYSLER 20079
86
79
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
WOODCREST FORK 20126
87
87
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
WOODCREST KRUSE 20132
86
84
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
BUR-RODZ BOLTON PRINCESS
85
83
85
Rodney A. Zietlow
WI
HEINZE BALTIMORE TALLY
85
83
85
Mark T. Heinze
WI
JB-GLENVAL AL AFRICA-ET
85
83
85
Jason M. & Donna G. Myers
MD
BENNETCH SANCHEZ ADALYN-ET
83
78
85
Matthew B. Bennetch
PA
BENNETCH MOM LADY
87
82
85
Stony-Run Farm
PA
TROMBLEY-DAIRY BOLTON BETTY
83
86
85
Russell R. Trombley
NY
TROMBLEY-DAIRY MATSON MEGAN
84
85
85
Russell R. Trombley
NY
TROMBLEY-DAIRY DAMION DELLA
85
81
85
Russell R. Trombley
NY
CARSON-ACRES MOSCOW CREST
85
82
85
Carson Acres LLC
MI
CARSON-ACRES GRAYBILL CARO
86
81
85
Carson Acres LLC
MI
ROB-SARA AD LUSCIOUS-RED-ET
85
86
85
Catlin E. Christman
MD
ROB-SARA SHOTTLE PATIENCE
85
85
85
Robert L. Emerson II
DE
TWIN-RIVER SHYSTER ARIZONA
85
85
85
Todd A. Hayton
NY
MATT-DARI ALEXANDER KAHLUA
85
81
85
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
CO-OP MD LANI-ET
86
85
85
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
MATT-DARI MAC BUMBLE
86
79
85
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
MATT-DARI PATIAN-ET
86
82
85
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
MATT-DARI MAN-O-MAN PENI-ET
85
85
85
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
MATT-DARI ALEXANDER GIA
85
85
85
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
MATT-DARI ALEXANDER GIFT
83
82
85
Matthiae Dairy Farm, Inc.
WI
HOEK-TEX BEDFORD 5546
85
84
85
Gerard Hoekman
TX
JNP-ATH-MOR SSI SBN 5328-ET
86
85
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
JO-ENG DURAN 6093 107
86
84
85
Matthew Borchardt
IL
ARSENAL CNTNDR DIZZY-RED-ET
86
85
85
Patrick S Youse
MD
MD-MRK-OVF DETROIT CELIA-ET
85
85
85
Oakland View Farms LLC
MD
FRONT-PAGE DAMION JELLYBEAN
87
82
85
Lucas Edelburg
WI
CONANT-ACRES ATWOD PEONY-ET
88
81
85
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
CONANT-ACRES SANCHEZ BROOK
86
82
85
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
CONANT-GROVES SANCHEZ SASHA
87
82
85
Conant Acres, Inc.
ME
SELLCREST CATHY-RED
87
80
85
Gary Sell
WI
SELLCREST ADVENT MAIDEN-RED
86
79
85
Andrew Sell
WI
SELLCREST JONAH LILA-RED
85
82
85
Allen & Shirley Sell
WI
WOODLAWN SHOTTLE DARLA
86
82
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
WARGO-ACRES HELPER
86
81
85
Wargo Acres
WI
WARGO-ACRES CLARABELLE
83
85
85
Wargo Acres
WI
WARGO-ACRES HICCUP
86
81
85
Wargo Acres
WI
WARGO-ACRES COLBY
85
82
85
Wargo Acres
WI
CO-OP UPD GOLDWYN 4006
84
83
85
Genesis Cooperative Herd
WI
CO-OP UPD REESE 4143
85
85
85
Genesis Cooperative Herd
WI
LORITA TIME DOTTY
86
78
85
Durrer Dairy
CA
LORITA BOSSMAN SELA
85
82
85
Durrer Dairy
CA
O-C-S-DAIRY JAN TWINKIE
87
82
85
Annie Catherine Dell
MD
JONS-OWN BAXTER BUTTON
86
83
85
Jon Schoenike
WI
HOGAN-TEX GABOR 3168
86
80
85
Double H Dairy
TX
PINE-TREE DORCY ALEXA II-ET
83
82
85
Seagull Bay Dairy, Inc.
ID
STOLTZFUS FINEST SUE
85
85
85
Timothy R Kerrick
DE
VO-MI CADET 843
85
83
85
Mark Vossekuil
WI
KINGSMILL TNKERTOY SCAR-RED
86
85
85
Glen S. Zimmerman
PA
NELDELL ALEXANDER 2103
85
86
85
Neldell Farms LLC
WI
WESTPHALIA ZENITH EXAMPLE
87
79
85
Charles A. Westphal
WI
WESTPHALIA SS TORNADO
84
84
85
Charles A. Westphal
WI
WESTPHALIA SANCHEZ EMINENCE
87
78
85
Charles A. Westphal
WI
WESTPHALIA ALEXANDER HECTIC
85
83
85
Dustin C. Westphal
WI
MS WESTPHALIA SANCHZ MONICA
86
84
85
Austin Moucha
WI
LEASEWAY SANCHEZ AUTUMN
86
82
85
Derek Lease
MD
LEASEWAY ALEXANDER MINAJ
85
87
85
Md-Locust Crest
MD
GOLDEN-OAKS PLANET 5310-TW
85
84
85
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
GOLDEN-OAKS AS CHANEL-ET
85
75
85
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
JMK GABOR 9680
85
85
85
John Koster
TX
HURTGENLEA DOMAIN BILLI JO
86
82
85
Hurtgenlea Holsteins Ltd
WI
BULLDOG ATLANTIC PATTI
85
86
85
Bulldog Holsteins
MD
BULLDOG ADVENT MAYA-ET
85
85
85
Shelby Iager
MD
MD-MAPLE-LAWN MITCH REBEL
85
86
85
Michael C., Matthew E. & Mark E. Iager
MD
MD-MAPLE-LAWN BRAXTON PIPER
81
86
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
KRULL-CK JOHAN ROXY-RED
86
81
85
Travis J. Meyers
WI
LINDALE FORTUNE ANDREA
83
86
85
Dale & Linda Drendel
IL
LINDALE ABSOLUTE PLEASURE
85
85
85
Dale & Linda Drendel
IL
LINDALE MR MINISTER FORTUNE
85
82
85
Dale & Linda Drendel
IL
MISS MILLION KIKI
85
83
85
Jeff Drendel
IL
SHERONA-HILL-JH FIDELE
85
83
85
Dale & Linda Drendel
IL
DE-URFEE JAVA KATAMAKUNDA
86
85
85
Nathan Durfee
NY
LARS-ACRES PLANET TRICKER
85
82
85
Larson Acres, Inc.
WI
LARS-ACRES GRAYBIL FRITZIE
82
85
85
Luke E Trustem
WI
LARS-ACRES MAN TICKET-ET
84
83
85
Larson Acres, Inc.
WI
LARS-ACRES PRINCE IRA
85
84
85
Larson Acres, Inc.
WI
FIRSTGLANCE GW ROSALIE-ET
87
83
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
KINGSMILL DUSK ADDISON-ET
83
88
85
Jesse Braun
NY
ROB-SARA SANCHEZ SILVER
84
84
85
Robert L. Emerson II
DE
ROB-SARA REALITY KIT-RED
84
88
85
Nicole Myers
MD
WELK-SHADE AFTRSHOCK KAY-ET
86
85
85
Robert L. Emerson
DE
KRULLCREST SUPER GIDGET-ET
85
86
85
Jeff & Dan Liner
WI
LINERWAY BOWSER CHA-CHA-ET
86
83
85
Jeff & Dan Liner
WI
GOTTA-HAVE SUPER CHEDDAR
86
83
85
Scott J Munes
WI
HYLIGHT ROLLING STONE 665
86
85
85
Hy-Light Farms, LLC
NY
WARMKA ADKIN 1161
85
85
85
Erik, Carrie, Brad & Danielle Warmka
WI
TEX-STEIN DREAM JEMMA
88
82
85
Chad Steinberger
TX
TEX-STEIN ONYX MELVINIQUI
85
85
85
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
TEX-STEIN MUFFIN LUZ
87
85
85
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
TEX-STEIN COLBY KASIE
85
86
85
Gavin Steinberger
TX
TEX-STEIN MASTER REKEISHA
85
86
85
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
TEX-STEIN MUFFIN DAYZHAUNAE
86
83
85
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
TEX-STEIN SANCHEZ ALEX
85
83
85
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
TEX-STEIN MUFFIN AIDAN
86
83
85
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
TEX-STEIN GW ATWOOD CHELSEY
86
86
85
Robert E. Steinberger, Sr.
TX
TEX-STEIN GABOR BRIEANNA
86
86
85
Chad Steinberger
TX
GOFF PLANET 36061
85
83
85
Buster I. Goff
NM
GOFF SHOT 36527
85
83
85
Buster I. Goff
NM
GOFF LARIAT 36998
85
85
85
Buster I. Goff
NM
MAVIEW KAIT JASPER-ET
85
85
85
Charles A. Westphal
WI
DUCKETT-BH ATWOOD SAM-ET
85
82
85
Rock Hill Dairy LLC
NM
FARNEAR-BH JEEVES BRAZIL-ET
86
85
85
Earlen Farms Ltd.
LEGENDHOLM-N ANATOLA-ET
85
85
85
Eddie Bue & Norman Nabholz
WI
FLICKSTEAD MORACCO 1519
88
81
85
D. Richard Flickinger
MD
FLICKSTEAD BOXER 1531
86
83
85
D. Richard Flickinger
MD
FLICKSTEAD EXPLODE 1546
87
79
85
D. Richard Flickinger
MD
MDF TIME 3160
86
81
85
Mason Dairy Farm LLC
OK
MDF AFTERSHOCK 3181
83
85
85
Mason Dairy Farm LLC
OK
WEBB-VUE GABOR VERONICA
87
85
85
Robert A. Webb
WI
ROSSDALE FLYER 131
90
76
85
Andrew T. Schantz
NY
ROSSDALE SHOTTLE 142
86
82
85
Andrew T. Schantz
NY
NELSON-MILL 1227 931
85
86
85
Walter Rutledge
MD
NELSON-MILL ALAN 943
86
82
85
Walter Rutledge
MD
KULP-DALE DES LAROSE-RED-ET
86
83
85
James M. Meyer
WI
NEHLS-VALLEY ALEX MICHELLE
83
85
85
Shawn Nehls
WI
NEHLS-VALLEY ATLANTIC ANGEL
86
82
85
Shawn & Seth Nehls
WI
ARB-FLO-SPR HEFTY GEEGEE
87
82
85
J. Steven Arbaugh
MD
SUGAR-C PAGEWIRE 4068
85
82
85
Sugar Creek Dairy
WI
SUGAR-C LENNOX 4070
85
83
85
Sugar Creek Dairy
WI
BRITE-SIDE GOLD PROPER-ET
85
83
85
Sugar Creek Dairy, LLC & Nate Janssen
WI
WELK-SHADE ATWOOD KOKO-ET
85
85
85
Walk-Era Farms, Inc.
WI
WELK-SHADE ATWOOD KYLEE-ET
85
83
85
Alli Walker
WI
CHRIS-DA GRACELAND 351
85
86
85
LaVern & Cheryl Davis
WI
GENESEE-HILL BOGART MAE-ET
82
86
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
COOK-LANE CLINTN MOCHALATTE
83
87
85
Kylene Cook Anderson
WI
TCG-KM CASSINO ENDLESS-ET
85
83
85
Andy Vaz, Scott Babek & Brian Frisch
NM
HILMAR FREDDIE 4068
84
86
85
Hilmar Holsteins, Inc.
CA
BENNETT-FARMS FINALCUT ROSS
86
83
85
Todd A. Hayton
NY
MISS-LONG-GREEN CELESTE
86
86
85
Joseph W. Osinga
TX
KINGSMILL SANCHEZ TOSHA-ET
83
82
85
Conner Hill
AR
RUBI-SWEET LATHAM KENDRA
85
83
85
Marvin Rubingh
MI
H-KLEE FARM LARGENT CORRECT
88
84
85
Klee Farms
MI
MS LAKOTA RAES LIVIA-ET
85
82
85
Erinwood Gen., Select Gen. & Tom Mercuro
NY
ERINWOOD-TM GOLD DANAE-ET
84
83
85
Davis & Richard Schwartzbeck & Mike Heath
MD
GEN-ACE NIAGRA KEENDRA 5903
83
82
85
Jim, Bill & Andrew Genasci
CA
GEN-ACE PONTIAC GREAT 5904
86
82
85
Ed, Jim & Bill Genasci
CA
MD-CEDAR-KNOLL SANCHEZ 325
85
83
85
Cedar Knoll Farms
MD
ENSENADA BOULDER PERSIST-ET
86
82
85
Joshua D. & David A. Bishop
PA
PLUSHANSKI SEBASTION FARBEE
86
82
85
Daniel A. Brandt
PA
ROB-SARA JASPER BARBIE-ET
86
83
85
Gregory Warren Knutsen
DE
MS CRANEHILL DOMAIN DIVA-ET
86
82
85
Sugar Creek Dairy
WI
BEAVER-FLATS LIGHT POSSIBLE
87
78
85
Jeffrey D. Dana
NY
BEAVER-FLATS ATWD COTTEN-ET
85
86
85
Jeffrey D. Dana
NY
POTTERS-FIELD PNG K12019-ET
86
82
85
Potter Farm LLC
NY
SPRUCE-HAVEN ATW BJ12230-ET
87
82
85
Spruce-Haven Farm
NY
SPRUCE-HAVEN SUPR K12232-ET
86
82
85
Spruce-Haven Farm
NY
WARGO-ACRES KNOWLEDGE JODIE
85
83
85
Wargo Acres
WI
WARGO-N-JD DORIS-ET
86
82
85
Craig Carncross & Jason Danhof
WI
WARGO-ACRES MARGARITA
86
82
85
Wargo Acres
WI
WARGO-ACRES DAMION NACHO
83
85
85
Wargo Acres
WI
WARGO-ACRES VICTORIA
85
83
85
Wargo Acres
WI
WARGO-ACRES AUDREY 1097
85
82
85
Wargo Acres
WI
EVANGELO SANCHEZ JULIE
86
80
85
Jason Evangelo
CA
LADYS-MANOR DRCY DALANEY-ET
87
83
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR AMAZING TOPAZ
86
83
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR GINGERBREAD-TW
86
83
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR BIG TIME DEB
87
82
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR DRCY DELANEY-ET
86
86
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR PADDY TOPAZ
84
88
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR JAKE PUTZ
86
83
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR SUPER SHAWNEE
88
79
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR BRAXTON ABBY
87
81
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR DORA SUMMER-ET
86
84
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
MAYERLANE LOOKING GOOD
84
86
85
Darren M. Kamphuis
WI
KAY-BEN JASPER LIVIE
85
81
85
Eben J. Benson
ME
KAY-BEN TARTINI ADINE
88
79
85
Kay-Ben Holsteins
ME
FRONT-PAGE MIAMI SHINE
86
83
85
Gary & Patty Edelburg
WI
ASKEW-JANES MAC RITA
85
83
85
James H. Janes
WI
JANESTEAD JASPER JEWEL
87
80
85
James H. Janes
WI
HILLTOP-LLC SANCHEZ 4604
88
83
85
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
HILLTOP-LLC LIGHTNING 4660
85
85
85
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
HILLTOP-LLC TALENT 4665
86
81
85
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
HILLTOP-LLC BOLTON 4705
85
85
85
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
HILLTOP-LLC IMPRESSION 4728
85
82
85
Hilltop Dairy LLC
WI
LMY DEANN DARLA
86
86
85
Newell C. Rawlings
MI
KAMPY LAURIN JACKLYNN
85
85
85
Kamphuis Farms LLC
WI
HARMONY-HO DAMION QUAHOG
83
85
85
Ralph A. Bredl, Jr.
WI
HARMONY-HO SANCHEZ QUIGLEY
88
83
85
Ralph A. Bredl, Jr.
WI
HARMONY-HO KOLTON QUINTO
87
82
85
Ralph A. Bredl, Jr.
WI
HARMONY-HO LAURIN QUAXO
83
85
85
Ralph A. Bredl, Jr.
WI
HARMONY-HO SANCHEZ Q-TIP
87
85
85
Ralph A. Bredl, Jr.
WI
ROPUT CHAMPION LISA
86
83
85
James R. Putman
NY
BER-SHER EXPLO ROBERTA RY
86
83
85
Owen, Brant & Damion Bontekoe
MI
ZIMS-HILLS SHOTGUN SHELBY
85
82
85
Steven Zimdars
WI
JAZZY-D SANCHEZ LORALIE
86
86
85
Diana Zimdars
WI
ZIMS-HILLS ALERT ELLEN
86
81
85
Steven Zimdars
WI
LORITA TOYSTORY SAPPHIRE
86
83
85
Durrer Dairy
CA
VALLEY-DRIVE SANCHEZ ALIYAH
87
83
85
Valley-Drive Holsteins LLC
WI
VALLEY-DRIVE SANCHEZ BOLERO
85
85
85
Valley-Drive Holsteins LLC
WI
EHRHARDT LAIDEN CINDY-TW
87
81
85
Ehrhardt Farms, Inc.
MD
EHRHARDT GOLDWYN BETH-ET
87
83
85
Ehrhardt Farms, Inc.
MD
CHRISLEACRES LT MARGARITA
86
82
85
Valerie C. Kramer
WI
COLDSPRINGS DESMOND 4064
86
82
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS DESMOND 4080
86
84
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS MILLION 4083
86
81
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS SUPER 4087
86
81
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS GABOR 4146
87
78
85
Ian A. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS BRONCO 4158
84
82
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS BRONCO 4163
86
81
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS LIGHTNING 4177
85
83
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS SHAKA 4188
84
84
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
COLDSPRINGS PLANET 4246
86
79
85
Matthew M. Hoff
MD
HEINZE LAVANGUARD JUNE
85
81
85
Mark T. Heinze
WI
HEINZE ALEXANDER TOTUM
83
85
85
Mark T. Heinze
WI
HEINZE PROMAR 2156
86
81
85
Mark T. Heinze
WI
MEY-VILLA LAURIN RIPPLE
86
82
85
Bernard M. Meyer
WI
MEY-VILLA MAC FRESNO-TW
85
84
85
Jerome E. Meyer
WI
MEY-VILLA MAC FRISCO-TW
83
85
85
Jerome E. Meyer
WI
MEY-VILLA SANCHEZ FOUNTAIN
86
83
85
Jerome D. Meyer
WI
MEY-VILLA BRAXTON RIZZLE
86
83
85
Bernard M. Meyer
WI
DINOMI DOMAIN STACY
87
78
85
Vincent Migliazzo
CA
PEACE&PLENTY SANCHEZ EBBIE
85
83
85
Joseph A. Schwartzbeck
MD
UNITED-PRIDE FREDDIE 4367
87
85
85
United Pride Dairy
WI
GOFF LARIAT 37380
86
82
85
Buster I. Goff
NM
CHA-LIZ JAVA 6417
85
82
85
Cha-Liz Farm LLC
NY
JMK SHAMPOO 9726
87
84
85
John Koster
TX
SWIGGUM MY SPACE CRICKET
85
81
85
Erik Leif Swiggum
WI
ARTIE-JAY ALEXIS DAMION
86
83
85
Arthur R. Johnson, Jr.
MD
KEVREL MANOMAN MAY-ET
84
83
85
F. Kevin Leaverton
MD
PALMYRA MUFFIN SAPHIRE
85
83
85
Ryan William Shank
MD
KA-DA ATLANTIC 77
86
82
85
Kainer Dairy
TX
ARB-FLO-SPR ABS RALEIGH-RED
86
83
85
Aryn Arbaugh
MD
BUR-RODZ BOXER EBONI
86
78
85
Rodney A. Zietlow
WI
GOLDCREST MICHAEL CYBIL-ET
86
83
85
Corwin R. Holtz
NY
SUTTON ADVENT EMMY
86
79
85
Jillian Sutton
MD
TULIP-POND BEN LINDSEY
86
83
85
Cathleen Doody
MD
LINDALE JASPER FEODORA
85
84
85
Dale & Linda Drendel
IL
FARNEAR DOMAIN ZDALLAS-ET
88
79
85
Rick & Tom Simon
IA
FARNEAR DOMAIN ZDAYTON-ET
87
83
85
Rick & Tom Simon
IA
FARNEAR GOLDEN LOVESTAR-ET
86
84
85
Rick & Tom Simon
IA
GOLDEN-OAKS SUPER DAISY-ET
86
82
85
Aaron L. Hass
WI
GOLDEN-OAKS GOLD CHARAE-ET
85
84
85
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
GOLDEN-OAKS ALEXANDER CADEE
84
85
85
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
GOLDEN-OAKS CHRISTMAS-ET
87
82
85
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
GOLDEN-OAKS MADISON-ET
86
82
85
Golden Oaks Farm
IL
VIETHSONS BOLTON PEG HENNY
85
86
85
Jerry Vieth
TX
VIETHSONS TOYSTORY PEG BABY
86
84
85
Jerry Vieth
TX
SIEMERS DURHAM FEARLES-ET
86
82
85
James L. Behling
WI
FRONTIER POTO BRIGID-TW
85
84
85
Frontier Dairy
MT
WEBB-VUE BOLTON MERRITT
85
83
85
Robert A. Webb
WI
GEN-ACE LOU CANDY 6045
84
83
85
Genasci Dairy, Inc.
CA
GEN-ACE SANCHEZ KATY 6147
85
83
85
Andrew Genasci
CA
LUCK-E CONTENDER AREASHA
85
84
85
Matt L. Engel
IL
HOEK-TEX ADVANTAGE 6074-RED
86
85
85
Gerard Hoekman
TX
STAR-ROCK GABOR 6276
84
85
85
Star Rock Farms
PA
RAG-MER MIRABELLA-RED-ET
85
85
85
Nick Raggi & Tom Mercuro
MD
DURCHAN DIVINE MS DIVA-ET
86
82
85
Kingstead Farms & Tom Mercuro
MD
MIGLIAZZO DOMAIN RALEY
87
82
85
Migliazzo & Sons Dairy
CA
NOR-BERT FREDDIE MAY-ET
82
88
85
Richard F. & Kathy S. Demmer
IA
STONE-FRONT TANNENBAUM
86
87
85
Andrew Jay & Lynette E. Buttles
WI
STONE-FRONT DIGGER CHRIS
85
87
85
Andrew Jay & Lynette E. Buttles
WI
DE-URFEE EXQUISITE EQUITY
86
82
85
Steven & Daniel Durfee
NY
VAZDALE CASHMAN TABRIA
82
86
85
Andrea Vaz
NM
T-C-G REBEL-RED-ET
85
82
85
Triple Crown Genetics
ID
FRAN-BAR AFTERSHOCK ALEA
86
84
85
W. Franklin, Jr. & Jeffery F. Moore
MD
SEAGULL-BAY DOMAIN CALY-ET
86
79
85
Seagull Bay Dairy, Inc.
ID
WINDSOR-MANOR Z SPICE
85
82
85
D. Richard Flickinger
MD
WINDSOR-MANOR SAN ZEEVA-ET
88
83
85
Joseph A. Schwartzbeck
MD
MAR-LINDA-K DAMION JILETTE
86
76
85
Nicole K. Wright
WI
P-ZBW SANCHZ MS TRINITY-ET
85
83
85
Kevin Ziemba & Joseph Piskorowski
NY
P-ZBW SANCHEZ TAMARA-ET
83
84
85
Kevin Ziemba & Joseph Piskorowski
NY
ST-JACOB SANCHEZ HOLLAND-ET
86
81
85
Green & Gold Syndicate
NJ
WARGO-ACRES MILLION 1111
86
85
85
Wargo Acres
WI
STAR-ROCK AFTERSHOCK 6435
87
82
85
Star Rock Farms
PA
SUM-R-SETT OBS MIRROR-ET
87
83
85
Ladys Manor LLC
MD
LADYS-MANOR ASHMORE MARILYN
86
83
85
Eliza Freeman
MD
ZBW LAURIN ARIEL-ET
83
85
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
ZBW DESTRY APRICOT
86
76
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
HOLLY-BROOKS TDEE RONNI-ET
85
82
85
Woodcrest Dairy LLC
NY
BRUNLAND SANCHEZ DAKOTA
86
79
85
Kristen & Jenna Broege
WI
HAR-DEE ADVENT EVE-RED-ET
85
81
85
Lindsay S. Mitchell
TX
MY-STYLE AFTSHOCK ZEBRA-ET
85
82
85
Robert C & Joyce Ringler Hoffman
PA
ROSEDALE COST OF FREEDOM
85
82
85
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
ROSEDALE GHETTO CAT
86
82
85
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
ROSEDALE HOPELESS ROMANTIC
86
80
85
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
ROSEDALE OH MY DUECE
88
81
85
Rosedale Genetics Ltd
WI
AARDEMA GARRETT 86374
86
82
85
Double A Dairy
ID
ZIM-FAM ACME DAWN
86
83
85
Zimdars Family Farm
WI
WIERSMA DESTRY ANNETTE
85
88
85
Jacob Wiersma
TX
* BEI (Bullvine Efficiency Index) – each sire’s ranking is as a percent of the top sire
Robust stands out as the definite leader of this group for efficiency. Ranked second with overall high ratings for all categories is Observer.
Canadian Proven Sires
Table 5 contains the top ten sires with Canadian daughter proofs.
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A?ÏÉýûp ëc+î²ít:7¸aß».ýþàH;A»nJ¥B£Q'Ïs676è´:lmn²µ½n§MQäôû=N:I³éÚ*z½N§[ºfã,ÂPV«Õ¨V«ÔjuØiÔH<×øPkJ$µzJµÊ.õP~#:«µ¹¯e û �dÌollãdc G/¼ë®»4ÚS»²ÃçÜîãÏÔ¸ëÉ
* BEI (Bullvine Efficiency Index) – each sire’s ranking is as a percent of the top sire
AltaRazor handily comes to the top of this group with high ratings for fat yield, SCS, herd life and mammary. Chelios stands out for his ratings for SCS, daughter fertility, herd life and mammary.
Which animal behavior type do you prefer to work with on your farm? The meek, the aggressive, the laid back, the eager calf that bunts the milk bottle out of your hand, the cows that get to the feed bunk first and stay there the longest …etc?. Perhaps the question should be “are animal behavior related traits something that cattle breeders need to be paying more attention to as they continue to replace people in their barns with machines?” If they are important, then more thought needs to be given to capturing field observations so we can have actual facts to base decisions on instead of some random comments in sire catalogues about a bull’s daughters’ behaviour characteristics.
New Technology
Each year breeders add new machinery or procedures to their operations in order to cut costs or increase revenue. The cows are simply expected to adapt and keep on producing large volumes of milk, fat and protein and get back in calf. Of course all the time doing it more cost efficiently. Well it just does not work that way. So breeders must cull the animals that do not adapt to the robotic feeder or milker, the new loud noise, the isolation in a pen, the crowding in pens and the list goes on. Seldom is the behaviour of our animals given a second thought when breeders make a change.
Behavior – Management or Genetic?
Recognizing that management plays a role in animal behaviour, we do need to ask ourselves if there are genetic difference between sires in how their daughters react to and cope with the daily routines and procedures on farms.
University of Guelph researchers and Holstein Canada, in 1985, surveyed breeders on behavioural traits and from the findings determined heritabilities of 0.16 for milking temperament, 0.12 for ease of handling and 0.11 for aggressiveness at feeding. The study also showed a strong correlation between milking temperament and ease of handling. From that research, milk recording in Canada started collecting breeder assessment of milking temperament on the second test day for all first calvers. Sire proofs for milking temperament are calculated by CDN. That has proven to be helpful information as no breeder wants cows that kick the milking unit off, do not easily settle to the milking routine and are not easy to handle or move.
In 2012, Kees van Reenan, Wageningen University reported that, based on many researchers’ studies, balanced breeding for animal lifetime profit includes selection for three main areas: i) milk production, ii) temperament / behavior (which includes animal fearfulness, ability to cope with stress & socially interact with contemporaries) and iii) fitness (which includes health, fertility and longevity). Breeders are already quite aware that selection for lactation milk yield without regard to fitness has left us with animals that may be inferior in health and longevity but definitely are inferior for fertility. With van Reenan’s findings we can also see that, if we do not include animal temperament and behaviour in our selection indexes, we could well be limiting our genetic progress for lifetime profit. In his research report heritabilities for temperament and behaviour are reported as moderate, similar to the Canadian study mentioned above. However the same old problem still exists – we do not have farm data to use to genetically evaluate animals for behavioural traits.
Let’s switch to beef cattle for a moment. Renowned Colorado State Animal Behavior Professor Temple Grandin reports that beef animals that remain calm in the squeeze chute when being weighed or worked with have 14% higher weight gains than agitated animals. Part of her studies also report lower fertility and poorer meat quality for the agitated cattle group. Since we do not have data for dairy heifers we do not know if fearful heifers, when under stress, may have lower fertility.
The take home message from research is that behaviour involves both management and genetics and it points to the need for more studies into dairy cattle behavior and how it impacts profitability.
Stress On Farm
Since the topic of animal behaviour is not frequently talked about in breeder circles, it can likely be said that breeders do not routinely think of ways to minimize animal stress. Breeders talk about the stresses associated with a cow having a difficult calving, with lameness and with mastitis. However what about the stress on a calf after a difficult birth, of boss animals on their pen mates, of the fear of isolation, of loud rough farm staff and of a host of other factors.
The approach breeders often take is to allow animals, that do poorly due to stress, to self eliminate. Yes breeders want calm, not easily stressed, animals but in designing their buildings and selecting their sires they may not be giving adequate attention to animal behaviour and temperament.
Where Does This Leave Breeders?
Only in the Nordic Countries and Canada are there genetic evaluations for temperament. So the vast majority of breeders, around the globe, do not have access to genetic information for behavioural traits. Since we do not have genetic evaluations based on farm data we can not even calculate genomic indexes from DNA profiling.
All breeders can do is: i) not raise heifers that themselves or their family’s exhibit poor behaviour or temperament (link to not raising all heifers article); ii) redesign their facilities or management to minimize animal stress factors; or iii) cull problem animals.
Some sires with high ratings for milking temperament in Canada include:
Long-Langs Oman Oman-ET 113
Picston Shottle 112
Amighetti Numero Uno-ET 110 (DGV)
Zahbulls Alta1stClass-ET 110 (DGV)
The Bullvine Bottom Line
The area of animal behavior could definitely benefit from more thought and study. At both the farm and research levels, there needs to be input. Until there is data captured at the farm level and genetic evaluations are produced, breeders will only be able to address this problem from a management perspective or by culling otherwise valuable animals. Knowing the genetic answers to animal behaviour problems would have the benefit of giving both breeding stock and milk production focused breeders the opportunity to enhance on-farm profits.
As the Christmas season gets into full swing it`s time to share the spirit of the season with the hard-working cows in the barn. Very soon we will look back on all the numbers that brought the dairy operation success in the past year. Genetics, feed, health and environment all contribute to the bottom line. Cow comfort can represent up to 30%. Sometimes it receives the least attention. We can`t afford to throw away $3 of every $10 on an average $4500 annual revenue per cow. In a 100 cow herd that is disregarding $135,000. That doesn`t work at Christmas time or any other time of the year.
COW COMFORT is the GIFT that JUST KEEPS ON GIVING
When dairymen invest in something that improves the comfort of their cows, it pays itself back. The cows are the one line item that cannot be dispensed with. Anything done to improve the working environment and how the cows operate in it is a win-win. It is impossible to send your herd on a vacation to a warmer climate. Even if you could, they probably wouldn’t perform well in the hotter conditions. Nevertheless there are ways to give them a holiday from the stresses of their living current living quarters. You have to start by considering everything — from bedding surface and stall size to ventilation and lighting. New products and technologies are continually being introduced and developed. It is up to each breeder to find innovative solutions to get the most out of the dairy operation. In this win-win situation your bottom line will celebrate too!
MAKING A COMFORT LIST AND CHECKING IT TWICE
Cow comfort is one area of dairy operation management where it pays to go to great lengths to provide optimal cow comfort since it affects not only herd health, but their production and, most importantly, their reproduction! Here are some comforting Christmas season reminders:
The weather outside is frightful. But the barn is so delightful. A combination of fans and mechanical curtain walls play a critical role in ventilating some barns. The fans and curtain walls are engaged by a thermostat, which ensures the barn is kept at a constant temperature. There are many possible systems but the final result is fresh, moving air.
Let there be Light. Automatic controls to regulate the lighting system will ensure that cattle receive 16-18 hours of full light per day.
Lying All Snug in Their Beds: There are many options – sand, waterbeds, and straw packs etcetera. The goal is to provide a clean, dry surface for the cows to lie on.
Walking in a Winter Wonderland: While it’s unlikely that your herd is walking through snowdrifts, it is important that the surface they walk on is clean, slip-free and not so hard that it causes leg injuries.
Everything is Shining and Bright: In free stall barns the brushes clean the cow, remove old hair, and studies have shown they increase blood flow. We also think the brushes provide a bit of fun for the cows.
It’s Christmas Cow Party Time: Dairy nutrition is a separate discussion on its own but cow comfort is impacted by hygiene and the design of access to clean feed and water 24/7. If you want your party eggnog you may want to provide ceramic tile feeding areas and always, always make sure that head gates or feed access don’t result in injury.
HOW ARE YOUR MAIDS A-MILKING?
Of course milking is the key activity that takes place on a dairy farm. We know how that effects that milking. How does it affect the milk-producing team? When you look over your herd from their viewpoint, would you be on the naughty or nice list?
Let’s take that a step further and look at milking systems such as the move to robotic milkers. Here is another new technology that also pays big dividends in the area of cow comfort. Promoted as “letting cows be cows” robots don’t drive the milking schedule, the cows do. They eat when they want. They milk when they’re ready. They drink and sleep as they need to. The robotic system makes sure that milking is done as needed. Cows enter the robotic system where their identification is scanned and it is confirmed whether she needs to be milked or not. If she doesn’t need milked, a gate opens and the cow leaves the area. If she is ready to be milked, the milking cups are automatically attached. The entire process takes approximately 8 minutes, and the cow is fed food pellets while she’s waiting. All pluses from the comfort side of the pipeline.
COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS COW COMFORT
Before you make the decision to invest significant dollars in increasing cow comfort you need to know exactly what you need. It is ironic, that we all look at our cows every day but are we really seeing them in terms of how comfortable they are in the environment we are providing for them? There are several checkpoints that should be on your comfort checklist. Once you have checked them often enough that they become second nature, you will have an idea of what issues might need resolving. You need to be like Santa and make a list and check it much more often than twice. Here are some things to start with:
Locomotion. An unbalanced walk or a curved back could indicate lameness or digestion problems.
Body Temperature. A cow should have a temperature of 38 to 39 °C. Cold ears might indicate milk fever or blood circulation problems.
Foot or leg injuries. Heel erosion or skinned hocks are mainly caused by problems with bedding or bedding materials, incorrectly adjusted barn equipment and/or hoof infection.
Cud chewing: A cow should ruminate for seven to 10 hours per day, ruminating 40 to 70 times on a cud. Taking less time indicates inadequate rations.
Contented: A contented cow looks alert and powerful, with a glossy skin and a full stomach.
Neck injuries: A swollen neck is mainly caused by a feed fence being too low or incorrectly adjusted barn equipment.
Hoof health: Healthy cows stand straight and still while eating. Tipping or walking with a lame gait are signs of discomfort. This can be caused by bad rations, poor floors or lack of hoof treatment. Always look underneath hoofs during hoof trimming for extra signs and judge hoof health with locomotion scoring.
Respiration: Normal breathing ranges from 10 to 30 breaths a minute for a cow. Faster breathing indicates heat stress or pain and fever.
SO WE ASK, “WHO IS ASLEEP ON THE HAY?”
One of the best indicators that you are providing your herd with optimum cow comfort can be seen by observing how often they are lying down. It takes high levels of endurance to meet the stresses of high performance dairy production. As cattle caregivers it is our job to provide the highest level of comfort for them to perform. What does comfort have to do with performance? The real question is “How much does discomfort affect results?” If your herd could talk to you about their comfort levels, what would they say? Would they compliment the soft, bedded freestalls, the wide alley ways, and the roominess of the feedbunk? Or would they be more likely to mention that they spend more time competing for feed than they do eating it and resting afterward? Are they interacting with their own age group or are they being edged out by older cows? Don’t be caught under the haystack fast asleep when it’s your cows that should be resting.
THE BEST STOCKING IS NEVER OVER-STUFFED!
In a study that was done in Sweden several years ago, herds that had more free stalls than cows got as much as 5 lbs more milk per cow per day. Other studies have reported similar results of increased milk production when stocking density is decreased and the cows have more time to rest. Generally speaking, herds that have less stocking density in relations to stalls will have more available feed bunk space. We measure the milk they produce, we classify the conformation they achieve and we use Genomics to plan their breeding. We say, “We do just as well as everybody else.” AH! There’s the rub! Is that good enough or even true? Studies were done in Spain of several herds that were of the same genetic merit that were fed the exact same ration. The only factor that was variable was the management and housing of the cows. There was a 29-pound milk production difference when comparing the farms. How the cows were handled and housed accounted for the 29 pound difference! Multiply that by herd size and you understand how cow comfort really impacts your herd profitability.
THE BULLVINE BOTTOM LINE
While it is fun to prepare for the holiday season, our real dairy work must go on and taking cow comfort into consideration can bring our passion for cows and constantly improving dairy management onto the calendar. The Bullvine joins cow lovers everywhere in looking forward to a happy holiday barn and home season this December and, even more importantly, “A HAPPY MOO YEAR!
Every week dairy breeders read about better ways to raise their heifers. Take care and precaution at birth, follow health protocols, feed them properly and calve them at 24 months. These are all topics contained in the dairy farm press or on the Internet. However for most breeders there are four significant things that stand out as being topics that still need breeder attention. In Bullvine fashion we decided to weigh in on them with renewed vigour. We want every breeder to take the opportunity to be more successful.
Raising Too Many
Can you believe it – the vast majority of breeders just cannot get past raising every heifer calf that is born alive?
Their long established practice has been that we raise every heifer and sell, at a profit, the ones we do not need for herd replacements. Well sadly but truthfully today that profit has disappeared. An Internet search shows that dairy extension specialists are saying that it costs $2,000 to $2,500 in North America and 1,500 to 1,800 Euros in the EU to raise a heifer to calve at 25-26 months of age. And that does not put an initial value at birth for the heifer which can be from $300 to 500 Euros depending on genetic merit. Yes, in total, it is costly. And we have all heard the justification that labor should not be included in the total. That thinking is totally old fashioned. Especially given, that at the present time, average quality fresh first calvers are selling for $1,600 to $2,100. It just does not make economic sense that the sellers should be subsidizing the buyers to the tune of 500 to 800 dollars.
Yes, I know breeders say, “But it is different for me”. Oh really? How does that work for breeders focusing on using their forages, labor and facilities to produce milk efficiently? It is better to use the homegrown forage to feed heifers, to keep workers busy and heifer barns full rather than producing extra milk, using fewer staff and finding an alternate revenue generating use for the extra space? I think not!
On a breeding stock basis in the later part of 2013 many 2000 GPA TPI or 2500 GPA LPI bred heifers sold in North America for less than $2000. (Read more: An Insider’s Guide to What Sells at the Big Dairy Cattle Auctions 2013) I heard breeders sharing with other breeders that that price was okay. But was it profitable? No! And if you had added expenses to get the calf, like ET or IVF, then definitely not! Sometimes there is the opportunity to sell a heifer here or there that might do some show winning. But those are few and far between and then their maximum value is likely before the show season starts not afterwards. I know of parents of 4Hers or Junior breed members who want a show calf for their child. That is all well and good but it seems to me that it is much easier to buy a high quality calf rather than try to breed it. Besides including the young person in the buying experience may be quite beneficial for their learning experience.
Current prices on fresh first calvers all boils down these things. A current limited demand, an over supply of heifers and milk prices or quota limitation holding back major industry expansion. The use of sexed semen and producers getting their involuntary culls under control are also significant factors. Heifer rearing costs doubled from 1997 to 2007 and are likely to double again by 2015. No matter how you look at it raising more heifers than you need at this time is a waste of your time, resources and assets.
No Records – Can’t Manage
Traditionally dairymen have recorded the inputs and performance of their cows but not their heifers. Well that practice is no longer enough as on-farm margins tighten. Inputs to the heifer herd and heifer performance need to be monitored using herd management software. Many such types of software exist. Usually it is easiest if the heifer programs from the milking herd software is used for the heifers and dry cows as it makes the transition from non-milking to milking automatic. It is highly recommended that the information inputted also include financials in addition to growth, health, reproduction and nutrition.
To benchmark your heifer herd here are some Central North America numbers to use to compare to your herd:
Per Heifer per Day
* Total Cost $2.90 (Birth to 26 months)
* Average Feed Cost $1.30 (45%)
* Avg Labour & Management Cost $0.69 (23%)
* Avg Variable Cost $0.29 (10%)
* Avg Fixed Cost $0.12 (04%)
* Initial Value at Birth $0.50 (18%)
Of course these costs will differ based on a number of factors including degree of automation, facilities, feeds fed and size of operation. The average daily cost will be highest for the babies (perhaps $3.25+) and lowest for second and third trimester pregnant heifers (if on pasture it could be as low as $2.00).
Definitely, if you don’t have the facts, you cannot manage and improve your heifer operation.
Breed Them Younger
Dairymen following an aggressive growing program now have their heifers at breeding weight (700 lbs / 320 kgs) by 11 months of age. Some dairymen report breeding at the first heat after this weight is reached while others using those programs adhere to breeding on the first heat after 12 months of age. One thing often referred to in the literature is that young heifers like that routinely have higher conception rates (70%) than 17-18 month old heifers (60%), can have less edema at calving and less difficult calvings due mainly to a smaller calf. Heifers on aggressive growing programs can easily reach 1300 lbs at 22 months of age.
Average age at first calving across North America is about 26 months, while a recent number from the UK is 28 months. Reports show a double edged benefit from calving at 22 rather than 26 months, Firstly there is a $300 saving in raising cost. Secondly there is $7,000 more milk revenue in their lifetime.
Pick the Right Genetics
For breeders focusing on milk as their major source of revenue the Bullvine has frequently produced criteria and lists of bulls to use (Read more: Mating Recommendations). The factors important to efficient milk production can also be important to getting healthy calves and include, calving ease, fertility, temperament, mobility including rear legs rear view and feet and body condition score. Additionally it would be nice to know about heifer growth rates, disease resistance and ability to compete in large groups but without field data genetic evaluations cannot be produced. It is quite important to consider the heifer herd in addition to the milking females when making your breeding decisions.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
As breeders plan for their next calf crop it is time to thoroughly review heifer rearing practices. If the heifer herd on your farm is not vital to your milking operation or it is not already a profit center, then it is time to get your pencil out, calculate your heifer rearing numbers and make the decisions to realize more farm profit. Ignoring today’s economic realities when it comes to the heifer herd can be very costly.
Throughout my education and my career in livestock improvement I have heard learned people say ‘the fields of nutrition, reproduction, management and genetics are independent of each other’. As recently as last week I had a nutritionist tell me that what geneticists do is secondary to what a nutritionist can do when it comes to on-farm profit. Well today I wish to challenge that theory of no inter-relationships.
Although I do not want to get into a back-and-forth between genetics and other disciplines, the purpose for this article is to challenge our thinking and see if there are in fact ways that genetics can be complimentary to nutrition, reproduction and management. It takes all disciplines working collaboratively to enhance on-farm profits thereby providing consumers with the dairy products they wish to consume.
If a stranger walked into your facilities and told you that you are wasting 20% of the feedstuffs you produce or that 20% of your daily labor could be eliminated would you throw them off the farm? Or would you stop and listen and consider taking action? If that stranger was your genetic supplier would you continue to consider their advice or would you scoff at them saying that “the genetics you use can not reduce your costs or increase your revenue”.
The following are areas that have a genetic component to them that deserve consideration:
Reproduction
Heifers not calving before 24 months or cows with an extra month or two in the dry pens each lactation take feed and labor at the rate of $2 to $4 (avg $3) per day. A heifer that does not calve until 27 months and takes an extra 45 days per lactation in the dry pen has costs an unnecessary $675 by the time she starts her fourth lactation at 69 months of age. By that time that heifer should be half way thru her fourth lactation. She not only costs an extra $675 but has lost $3000 in milk and progeny revenue by 69 months of age. The dollars lost add up quickly.
Genetically consider using only sires that are well above average for DPR +1.0 / DF 105, cull heifers and cows with below average fertility ratings either their genetic rating or actual performance, and do not use bulls or retain females that are below 100 for Body Conditioning Score.If you are buying embryos or replacement females be sure to look at the genetic fertility ratings. Making excuses for buying below average animals or embryos is false economy. Another factor that is not a genetic rating, but has a direct bearing on reproduction is Sire Conception Rating. Remember that for each 21 days (one cycle) a female is open it costs $63 and that does not consider increased semen and insemination costs.
Productive Life / Herd Life
Improving just one year of herd life, from a herd average of three to four lactations, can markedly improve the revenue a cow will generate in her lifetime. An extra 26,000 pound or 12,000 kgs per cow per lifetime also reduces the number of heifers that need to be raised or purchased. In a 300 milking cow herd the total of added revenue and reduced heifer costs can be as much as $300 net per cow per year. As heifer rearing is no longer a major profit centre, like it once was, why incur the feed and labor costs of extra heifers?
Using sires that are at least PL +4.5 or HL 110 is strongly recommended. Females should not be retained for breeding or replacement or purchased as embryos where the cow family members do not make it to third lactation.
Production
The volume of fat and protein produced by each cow each day is a key factor for revenue generation (Read more: Is too much water milking your profits? and 5 things you must consider when breeding for milk production). When that can be done with a lesser volume of water it means less strain on the cow and less water to transport to the milk processor. High output of components means fewer cows needing to be fed and milked to produce a given quantity of fat and protein. If daily yields are only moderate then feed is wasted feeding too many cows. At the processor more concentrated milk means less water needs to be removed and disposed of. It is a win–win for both the producer and the processor.
To achieve high fat plus protein yields requires that the sires used need to be ranked high genetically for total solids yield. In sire proofs that equates to bulls with 90 kgs fat + protein in Canada and 75 lbs in the USA. Cows should be culled for low total fat + protein yields per day not on volume of milk produced. When purchasing embryos make sure that the genetic merit for fat + protein yield is high.
Udder Health
On a continual basis the requirement for the maximum number of somatic cells in milk is lowered. It is estimated that each case of mastitis costs at least $300 in lost production and drugs. Add to that the extra labor required and the total cost, to all dairy farmers, associated with mastitis is huge. Sometimes we forgive cows and bulls with poor SCS rating because they have a high rating for a single other trait. That is false economy when you factor in the cost of feed, labour and lost milk revenue. We need to be paying more attention to milk quality in the future than we have in the past.
Animals above 3.00 for SCS should not be used in your breeding program. Better still would be to aim for using bulls that are 2.80 and lower for SCS. Of note is the fact that as of December 2013 CDN will be producing sire indexes for Mastitis Resistance (Read more: Official Genetic Evaluation for Mastitis Resistance).
Calving Ease
Producers have placed emphasis on calving ease over the past decade. It is now at the point where concern relative to calving difficulty is only mentioned for first calving heifers. Labor is saved with unassisted calvings. As well the dam and calf both get off to better starts. Less drug usage and quicker breeding back of the dam add up to major dollars saved no matter what the herd size.
Bulls receive indexes for both the ease with which their calves are born and for the ease with which their daughters give birth. It is advised to not use bulls that are rated below average for both direct and maternal calving ease.
Other Factors
Feet and Legs: Cows without mobility problems save on labor, lost feed and lost revenue. Use sires that are average or above average for both heel depth and rear legs rear view. Calves and heifers with feet and leg problems seldom get better with age. (Read more: Cow Mobility: One Step Forward or Two Steps Back?)
Feed Conversion: In all livestock there are genetic differences in the ability to convert feed to end product. As yet we do not know those genetic differences in dairy cattle but we will know them in time. (Read more: Feed Efficiency: The Money Saver and 30 Sires that will produce Feed Efficient Cows) In is a fact that big cows, producing similar volumes to a medium sized cow, can not be as efficient as they must eat feed to maintain their larger body mass. Some (New Zealand, Ireland, NMS formula,…) already have a negative weighting for body size in their total index formula In the future breeders need to be prepared to select for feed efficiency and likely re-think the ideal cow size. Stay tuned. Research is already underway on feed conversion in dairy cattle.
Milking Speed: Slow milking cows were once tolerated in tie stall barns even though they required more labor. Now with parlour, rotary and even robotic systems, cows that slow down the parlour process or that mean fewer cows per robot are not tolerated. Sire indexes for milking speed are available on all bulls in Canada and are often available from bull studs in other countries. Avoid using bulls that leave slow milkers.
Polled: Labor required and animal set backs after dehorning are negatives at the farm level. For consumers animal treatment/care is often a concern that may affect milk product consumption. Polled is not just trendy it will be the norm in the future. (Read more: Why Is Everyone So Horny For Polled?, From the Sidelines to the Headlines, Polled is Going Mainline! and Polled Genetics: Way of the Future or Passing Fad?), Genetic tests are now available that accurate identify animals as homozygous or heterozygous for polled. With each passing month the genetic merit for top polled animals for total merit (TPI, LPI NM$,..) is increasing. Producers need to decide when they will start to breed for polled.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
Every discipline is important to improving on-farm profits. Research at CDN showed that improved genetics accounted for, at least, 40% of the increase in on-farm profitability. Genetics can help reduce the two biggest on-farm cost – feed and labor. As well it can help drive up revenue per cow. Conclusion: Genetics can save on feed and labor costs. And Genetics can help generate more profit.
How often have you heard a 4H leader, FFA member, classifier or show judge say a heifer or cow must have slope from her hips to her pins and be wide in the pins because that’s what we need for good fertility? Yes we have all heard that many times. But is it true? Could it be that the Holstein bloodlines we have selected were poorer for fertility than other bloodlines we left behind half a century ago? And that rump conformation has a low correlation with fertility.
A Colorful Opinion
Something we can all agree on is that the fertility levels in our herds, the world over, are not what breeders would like them to be. I well remember just a year ago when I had a discussion with an old time Jersey breeder. True to form he was telling this Holstein guy that Holstein breeders have ruined the breed. Sure higher butterfat and protein yields and udders much higher off the ground were great moves but why the excessive stature, very flat and deep rear rib and the demand that animals be tall in the front end when nature did not make them that way? “Jersey cows don’t need to have sloping rumps in order to quickly get back in-calf. So why do Holsteins need sloping rumps?” His bottom line was that by going for the tall skinny cow syndrome we have selected against reproductively sound females. His concluding statement was “You are breeding cows not runway models.” Think about it, shorter, rounder cows that may give a little less milk but get in-calf quicker are very likely preferred by milk producers to the tall, deep rear rib, walk uphill ones.
Have we won a Little but Lost a Lot?
Have we selected our Holsteins for the ones that do not quickly get back in-calf? Is it possible that our breeding strategies have taken us in a wrong direction when female fertility is frequently the biggest cow problem that breeders have? (Read more: How Healthy Are Your Cows?)
Certainly over the past half century the average production of Holsteins has doubled. And yes in the past decade we are seeing more outstanding scoring (type classification) cows. And the winners at the shows are super cows with awesome mammary systems.
However whether it is genetics, nutrition or management, our calving intervals are longer and pregnancy rates are perhaps half what they were forty years ago. As well with the need for breeders to focus today on profitability there is the need to replace high cost manual labour with technology and there are moves ahead pointing to less use of drugs and medicines for food safety reasons. Therefore we need to find some way to put reproduction efficiency back into the Holstein cow. And do it by selection rather than by cross-breeding.
Skinny at Odds with Conception
Research and breeder experience has brought to our attention that cows that have above average body conditioning get back in-calf quicker and with less trouble than cows that sacrifice their body condition due to high yields, poor nutrition, inadequate transition cow feeding, poor conformation, … or maybe some combination of all of those.
The Billion Dollar Question
So I ask. “Now that we have sire and cow indexes for Daughter Pregnancy Rate (USA) and Daughter Fertility and Body Condition Score (Canada) are breeders using those indexes in their Breeding Programs?”
Bulls That Get Used
The Canadian Dairy Network, last week, published the thirty Holstein sires with the most daughters registered in Canada in 2012 (Read more: Canadian A.I. Market Share and Most Popular Sires for 2012) accounting for 40% of the total registrations. The remaining 60% were sired by 5900 other bulls. The Bullvine decided to study in some depth the 20 sires with the most registered daughters in Canada in 2012. Those twenty sired 35% of the females registered which should be a good benchmark for where the breed is heading.
Table 1 Sire Comparison – 2012 Daughters Born vs. 2011 Top Sires Available
Group
LPI
Milk (kg)
Fat (kg / %)
Protein (kg / %)
CONF
MS
F&L
HerdLife
DF
SCS
Udepth
CA
20 Bulls-most registered 2012
2075
1031
60 /+.21%
41 / +.06%
15
12
8
105
98
2.89
4s
102
20 Bulls - top in 2011
2392
1393
67/+.16%
55 / +.07%
10
10
9
108
102
2.87
4s
104
Difference
-317
-362
-7
-14
5
2
-1
-3
-4
-0.02
0
-2
Table 1 compares the twenty sires with the most registered daughters in 2012 to the top twenty Canadian proven LPI sires available to Canadian breeders in 2011. The short answers to the comparisons are: breeders use sires with lower LPIs, less production, more type, less fertility and less Herd Life than the very top LPI sires that A.I. organizations marketed. The shocking truth is that ten of the top twenty most used sires were below average for their Daughter Fertility (DF) indexes. One of those twenty sires had a DF index of only 88 while the top two sires were rated at 107 & 106. High (top 10%) but not overly high.
In case you are wondering if this is a Canadian phenomenon you can refer to a recent Bullvine article (Read more: Top Sires North American Breeders Are Using). The sires with most registered daughters in the USA have the same deficiency in their genetic merit for female fertility. Six of the top ten bulls with the most registered daughters in the middle half of April 2013 were below average for Daughter Pregnancy Rate. Different country same story.
Let’s take the Bull by the Horns
Even though we have only had fertility indexes on bulls for a few years, we as breeders are not using them to genetically improve female fertility in our herds. And it likely goes beyond that – are our A.I. organizations using them when selecting the parents of the next generation of bulls? After all over 90% of the genetic improvement in a herd comes from the sires used.
Fertility Sires
Sires do exist that top the April 2013 North American TPI™ and LPI listings and have fertility ratings in the top 25% of the Holstein breed. Breeders wishing to genetically improve their herds for female fertility should consider the following sires:
Table 2 Top Sires with High Fertility – April 2013
Click on image for enlargement
Of course we all want to know what we will have to give up to get the female fertility. Further analysis of the twenty-four bulls listed in Table 2 shows that only significant concession would be in ‘show type’ for eight of the twelve top proven sires. All bulls on this listing have above average indexes for PTAT or CONF.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
Half a century of breeding for increased yields, taller and more angularity cows have taken their toll on the fertility in our herds. Female fertility indexes are available for both males and females. With genomics these indexes became much more accurate. Now is the time to put the genetics for female fertility back into our modern Holsteins. It is not a “Perhaps or Maybe”, it is a “MUST”!
Not sure what all this hype about genomics is all about?
Want to learn what it is and what it means to your breeding program?
Before there was Donald Trump, there was Jack Welch, one of America’s greatest business leaders in history. During Jack Welch’s 20-year career as chairman and CEO of General Electric, GE’s company value rose 4000%. That is a 200% per year growth rate. More than 50 times that of the average company. How did Jack do it? He got rid of the bottom 10% of GE’s employees every year.
Such bold and committed action could also apply in dairy farming. Although most of us are so entrenched in our own operations that we cannot always be objective. But we should be objective. Managers must make the tough decisions. Are you ready to Fire the Bottom 10%? Management choices or decisions could very well be significantly dragging down your profits.
Random Poll
So The Bullvine polled dairy producers asking them:
“In managing your dairy enterprise, if someone said to you fire the Bottom 10% in order to increase your profits what would you do?”
The following four management areas were the ones the producers identified as their top “fire the bottom” moves.
Heifer Rearing
Producers tell us that the easiest and quickest change they can make is to stop raising all their heifer calves. In the past selling springing bred heifers or recently calved in first calvers was a revenue source. Some long for those days to return. The reality is that those days in North America are not about to reoccur with increased use of sexed semen and producers finding ways to retain still profitable older cows.
One producer in expansion mode dropped his heifer numbers back and used the barn space and feed to milk more cows. He did it using the heifer sized free stalls for a group of 22-26 month old milkers. Another producer changed his program to lower feed costs using a very high forage diet for all milking females thereby needing more cows to fill his daily milk shipments. His plan is that by dropping from 75 to 65 pounds of milk per cow per day he will have less cow turnover, a shorter calving interval and more profit per cow per day of productive life. Profit per cow per day (sometimes referred to as daily return over feed costs) is a term all producers are now using extensively.
Some producers report selling all heifer calves to a heifer raiser with the option of buying back needed replacements at $200 over going market price for any of his own heifers. He is very satisfied with them and he knows their ancestry. The only limiting factor being he must take care not to cause his farm any biosecurity problems with the reintroductions. He is considering testing his reintroduction for common diseases. But still sees that new cost much outweighing the cost for feed, labour or capital costs associated with raising his own replacements.
Reproductive Performance
Producers tell us that reproduction is their biggest thief of profits. Changing reproductive performance is not easy to put in place. Steps being taken include: not breeding back cows or heifers that have a history of poor reproductive performance; milkers requiring a fourth breeding are not rebred; purchasing heat monitoring systems; creating a group of cows 60 days in milk until confirmed pregnant or a decision is made not to rebreed and using high genomic bulls instead of AI.
Other producers have worked with specialists and redesigned their transition cow program. Many report excellent results relative to calving, no retained placentas or metritis, quick entry into the milking string and high percent of first heats post calving by 50 days in milk. They have found a savings in staff time handling problems and maintaining detailed records.
Still other producers have handed off heat checking to their AI technician with very good results. It is one less job for the milkers and animal feeders to do.
Animal Health
Producers share about the frustration with the excessive time required by a sick cow, or a lame cow or a sick calf. ‘If only we did not have to be taking an extra twenty minutes per day to deal with each animal with a health problem, besides the drugs cost and lost milk’.
One producer shared how he has built an expensive barn and manure handling system only to find that the number of cows with feet problems has exploded. His thinking is that producers are too willing to accept lameness, feet problems, foot trimming, footbaths, loss of milk, treatment costs and other detrimental issues as a cost of doing business. To that he added that in the end he had to spend even more money to re-design his housing system and now he has sand wearing out his equipment. He actually longed for the good old days when cows could walk on dry natural surfaces.
Few of the producers see a way clear of health problems. This suggests that, as an industry, we need to think – if what we are doing isn’t working for us we definitely need to step back from the problem and find effective approaches to handling animal health.
Technology
Producers have given this topic much consideration and many have implemented changes. The list was quite long but it often does not hurt to repeat what producers are doing. The list includes: install robotics; milking the cows less than 120 days fresh 3x; hiring out the field work to a custom operator thereby eliminating labour and capital cost; capturing more cow information at every milking in both parlour and tie stall barns, (as mentioned above) heat detection systems; training and assigning specialty jobs to staff; purchasing software programs that capture and analyze data so manager can make quick accurate decisions and the list went on. In all cases it appears that dollar cost-benefit criteria were used to base decisions on. Definitely this is an area that producers feel more comfortable with. Which is reassuring given that the average herd size is growing and wage rates are increasing.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
Jack Welch earned a reputation for brutal candor in his meetings with executives. He rewarded those in the top 20% with bonuses and stock options. Sometimes as dairy breeders we are guilty of looking at our operations as a way of life and not as a business. The hard truth is the dairy business decisions need to be based on dollars. Firing poor performers is not just good for your dairy business, it’s necessary. Where do you draw the firing line?
It’s in the air! Spring shows are starting. In some regions cows are getting outside for the first time in months. Most importantly, in major league baseball, spring training is over and it’s time to start the games that really matter. Every year Opening Day is marked with great anticipation by baseball fans. You can smell the hot dogs cooking on the grill and the feel of the leather glove in your hands. It’s baseball time baby. Now I bet you are wondering what dairy breeders can learn from baseball? Well here are three lessons dairy breeders can learn from professional baseball.
Lesson #1: Moneyball
The book and movie (starring Brad Pitt) Moneyball tells the story of how Billy Beane, GM for the Oakland A’s, used statistical analysis to find players who were undervalued by other teams. The movie was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It made over $100 million. Billy Beane forever changed the way major league baseball teams look at assembling their teams. No longer is it about your gut feel. You need Jedi senses in order to develop winners. .
In modern major league baseball, managers now play the percentages. They usually go with what has a higher likelihood of success. So left-handed hitters bat against right-handed pitchers and vice versa. Certain individuals will be in the lineup against certain pitchers because of their record against that pitcher. Fielders shift to cover the hitting tendencies of batters (like the famous Jim Thome shift). Does this mean right-handed batters can’t hit against right-handed pitchers? No. Does it mean batters always hit to the same location or that the past will always repeat itself? Certainly not.
In dairy cattle breeding, when we talk numbers, that means Genomics. Genomics has greatly changed the way many breeders go about sire selection. (Read more: The Dairy Breeders Guide to Genomics, Genomics: Think Big Not Small and The Truth About Genomic Indexes – “Show Me” They Work! ) By knowing your breeding goals, understanding the genetics you have in your herd, and leveraging the power of genomics, breeders can greatly accelerate their genetic programs, and more importantly increase the efficiency. (link 30 efficient sires)
In baseball the teams that win the championships are not always the ones who have the highest payroll, or the biggest names, instead it the ones who have mastered the basics and can do so consistently. Advancing the base runner (hit, sacrifice or bunt), throwing to the correct base to get the lead runner out, backing up every throw and not throwing the ball away and getting the leadoff batter out, these are all the little things that contribute greatly to the success of major league baseball teams.
The same is true for your breeding program. Using the greatest sires in the world, on the most expensive females in the world does not guarantee success. You still need to master the basics of dairy farming in order to make success happen. Producing high-quality forage, producing high-quality milk (SCC <100,000), raising healthy calves and healthy cows is pivotal to any breeder program. Without mastering these basics all the genetics in the world will not make you a winner. Think about it. How many traits are highly heritable and how many are heavily management dependent? (Read more: The Genomic Advancement Race – The Battle for Genetic Supremacy)
Lesson #3: You need a good manager
Bob Melvin was named 212 AL Manager of the Year.
Just like having players that do the basics well, it’s important to have a good manager. Often a good manager is the reason professional baseball players are willing to do the basics well. A good manager is able to step back, assess the team that he/she has and then leverages player strengths and protects or improves their weaknesses. Some dairy breeders think of their breeding programs as an art form and do not give it the level of analysis and business management it requires. The best dairy farmers and breeders take the time to step back and ask themselves “What areas in my operation need more management?”
The Bullvine Bottom Line
As in baseball, success in dairy breeding does not happen overnight. It’s a long season in baseball and you have to be patient. You can’t make all the necessary changes right away. It takes years to build a championship team. The same is true for a successful breeding program. It takes the right moves and an attitude of continuous improvement. There will be setbacks and there will be lean times, but keep working at building a competitive business. Don’t be discouraged. Don’t get impatient. Never be complacent. In baseball it’s three strikes and you are out. In dairy breeding it depends on Moneyball, Mastery and Management. Fail at these three basics and there is no question your breeding program will strike out.
The udder may be a cow’s most prized physical asset, but her feet and legs literally provide the support for everything she does. How many situations with problem cows boil down to problems with their feet and legs?
In most herds foot care and hoof trimming are considered to be a very necessary event and, therefore, an expense that cannot be avoided. With this absolute in mind, we tend to march on breeding, feeding and managing cows without taking the time to consider ways to stop merely treating the symptoms we`re stuck with. Solving the problem before it becomes a health or management problem could completely avoid starting our animals off on the wrong foot. The Bullvine invites you to consider the genetics of feet and legs with us to stimulate a breeding solution for these issues.
The Heels of a Dilemma
In milk recorded herds, culling cows for feet and leg problems is #1 on the list of conformation culling reasons. In the past, udder breakdown was once the leader. However breeders have placed sufficient emphasis on improving udders that we are now to the stage where milk producers are saying they do not need to select bulls for udder traits except to avoid ones that are too deep. It’s encouraging to know that with focus and time identified problems can be solved.
Although removal of horns may be the current hot button for people concerned about the welfare of animals, and therefore breeders are selecting for polled, there are numerous reports predicting that lame cows will be the next and much larger target.
Certainly, there are no dairypersons who are saying that feet and legs are good enough that genetic improvement for feet and legs is not needed.
Locomotion is Costing Us an Arm and a Leg
Reports show that for a cow with one temporary sore foot it reduces her annual profit by at least $100. So what is the cost of a cow with foot construction that requires trimming 3-5 times per year, medication, less milk production, milk withdrawal, extended calving interval and premature culling? Feet and leg problems could be costing some herds $300 per cow per year. On a one hundred cow herd that is $30,000 less profit. Significant by anyone’s standard.
A Vet Looks at the Genetics of Lameness
Gordon Atkins, DVM and a member of Holstein Canada’s Type Classification Advisory Committee, was a speaker at the recent annual meeting of the Wisconsin Holstein Association. He is not prepared to accept the fact that feet and leg heritabilities are as low as they currently appear to be. Additionally, he shared some interesting facts about feet and legs:
Lameness is 88% a rear foot situation
That leaves only 12% for it being a front feet and leg problem
The outside rear claws bear the brunt of the lameness issue
The fact is that the rear outside claw grows faster because it is growing tissue in response to the greater pressure it endures while walking
Thin cows have a higher incidence of lameness
Thin cows mobilized fat from their bodies including the fat from the foot pad or digital cushion within the base of the heel structure. This results in less protection for the foot and heel.
The foot’s fatty pad can be replaced as the cow regains body condition but over time scar tissue will form when adequate fat is not present in the pads
Dr Atkins went on to highlight
His very telling statement followed, that being, “we need to evaluate feet and legs better”
Diagram – Cross Section of a Bovine Foot
Let`s Go Toe to Toe with the Facts Only Please
Let’s summarize:
Dairy cattle have a genetic problem relative to feet and legs especially for animals not allowed to get off cement or to exercise
It is rear feet that are the major portion of the problem with respect to lameness
The Achilles Heel for Classifiers
The classification system scores numerous traits but there are factors in the area of feet and legs that are beyond their control. Foot angle is not a good trait to measure because it is so variable due to foot trimming. Cattle owners have feet trimmed before classification so type classifiers do not see the animals in their natural state. Classifiers do the best they can, given the circumstances. Add to this the fact that classifiers do not see every cow walking. Since the ability to walk is what is most important, classifiers again are at a distinct disadvantage.
Estimating heritability using classification data shows these percentages:
30% for bone quality (moderate)
24% for rear legs side view (moderate)
13% for rear legs rear view (low)
11% for foot angle (low)
8% for heel depth (low)
Yes the report card is in – we need to improve the evaluation feet and legs especially for rear feet and rear legs rear view. Genetically we have bred for thin cows and thus less fat in the foot pad. The only place we collect feet and leg data for genetic purposes is in the type classification programs and there the classifier, as mentioned, is at a disadvantage. What’s left that breeds, classifiers, people doing the genetic evaluations and breeders can do?
Getting a Toehold on the Solution
A collective approach is needed:
We must admit that we have a problem and that we need to find a solution to more accurately knowing the genetics of feet and legs.
The problem is not limited to one country and it is more prevalent in cattle not allowed to walk on natural surfaces.
Resources (people and money) must be allocated to investigation and research.
Some suggestions the Bullvine has heard on ideas to consider include:
observe or measure the females over their lifetime
evaluate the feet on calves at weaning
evaluate the feet on heifers at first breeding
measure the feet on first lactation females on their first milk recording test day (before they are trimmed)
compare sire’s daughter feet and legs on confined versus pastured daughters
compare the genomic profiles of cow families that are both desirable and undesirable for feet (and legs)
It is encouraging to see that there is one hoof trimmers’ guild that has public support for a study to collect pedigree information at the time of trimming, to complete a report of the condition of the feet before trimming and then to have the data analyzed. That could be a start.
In the Interim… Feet Forward
Research takes time and cows are bred every day, in the mean time, breeders must use the information currently available from sire indexes or proofs. It is strongly recommended that sires be highly ranked for Net Merit, TPI or LPI and higher than 1.5 FLC or +7 Feet & Legs. A recent addition to the information to consider on bulls is their Body Condition Scoring index. Bulls whose daughters do not get as thin during lactation should not drain all the fat from their foot pads. (Some Bullvine recommended sires to use can be found at From Fantasy To Reality – Top Sires To Address Herd Culling Problems)
The Bullvine Bottom Line- “Stop “Digging in Our Heels”
What is needed is an international approach to studying dairy cattle feet, much like the approach being taken to studying feed efficiency. Hopefully a way will be found to move feet research in dairy cattle to the DNA level. If the industry collectively has the will, there will be a way. All we need now is a champion to take the first step.
Commercial milk producers want to breed cows that have high feed conversion efficiency, that avoid culling and that take the least care or staff time (Read more – Feed Efficiency: The Money Saver). The well known and widely used total merit indexes, TPI*TM and LPI, rank sires according to which ones leave the most profitable ideal or true type cow. However the factors in those indexes and the assumptions that are made when calculating them do not address feed, culling or low maintenance. Milk producers are left to fend for themselves when it comes to selecting sires that will leave their kind of cows.
What’s Being Heard
Milk Producers say: “All I want is a trouble free cow that efficiently converts forages to the kind of milk my milk buyer wants.”
Veterinarians say: “Cows must get in calf, have minimal feet problems and must not be prone to having production limiting diseases (reproduction problems, mastitis, metabolic disorders or ..etc.).”
Farm Workers say: “Sick animals, calving problems and animals that do not work easily within the farm system waste my time.”
Feed Advisers say: “Test your forages, feed the rumen, get the most out of your forages and the use of nutrients for both production and maintenance must be considered simultaneously (i.e. medium sized cows yielding the same as large cows are more feed efficient).”
Milk Processors say: ”Except for the milk we sell as a drink, we want the solids not the water.”
Financial Advisers say: “Make decisions based on profit per cow, per litre, per hectare, per pound of feed consumed, per worker, …etc.”
There are even more voices speaking in producers ears and more words appearing on the computer screens that producers read. With all the information that is currently available, selecting sires that best meet the needs of milk producers can be a daunting task.
Getting Started
Milk producers do not wish to deal all the numbers that appear on proof sheets. That can be a very time consuming exercise with no definitive answers at the end of it.
The Bullvine decided to research what is available today on selecting sires for feed conversion efficiency, for freedom from major known reasons for culling and for minimal extra care. We recognize that down the road there will be genomic indexes that are based on the relationship between yet to be recorded on-farm cow performance data and the DNA make-up of cows for these three areas. But today those genomic indexes do not exist.
Bullvine Efficiency Index (BEI)
Based on the information from a number of countries that we have been able to access, the Bullvine has developed the following formulas:
BEI = Production (45%) + Durability (35%) + Health & Fertility (25%)
Production = 30 Fat Yield + 50 Protein Yield + 10 Fat% + 10 Protein%
Durability = 17 Herd Life + 42 Mammary System + 25 Feet & Legs – 8 Body Depth – 8 Stature
Milk Yield is not included as it contributes to more udder strain and added milk haulage or on-farm water removal costs.
The negative weightings on Body Depth and Stature reflect that larger cows require extra feed to grow to that size and to maintain that larger size each and every day compared to cows of more moderate size.
Please note: Due to the fact that CDN’s Custom Index tool only allows quires by Domestic Canadian, MACE and Genomic individually it is not possible to do an overall ranking.
Key Findings
Except for the Domestic Canadian list only a small difference exist between bulls
The rankings do not always follow TPI* TM or LPI due mainly to the negative weighting on body depth and stature and increased emphasis on SCS, daughter fertility and udder depth.
Although Braedale Goldwyn, Sandy Valley Bolton and Picton Shottle progeny are prominent on these listings, they are from different cow families so inbreeding using the sires on these lists should not be a problem, providing a breeder does not focus on just one of them
Highlights
Braedale Goldwyn appears on the listings himself. As well he has six sons on the lists and is the maternal grandsire of three of the genomic bulls.
Sandy Valley Bolton has seven sons on the listings
Picton Shottle is the maternal grandsire of nine bulls on the listings
Oman sons Long-Langs Oman Oman and Badger-Bluff Fanny Freddie both appear on the listings, as do one son and one maternal grandson of each of them
De-Su Observer, yet to be daughter proven, has three sons and one maternal grandson on the genomics listing
The Bullvine Bottom Line
Commercial milk producers often want the decisions on which sires to use to be as simplified as possible. That is why the Bullvine has produced these BEI listings. With due consideration to avoid inbreeding, milk producers can expect BEI to rank bulls for them for production, durability and health & fertility with emphasis on the sires that can convert intake into milk production.
Hockey fans, which most dairy farmers are, know Brian Burke as the guy with the permanently askew necktie and reddish face, and a plug of chewing tobacco planted firmly beneath his cheek and gums as he stared down at his hockey team from the general manager’s box in the press level at the Air Canada Centre, chirping at opposing teams or on-ice officials and urging on his Toronto Maple Leafs. They also know him as the guy who talked a good game but failed to deliver a competent goaltender and overspent for players. Something far too familiar to many dairy industry executives. Burke was fired this week.
The thing that many dairy farmers need to realize from this scenario is that dairy farming, just as hockey is a results oriented business. Just like hockey, when someone is not performing, change is needed. When Burke was ushered in to Toronto many fans were already planning the Stanley Cup parade down Yonge Street. The problem is it never materialized. Similar to the announcements of many dairy industry executives.
Leadership starts at the Board Level
The same can be said of many dairy organizations. New leadership comes in and it seems to take a long time to see any change, and even longer for the boards that preside over these organizations to realize it’s not working and enact change. Take a look at the Leafs, the board at the time when Burke was hired, was comprised of mostly hockey fans (Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan owned the Leafs as much for the PR value with membership as they did for ROI). Then about a year ago Canada’s two media giants, Rogers and Bell, teamed up to purchase the majority stake in the Leafs for $1.07 billion, with official transfer happening in late August. As one of their first moves, though delayed by the lockout, the very results driven board decided that Burke was not the man to lead them forward. He’s gone.
This is one area that I think many of the dairy breeder boards (Breeds, Milk Recording, A.I., Milk Marketing etc.) do not do a good job of. While everyone likes to be everyone’s friend, management must be held accountable for results. This is its very mandate that every board should hold itself to. Now I know that in many cases breeders tenure on these boards is short (something many big corporate boards would never allow), so the ability to bring about change can be hard. However, it is also why I think as an industry we need to look closer at how we comprise these boards.
While there is no doubt I believe the breeders should be represented, it can also be very helpful to have people from outside the industry on these boards. Any good board needs to have its stakeholders (the breeders) on its board. However, it’s also important to bring non-investor (non-breeder) who has outside perspectives to the board. Typically this means bringing people from financial, legal and organizational growth to the table. This will help in bringing a more balanced approach to growing the organization.
Blue and White Disease
For all his performance shortcomings, there were certainly things about Brian Burke’s tenure that I have a great deal of respect for. One thing is the way in which he worked at getting rid of the “blue and white” disease. This was the clever phrase Brian used to slam the culture of entitlement they believed every Leaf was stricken with. We see this in many dairy organizations, where staff and board members seem to have a sense of entitlement just because of their position with that organization. They seem immune to the performance and accountability that all employees and boards should feel as paid or elected representatives of a public or co-operative organization.
Now I understand that there is a time and a place for different styles of leadership. At times, it is better to lead from the rear than the front. No questions asked. However, much like William Wallace (Braveheart) and Maximus (Gladiator) there is also a time that you need to lead your organization from the front, leading the fight at risk of firing or in Wallace and Maximus case even death. That is what it is going to take to win. In a time where there was no superstar capable of being the front man for the Leafs, Burke took the heat and stood up for the organization. (Don’t even get me started on Kessel, whose trade may be the one biggest mistake Burke made that ultimately cost him his job). Now he may have partly done it out of ego, but when the organization or even certain players were under severe scrutiny (which happens a lot in the hockey crazed city of Toronto), Burke stepped up and took the heat, something that earned him a great deal of respect from all internal staff and players. This is one thing I see severely missing in the dairy industry. At one time there were people like Moe Freeman, Roy Snyder and George Clemons, that when it was needed stepped up and led from the front lines.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
The dairy industry is stricken by its own Blue and White disease. The sense of entitlement held by many of its breeder organizations is staggering. These organizations need to be accountable for performance, and when performance metrics are not met, heads need to roll. Currently, there is rising uncertainty, due to changes in consumer demand, marketplace decline and genomics. It is time for leaders to step up to the plate. It is time to lead from the front. It is time for accountability. Brian Burke accepted that leadership responsibility. He was willing to risk it all, knowing that performance would dictate his fate. Can dairy breeders expect the same from our boards and leaders?
One of the outstanding benefits of living on a dairy farm is that it provides the opportunity to learn how to compete in the dairy ring. Working with dairy animals improves physical fitness, coordination, self-discipline and teamwork, but these beneficial activities can also put participants at risk for injury.
Show-related injuries are preventable. It is a matter of protecting bodies, while they are still growing and just beginning to understand the skills involved in working with animals. Unlike sports such as baseball or hockey where flying objects can cause injuries to the face, the danger in the show ring most often lies in the child’s awareness of the living, and sometimes unpredictable, animal at the end of the lead.
Training of both the child and the animal is the key to avoiding injuries to both participants. Of course, it is up to the adults in charge to make sure that youth participating in the events are safe from foreseeable harm.
Dairy Show Injury Prevention Tips
Dress participants in appropriate protective equipment. Most sports teams require participants to have specific equipment that is the proper size and adjusted to each athlete. We should do the same for young cattle show persons. Footwear that can withstand tromping on and that is safe from slipping in wet, muddy or messy conditions. Steel toed work boots are the safest choice. Flip flops, clogs and bare feet are strictly unacceptable when working with cattle. If proper protective equipment isn’t available, it is NOT alright to go ahead. It teaches two incorrect things: a- the rules don`t count b- rules can be broken.
Proper halter size. A halter that is too big is dangerous as it can be easily pulled off. The halter should not cause discomfort to the calf. As well, make sure the lead shank is neither too long nor too short. This is where experience will be the best teacher but don`t let the handling of the halter or lead become a bigger job than moving easily with the calf.
Maintain safe show ring conditions. Wherever, cattle are being shown, basic safety precautions should be in place. Clear the area of debris. Beware of broken glass, rusty nails, used syringes, rocks and other items that would increase injury if a child fell or slid on them. If this will be an outdoor event, watch weather forecasts; have a set of guidelines for postponing the event, if necessary.
Have an emergency plan for injuries during shows. If at all possible have an adult trained in first aid techniques on hand. At least have an adult with a charged mobile phone. Provide the adult supervisor with a notebook of emergency phone numbers for parents or guardians of all participants. Carry a well-stocked first aid kit.
Enforce basic sportsmanship rules. This is the beginning of learning how to care for animals, prepare them for showing and putting forth their best feet forward in the ring. By all means, prevent bullying of competitors by adults or children. Young show persons need to focus on showing, not on their shame, embarrassment or humiliation.
Ensure children drink plenty of liquids. In the excitement of participating in this highlight of dairy cattle this may be overlooked and could result in dehydration. This is especially important in high heat, high humidity or high altitudes or with children who are novices and may not have experience in maintaining control of their animal for an extended time.
Provide proper training and skills building for young show people. Select a calf that will be a suitable size for the child to work with and show. Begin training as soon as possible. Training is not something that can be done in a couple of days! As the child builds fundamental skills, they will gain confidence in handling the calf and in presenting it for the judge`s consideration.
NEVER wrap the lead rope around the hand, arm, wrist or any body part. If they are bound like this and the heifer moves away quickly, the child could be seriously hurt.
THE BULLVINE BOTTOM LINE
When children are properly prepared to show dairy cattle, the skills they learn and mentors they meet will last them a lifetime. Safety first. Memories forever.
When it comes to managing a profitable dairy herd, you have to place a high priority on mobility. If your cows are suffering from pain and discomfort when they try to walk, every other area from reproduction, to nutrition and milk production will be negatively affected. Unfortunately, we often don’t identify the problem until it is so far along that treatment costs are high and recovery rates are low.
Step by Step: There are three main areas to address
Observation and Detection
Environment and Genetics
Treatment and Medication
OBSERVATION AND DETECTION:
Of course, the goal is to reduce lameness to a zero percent occurrence. Even if everyone observing the herd strives for this objective, it is a difficult job, especially if the animal to observer ratio is high.
Numerical Rating Scores (NRS) Work
Studies on gait scoring or locomotion scoring are available to make assessment easier. Some research studies have gone a step further incorporating weight displacement analysis. The use of a weight scale to read the weight displacement from one leg to another supports the observation that lame cows in standing position will remove weight on their injured leg by transferring body weight to the opposite (contralateral) leg. These studies are scored from video recordings, some of which are available on the Internet and are quite helpful in identifying and understanding observable characteristics of lameness. Researchers recorded gait scores and weight transfer before and after they injected a local anaesthetic (lidocaine) to healthy and lame lactating dairy cows. Results showed that 92% of cows with sole ulcers were correctly identified. For the day-to-day dairy operator, it will still come down to personal observation which is not perfectly accurate. In the always evolving age of technology, it probably won’t be long until an automated system is available to measure the weight distribution on each hoof, while cattle are in a holding area or milking stall.
Administering anesthetic
Lame cows treated with anesthetic demonstrated less weight transfer to healthy limbs, as indicated by both gait scoring and a scale that measured weight borne by each limb. It was found that, before injection of the anaesthetic, lame cows were transferring more weight from the injured leg to the contralateral leg, and they also had a higher gait score than healthy cows. After injection of the anaesthetic, the gait score of lame cows decreased and the animals reduced the weight transfer from the injured leg to the contralateral leg. The study concludes that the two methods of detecting lameness have some degree of validity.
Lame Cows Stand Apart in Other Ways Too
When an animal has sore feet, it affects other areas of their movement and how they move through their environment. One study noted four non-foot areas that were present when there was lameness or other foot problem: 3.8% had neck lesions, 3% had broken tails, 23% had dirty hind limbs and 4.6% had dirty udders.
Future studies
Work is being done with infrared thermography and visual examination of dairy cows in different stages of lactation to see the effects of lameness on milk production.
CAUSES: ENVIRONMENT AND GENETICS:
Once, the lameness problem has been identified, we start looking to discover what has caused it. It comes down to two choices, environment and genetics.
Environment Research points to three helpful conclusions:
Cows housed in tie stalls on rubber mats spend more time lying down and have fewer hock injuries than those housed on concrete.
Softer, higher-friction flooring improves the gait of cows with and without sole ulcers.
Wet conditions. Exposure to moist surfaces results in softer claws and cows with softer claws are at greater risk for lameness.
By far the area with the most environmental impact is tie-stall design. Some dairy cows spend most of their days confined in tie-stalls. Tie stall design can, therefore, affect animal health, welfare, productivity and longevity. Studies are available that can provide the pros and cons of stall length, width, tie-chain length and tie rail height.
Genetics of Locomotion
We have all heard cattle classifiers and show judges point out that locomotion is a key point in identifying exceptional animals. “Moving on a great set of feet and legs” is highly desirable. Cows with a higher feet and legs score, steeper foot angle and somewhat straighter legs have genetically better locomotion. We all think we know what great legs look like, but the inheritance and genetics of proper foot structure is an area that requires scientific research.
TREATMENT AND MEDICATION
Treatment
At the simplest level, although not always achievable, lame cows benefit from spending even short periods of time on pasture. Relative to the cows housed indoors, cows on pasture improved by a full gait score (i.e. from 3 to 2) over the 5 week treatment period. Two specific elements of gait, tracking up and reluctance to bear weight evenly on all 4 hooves, also improved. There was no change in two other specific gait elements (head bob, back arch). Cows on pasture also spent less time lying down than did cows kept indoors. The study concluded that lame cows benefit from spending even less than 3 weeks on pasture.
Medication
Cows were scored after administered pain relief medication (ketoprofen) to cows exhibiting gait impairment. Saline was administered to lame control cows. Cows were scored before, during and after treatment. Numerical Rating Scores improved in response to ketoprofen dose, with the greatest improvement occurring at the highest dose (3 mg per kg of body weight). However, even NRS improved by only 0.25 suggesting that more potent drugs are required to treat this pain or that much variation in cow gait is due to factors other than pain.
THE BULLVINE BOTTOM LINE
You can`t fix what you don`t see. Use your eyes. It is crucial that you use every observable technique at your disposal to identify animals that are having foot problems and, it is even more crucial that you do it sooner rather than later. Keep records. This is one area that sets apart the winners from those who also-ran, or more correctly, those who also-limp.
As I got out of my vehicle and walked into the cow barn at my friend’s dairy farm last week, I asked myself, “Does he know where my shoes and clothes have been since I left home this morning?” It’s all too easy for me to hop in the truck at my farm and, in the same clothes and shoes that I’ve been working in, pop over to his place. Does he care where I’ve been walking? It also seems that the TMR mixer repairman or the milking equipment dealer can also walk anywhere in his barn without him showing concern. I do know that his AI Tech and Vet both take care to wash their footwear on both entry and exit from his farm. However, both those individuals know the cost of disease and carrying contamination between farms.
The Balance Between, “Hi! We’re Open for Business!” and “PRIVATE! Keep Out!”
Two months ago I visited a broiler farm being run by the children of my college classmate. There was a sign at the entry gate to the farm informing all visitors that they were to check at the farm office at the back of the house before proceeding further along the farm lane. At the office, I was served coffee and a sweet but at no time was there any consideration of allowing me anywhere near the exterior door to the poultry barn. Repairmen coming on that farm are given orders to put on completely clean shoes and clothes. I know for sure that the feed delivery truck must have its wheels hosed off before entering and after exiting that farm. These consistent rules are friendly but secure at the same time.
FACT: Dairy producers remain behind their counterparts in the pork and poultry industries on this front called biosecurity.
So why the difference?
The differences probably arise from tradition. Dairy cattle breeders like to see cows in the flesh and welcome opportunities to view the four-legged results of their labours. Poultry producers talk in terms of net return per kg of quota and are focused on producing a healthy product. They are well aware of the devastation that even a minor outbreak of disease can do to ruin the profit potential. Beyond the health of their flock, they also have the desire to guarantee the consumer the safe and biosecure product they demand. If you are thinking that we in the dairy industry do not need to worry about that, then think again. In time, and likely not a long time, it will be a global standard.
Taking absence of disease for granted
In temperate climates, where there is freezing during the winter, endemic zooenotic diseases are far less common than in tropical climates. This quickly became evident to me when I was consulting in the Middle East and witnessed firsthand that our dairy cattle had to be kept in eight foot high walled cow lots so that the native animals did not share their multitude of diseases. The end result from these precautions is that the producers in those countries profit from selling a safe, high quality product.
What you don’t know CAN hurt you
In truth dairy farmers often are not aware of the incidence or level of a disease on their farms. As well they frequently do not know the cost associated with diseases. A good example is fact that many producers do not see the need to register in state or provincial Johnes eradication programs. It is reassuring to see the leadership state, provincial, university and industry officials are providing in developing programs to eliminate positive animals. However, are we being too complacent in buying in? At the end of the day do we want to ask ourselves, “Is it comfortable to produce a product that we know we cannot guarantee as being safe and secure from disease contamination? “ Of course, the answer is, “No!”
What’s Ahead
Just last year I had a discussion with Canada’s Chief Veterinary Officer about what happens on the farms of Canada’s trading partners when it comes to biosecurity and what those countries are likely to require to happen in Canada, if they are to sign trade agreements with us in the future. He spoke in terms of setting in place systems to monitor on-farm biosecurity which would be joint government and industry initiatives. Additionally he spoke about the need to fast track systems of recording, monitoring and guaranteeing healthy food products in Canada.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
Producing nature’s most perfect food does not only involve the production but also the obligation that the product is guaranteed free of any contamination. We all need to get behind the efforts needed at the farm and industry level to guarantee biosecurity. It is part of the future success of dairy farming.
Movie fans will remember the movie “BIG” where a young boy makes a wish at a fairground machine to be big. He wakes up the following morning to find that his wish has been granted and his body has grown older over night. But he is still the same 12 year old kid on the inside with a whole lot of strange new people and experiences to deal with! Some, including Canada, are finding themselves in a grown up world trying to catch up.
The Cream Rises to the Top of the Milk Maker List?
Globally, dairy farming, along with agriculture in general, is experiencing the “BIG” phenomenon. Milk production is expected to grow an average 2% per year for the next decade. Asia will account for most of it. Now that`s a lot of milk and BIG indeed!
Today we are looking at the list of Top 10 Countries By Milk Production as per US Department of Agriculture, 2011:
Everyone feels patriotic when their country does well on ranked lists. Did you look to see where your country stood in the Top 10? How did it make you feel? Where you even on the list? If you’re like me, you probably thought (because of numerous publication writers telling you so) that Canada is a major milk producer. Ooops! We better make that major milk consumer. We are higher on the milk consumer list than we are on the milk producer list. We’re approximately 12th for per capita consumption, according to the United States Department of Agriculture and we’re 19th for production. Sounds a little far back even for a die-hard Blue Jays and Maple Leafs fan.
Where’s the Wiggle Room?
There’s lots of room for everybody to take advantage of the opportunities. If you’re at the top of the list, like the U.S. you can take heart from the fact that food production will be challenged to increase 70 percent over the next 30 years. The scary part is the fluctuating nature of consumer demand. An editorial in Hoard’s Dairyman, 8/25/10 made these points, “Of the countless wildcards in the dairy business, the future role of dairy exports is, perhaps, the wildest. That is why it is vital that our industry leaders and policymakers keep export potential in perspective. What our industry must have is a system that enables us all to expand production when domestic and foreign demand calls for it and to cut back on production when the market signals tell us to.” The comments are definitely something to think about. On the other hand, there are dangers in holding back as well. The truth is there is a huge gap between growing global demand and global supply. You might rewrite the axiom to say, “Nature abhors a gap!”You can be 100% sure of one thing. Somebody will move to fill it. The earliest ones into the game with vision and dollars will be able to profit from providing the milk, even it has to be accessed outside their own borders. It has been suggested that New Zealand could accomplish this. Or perhaps one of the mega-food companies who see the opportunity and are ready to take it. There is huge potential for countries or companies who have a low cost of production to move to the forefront of milk production.
But what if you`re further down the production side of the list? You may decide that it’s time to start movin’ on up! Hang on! It could be a bumpy ride. Consumer demands, trade regulations and national food policies are just three of the variables that are going to present ongoing challenges. even though many forecasters see agriculture as the greatest growth industry of our time. Super! All we have to do is increase the production of animals and plants. But then there is the increasing squeeze from land use, sustainable agriculture and available water. It’s ironic that at the very time when markets are growing and science and technology are making great strides, land and water use from growing urbanization are providing counter pressure.
Although we are learning to accept and adapt to the speed of new technology, it is probably true, that what we are familiar with today may not be the breakthrough that will take us into the future. For example, new technologies, such as nutrigenomics, will become increasingly important. With nutrigenomics, it will be possible to influence or control genetic expression in animals. Certain feed ingredients will be able to switch on genes in the animals, leading to improved production. It will revolutionize nutrition, said Karl Dawson, chief scientific officer at Alltech, when speaking at the Alltech International Symposium held in May in Lexington, Kentucky. He added. “You’re going to see more changes in nutrition in the next 10 years than you have seen in the last century.”
Thus far we see that there is growing demand and improved methods of delivering milk and milk products. Another key factor is the initiatives throughout the world to train farmers in the business of dairy farming. Rural development and sustainable agriculture projects are seeing successes that will affect milk production worldwide, while sourcing information and mentors in the areas of animal genetics, product development and dairy cattle management.
THE BULLVINE BOTTOM LINE:
So far, everyone agrees that it will be possible, somehow, to keep up with the food demands of a growing world population. What we may not be so sure of is the exactly how it will happen. Nevertheless, milk will be an important product in feeding world populations. If you`re already in the dairy industry, you have an advantage that not all of the companies who aspire to global trade can claim and that is that the market is far from saturated and demand is continually growing. No wonder the stock market is recognizing that you can put your money where the milk is.
By definition, being strategic requires that you look forward — identifying trends, opportunities, and threats. That’s how good drivers drive on super highways and it’s how good breeders keep moving forward too. You can choose the less risky route of staying in the parking lot but you won’t get anywhere. Here are a few ways to keep your herd moving toward the future.
Check out your blind spot
By the end of next year, even the skeptics will have to admit that genomics, smart phones and tablets are here to stay. The early adopters and best-practice breeders are using these devices. They love being able to see all incoming e-mail, social messaging, text messaging, and voice and video messaging in a single place. They`re using them as the new resource to learn about and manage almost every aspect of cattle breeding.
Traditional Marketing will Decrease. New Marketing will skyrocket.
As dairy breeders zero in on genomics, finding the leaders, at the right price in the right location and instantly … will change the face of dairy cattle marketing. The twice a year showcase or the every three to five years reduction sale will gradually give way to a marketplace that is in “sell” mode 24-7 and 365 days of the year. Sellers will move beyond single page ads, special events and the cattle ring for promotion as a whole new breed (pun intended) of niche players will be born with the intention of providing the best results from your advertising dollars. The days of a few key players topping the markets with their well orchestrated, for-your-eyes only live marketing events will gradually give way to on line live video interviews, marketing and promotion one-on-one. Rather than the traditional “one-size-fits-all” advertising strategy, a targeted personalized approach will be required if you expect to have a reasonable chance to sell in the new marketplace.
Genomics will increase its impact by becoming more focused and data driven
Most dairy breeders recognize that genomics is a tool to improve selection. As results become more refined and defined the potential impact will have even more converts. Global economic issues will be with us for years to come and that too will drive genomics development to target more and better ways to breed great cattle to their highest potentially in the fastest, healthiest and most economical way possible.
The Global Marketplace has attracted the Big Players
The continued growth of technology, social media, and easy communications now makes it possible a dairy breeder in China to come to your barn, see your cows and complete a sale with no middle men, expensive “tire-kicking” trips or costly international time zone, travel and financial issues. Today it’s take-a-look and complete-the-deal. With the whole world able to look over your shoulder in your barn, big business definitely sees the potential and is ready to grab a piece of the pie.
Dairy cattle research is picking up speed
Remember the good old days (that would be 10 years ago) when we had to sit through breeder meetings and association animal meetings and hear about the difficulties of getting the right research done at the right time and at a reasonable cost? Industry and government were supposed to be pulling together to fund research that would have an impact on more than the scientific community. Sometimes breeders were skeptical, or unaware, of the practical applications. Remember CAAB? Genomics has changed all that. Now not only are the money streams more accessible and flowing, the really big players with the really big bucks are ready and willing to become the new best friends of the cattle breeding industry.
Farm Branding is the Express Lane to Success
You can no longer hope that a few expensive colour layouts in a magazine will give you the profile you’re looking for to sell those also expensive genetics that you’re investing in. Having good genetics, a great work ethic and savvy cow sense, is no longer enough to have you speeding through the rapidly expanding crowd where everybody says, “Been there. Bred that!” The increased use of social media and digital marketing will be the new way for the cream to rise to the top.
The Buyer Experience
In the past, you knew who the “players” were and the rest didn’t blip on your radar. Today, you’ve got one chance to make a good first impression. You never know when someone’s phone will capture a video and or audio of your inventory (is that what she “really” looks like?) and share it around the world. You could try keeping your doors selectively closed but that will send a message too and it could be a negative one! You are caught between the camera and a hot place!
The Bullvine Bottom Line
Forward-looking decision-making: Although hindsight is 20/20, if you’re moving ahead you cannot spend your time looking backward at what happened in the past. The dairy business of the future is following the growth signs: market supply and demand; new dairying technologies and genomics to name a few. This forward-looking focus will not only improve decision-making but will lead the way to a future that is built on the past but moving way faster than we ever though possible. Keep moving on the dairy industry express lane or you could be stuck on the off-road ramp or, even worse, left in the parking lot!
Suddenly it is summer. Where did all this suffocating heat come from? Of course, if people are feeling soggy, you can be sure calves are feeling it too! Short of inviting them in to share the air-conditioning there are several effective ways we can keep calves cool and stress free.
SIMPLE HEAT STRATEGIES
Shady Ladies.
Make sure to provide your calves with plenty of shade whether it is from trees, the hutch itself or supplemental shade. Hutches that faced south in the winter can be re-aligned to capture shade and prevailing breezes. If necessary, construct a temporary shade canopy over their tops (14 feet or higher to allow for good airflow).
TimelyCare.
Consider changing the time of day when handling calves is done. Perform stressful activities (such as moving, grouping, handling, vaccinating, dehorning) early in the morning. Feed animals several hours before or after peak temperature and humidity times. Early morning and late afternoon feeding can avoid calves experiencing peak temperatures at the same time as their digestion peaks, which often occurs about four hours after feeding.
Always Fresh ‘Cause You Keep Feeding it.
Keep your calf starter fresh at all times and free of any moisture. Start your calves with a handful of feed and change it every day until they are eating their full allotment.
How’s the Water?
Provide cool (50°F /10°C) drinking water (cows drink 50% more water at temperatures of 80°F/26.7°C and above compared to 40°F/4.4°C). It should not be a surprise for calves to double their water intake. Switching to five-gallon pails may also be helpful. When heat stressed a calf can consume 3 to 6 gallons of water per day. To keep it fresh, empty and refill water pails several times throughout the day. More water changes (say every three hours) the more they will eat. The more they eat the more nutrients they consume and then they are better able to withstand heat stress.
There’s Strength in Numbers so Increase Feeding Frequency.
Research has also shown that calves fed three times a day have shown optimal growth, better feed efficiency, consume more starter prior to weaning and have greater chance of survival to lactation than calves fed twice daily. You should also research commercial products that target heat stress in their formulations.
Make Your Bed …again and again.
Changing bedding frequently to control fly populations. Use sand bedding to keep calves cooler. Clean, dry sand also helps control fly populations, compared with straw or sawdust. Sawdust is better than straw for summer bedding.
Keep it Clean.
Cleaning and sanitizing water buckets regularly Warm weather promotes algae, mold and bacteria growth. Keeping water and milk pails clean and sanitized will help keep these populations down, as well as help with the fly population.
Replenish Electrolytes.
Consider more liberal use of electrolyte solutions, advises J.W. Schroeder, Dairy Specialist with North Dakota State University. In warm weather, calves are more prone to dehydration. Scouring calves should receive oral electrolyte solutions liberally, particularly during midday. Administer electrolytes by bottle early in the course of diarrhea because solution absorption likely will be better than if it’s given by a tube or free choice.
No Flies on Us!
Unfortunately calves are a hot spot for flies. Using a milk replacer and a calf starter that includes a feed through larvicide can help to keep the fly population down. A reduced fly population may also reduce stress to the calf and the spread of diseases by flies. As mentioned previously, clean, dry sand bedding also helps control fly populations, compared with straw or sawdust. Implement good fly control practices that break up the life cycle to prevent build-up. Know that molasses, a common calf starter ingredient to aid in palatability, can be a tasty attractant for fly populations. Calf starters that utilize alternative natural palatability enhancers along with feed-through fly control technology are available.
A Breath of Fresh Air
Increase Air Flow and air exchange: Hutches need good air flow in and around them. In enclosed facilities natural cross ventilation is not possible, than a total air exchange every two minutes through a mechanized system of fans is a must.
….. this brings us to the best TIP of the summer!
Catch the Breeze: Elevate one side of the hutch. That’s right. A slight “tip” will make a big difference. In 2011, a Washington State University trial showed that elevating one side of the hutch decreased internal hutch temperature and increased ventilation in warm weather. We all want results and here’s some that they reported:
At the hottest times of the day, internal hutch temperatures were higher than outside temperatures when the hutch was on the ground. Internal hutch temperatures were lower than outside when the hutch was elevated.
Elevating the hutch improved air movement within the hutch.
Hutch elevation lowered afternoon respiratory rates in the calves — 58 versus 44 breaths per minute.
Hutch carbon dioxide levels were lower when the hutch was elevated.
Note to readers: We tried this simple solution at Huntsdale and saw – and felt – immediate results.
YOU’RE SWEATING DOLLARS AWAY
When we think of heat stress our thoughts often go to the milking herd first, as heat and humidity can have a dramatic impact on milk production and therefore have a potential impact on our pocket books. We need to think outside the cow pen. The numbers are rising as fast as the thermometer. For example: In a 100 cow herd with 30% cull rate, 25% of the calves in the herd are exposed to heat stress, having been born at that time of the year. Heat stressed open heifers may calve at 26 months instead of 24. Basic additional costs are obvious: extra days raising; more replacements costs; less production in the future. Not so obvious are extra housing, extra feed; extra labour and medication costs. Hopefully, you are still on the positive profit side with these numbers, however, there is a strong chance that these heifers will not produce to their potential. Add in those losses in less milk production and you have probably wiped out your small margin of success. Multiply this result over a 100-cow herd and you could see your positive bottom line melt away in the heat as you lose between $5,000-$7,000!!!
THE BULLVINE BOTTOM LINE
Extreme heat does hurt your calves. Heat stress also hurts you …. in your pocket! Make sure you cash in on cool calves!!
Will she score 95 points? Will she produce 40,000lbs per year? Will the cow of the future be polled? Will she produce less methane gas? In the future, consumer demand will shape everything about dairy farming, including what the dairy cow will look like. Dairy consumption in emerging economies is rising fast. In China alone it will triple by 2020. As rice-paddies turn to pasture, breeder goals and ultimately the makeup of the modern dairy cow will change.
Over the past decade in North America, total milk production has increased in concert with the increased demand for dairy products from growing populations and increasing exports. This increase in production was achieved without increasing cow numbers, which have held steady, or slightly decreased, for nearly two decades. Production efficiency has therefore increased substantially with average production currently at 21,000 lbs. per cow per year.
While many things have contributed to the gain in production efficiency, one key area has been genetics. One of the biggest changes in the genetics market has been the use of genomics. Genomics has brought greatly increased reliability to estimated breeding values and is drastically decreasing the interval between generations (To read more check out The Genomic Advancement Race – The Battle for Genetic Supremacy). The next steps will be health traits and profitability and not just the ones that we are currently evaluating. We are getting ready to delve into better understanding of reproductive issues such as which cows are more efficient at converting feed to milk production (To read more check out Holstein vs. Jersey: Which Breed is More Profitable). Also rising on the priority list will be disease resistance (to read more check out Your Cattle Are Under Attack) and ultimately which cows are the healthiest, trouble free and most profitable.
As the revered management guru, Peter Drucker, says, “You cannot improve what you cannot measure.” Even though the dairy industry has a great system for evaluation production and conformation, there is much needed improvement in the areas of profitability and herd health. These areas were once thought to be low heritability however, with genomics, traits such as somatic cell, and immune response can greatly impacted at the genomic level. With Pfizer a company very focused on animal health now offering genomic testing, it’s only a matter of time before there is greater measurement in these areas.
This first steps in any effective improvement program requires accurate measurement. While many conformation traits and overall production traits are measured intensely when you look at overall measurement of cow –by-cow profitability, there are some major gaps. One of the biggest is accurate feed conversion metrics. While there have been studies by breed vs. breed comparison, there is a much greater need to take this analysis to the cow by cow and ultimately the genetics evaluation level.
The other day I was talking with a human geneticist about the use of genomics and ultimately the ability for genomic manipulation of a population. One of the key things he pointed out to me was how the dairy cattle industry really has the ability to lead the way when it comes to genomic advancements. Not because of the ethics issues, which we will leave for another forum, but rather because the dairy industry already has such a system in place for evaluation of the progeny. This ability to measure the exact effects of the manipulation will greatly accelerate the advancement process.
The Bottom Line
Over the years we have started to see less emphasis on stature, and increased focus on feet and legs and mammary systems. The cow of the future, will not just be about their conformation, but rather their ability to efficiently convert feed and their resistance to disease. With companies with the size and resources of Pfizer or their newly formed Zeotis entering the marketplace offering genomic tests, and maybe ultimately genomically modified cattle, the future may come much quicker than most breeders expect. So what will the cow of the future look like? We do not know exactly, but she will no doubt be the one that returns the most profit to her owners. All this will be driven by consumer demand.
Not sure what all this hype about genomics is all about?
Want to learn what it is and what it means to your breeding program?
In the fight against cattle diseases it feels like dairy breeders are constantly dodging shrapnel. Where will BSE or TB strike next? Have you been hit with mastitis, ketosis or metritis? Also, it is becoming harder and harder to fight back since there is a worldwide concerted effort to limit the use of antibiotics, particularly in food producing livestock. On top of that, animals are developing antibiotic resistance, making that course of action less and less effective.
After years of focusing on measurable traits – conformation, milk yield, protein yield – the dairy industry has started to take aim at health issues by recording somatic cell score evaluations. It is a small start in waging defense against disease. We must now take aim at an even bigger animal health picture, when looking at the future of our herds and our dairy industry.
You Already Have the Ultimate Weapon
The real fact is we already have the best disease defeating weapon at our disposal. It is the immune system of cattle. Animals with superior immune systems can do it all:
Reduce disease
Increase farm profit
Improve milk quality
Increase animal well being
DISEASE WARS – DNA Strikes Back!
Researchers at Ontario Veterinary College at Guelph University have identified that, when it comes to fighting disease, “One of the most attractive options available is to make use of the animal’s own immune response genes to select for healthier animals with naturally superior immunity.” The OVC group refers to these individuals as High Immune Responders. The really great news is that beyond the idea, the research and the studies is the fact that they have developed a patented test system to quickly identify these animals within dairy herds. This method is referred to as the High Immune Response (HIR) technology and they report that this approach can work well on both conventional and organic dairy farms.
HIR is FIGHTING BACK
The OVC group reports that there is clear evidence in cattle that it is possible to selectively breed for high (H), average (A) or low (L) – immune responsiveness and that H-responders can positively influence resistance to infectious disease. “In fact, early research by our group showed health and production benefits following genetic identification of cattle and pigs for enhanced IR. This included lower occurrence of mastitis in high immune responders in 2 out of 3 dairy herds tested, as well as improved response to vaccination and colostrum quality. “
We Have the Technology
The OVC group refers to these individuals with both higher and more optimally balanced antibody and cell-mediated immune responses, as High Immune Responders, and goes on to report that they have developed a patented test system to quickly identify these animals within dairy herds.
The HIR technology is designed to identify those cows and calves with robust and unbiased immune responsiveness that can be kept for future breeding to improve herd health, while low immune responders may be culled from the herd.
It is worth noting that, in general, a calf identified as a high responder will maintain that classification as a mature lactating cow. Therefore animals only need to be tested and classified based on their IR breeding value once in their lifetime.
Breeders Want HIR!
Qualitative market research using a cross section of focus groups was conducted by an independent firm, Agri-Studies (Guelph, Ontario). Results showed significant interest among dairy producers to use HIR to identify calves or cows with High Immune Response (75% of producers). The key benefit they saw was the ability to cull animals as calves and save the cost of raising animal that later may have significant health issues. They also saw the value of using sires that were classified as HIR to improve the health of their herds. Further market assessment and beta testing of dairy herds is now underway to finalize the transferability of the technology to the marketplace.
It’s All About Results
In 2010,690 cows from 58 herds across Canada were immunized using the patented system to evaluate their IR profiles. In this study approximately 15% of cows were high, 15% were low, and 70% were average immune responders with some slight differences between provinces
Health Preliminary results show that among all cases of clinical mastitis in the cows across Canada that were tested for immune response, cows classified as HIR had the lowest occurrence of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS).
Production Results to date have shown that breeding for optimal high immune response based on both antibody and cell-mediated immune responses would not compromise production.
Profit In Canada, it costs the dairy producer $110 to $320 per case of mastitis, and it has been estimated that almost 1 out of every 5 dairy quarters in Canada is infected with a mastitis-causing pathogen
High Immune Response (HIR) Animals Are Naturally Immune
HIR is a patented evaluation technology developed to identify dairy cattle with high adaptive immune response capability. Identification is safe, fast and effective.
Benefits include:
Lower disease occurrence and severity
Reduced treatment and veterinary costs
Increased response to vaccines
Increased colostrum quality
Cows as young as 2 months can be tested
Animals only need to be tested once in a lifetime
Testing is safe and does not interfere with any other diagnostic testing
Cost benefit analysis show significant savings to producers who identify HIR cows in their herd.
The Future is Now!
Further market assessment and beta testing of dairy herds is now underway to finalize the transferability of the technology to the marketplace.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
No matter how scary the news makes the latest livestock health threat out to be, your herd’s natural immune defense system is the ultimate response.
For years, Jersey breeders have touted their high fertility rates, calving ease, and greater milk solids than Holsteins as a viable alternative to Holstein breeders looking to increase their profits. A recent Holstein International article, Feed Conversion: Building a More Efficient Engine, adds another item to the list, feed conversion.
Jersey the More Efficient Engine
A recent research paper in the Journal for Dairy Science compared the input requirements of two different production systems, Holsteins and Jerseys to produce a given amount of cheese. In their research of over 13,000 herds spread across 45 states, Dr. Jude Capper and Dr. Roger Caddy found that it would take 109 Jerseys to produce the same amount of cheese as 100 Holsteins. What they also found was that they would have just 74% of the body mass and produce 81% of the milk volume, 80% of the Green House Gases and would only require 68% of the water and 89% of the land requirements. So in essence Jerseys would be more efficient at producing the same amount of cheese.
In their article, Holstein International also points out another Dairy Science paper published last year that looked at feed intake studies for 4 breed groups: Holstein, Holstein x Jersey, Jersey x Holstein and Jersey where all cows were fed the same ration, were housed in the same type of pens and were milked together. The results found that Holstein had the highest intake and the highest production yield. However, Jersey converted a higher percentage of their intake to production than Holstein did.
Item
Holstein
HJ
JH
Jersey
Intake
9,813
9,309
9,487
7,969
Growth
669 (6.8%)
599 (6.4%)
496 (5.2%)
334 (4.2%)
Maintenance
1,666 (27.25)
2,468 (26.5%)
2,425 (25.6%)
2,085 (26.2)
Pregnancy
27 (0.3%)
32 (0.3%)
33 (0.3%)
21 (0.3%)
Production
5,968 (60.8%)
6,057 (65.1%)
6,162 (65.0%)
5,259 (66.0%)
New Zealand Leading the Way
As the dairy industry moves away from focusing solely on overall production and starts to focus more on the overall profitability of their farming operations, key metrics like feed conversion are sure to gain increased importance in breeding programs. Similar to how Scandinavian countries lead the way with Health traits, countries like New Zealand are leading the way by using body weight as an indicator of feed intake and making it apart of the Breeding Worth (BW) index. Countries such as Australia have also started to incorporate weight into their national indexes by using type classification data as a predictor of body weight. While body weight in time may not be the best measure of efficiency, it is what is currently available. One of the interesting findings was that even under the New Zealand system the cows are getting larger, though at a slower than expected rate.
The Bullvine Bottom Line
It is clear that the dairy industry is moving towards producing a more profitable cow. With low heritable health traits already gaining a great deal of focus, it only makes sense that the next step will include efficiency. For many Holstein breeders this may be a wake up call that they need. In the same way that other industries first focused on overall production and then had to put more focus on efficiency, dairy producers now have to do the same. For many breeders this may mean either cross-breeding with the more efficient Jersey bloodlines or putting greater focus on efficiency in their breeding programs. Never forget for one moment that feed costs represent 55% of the inputs on a dairy operation. Efficiencies gained here can be significant. It’s no longer about who can produce the most, it is about who can produce the most with the least cost.
Genomics affects all areas of cattle breeding. Genomic testing of young bulls is the new bandwagon. While some cautious folks who seek higher reliability percentages are waiting another three to five years to use them, their early adopter neighbours will be milking daughters of those bulls. And so it is, that those breeders who are planning to raise bulls for A.I. should know what they’re doing and do it right!
A Bull Breeder’s Dozen: 12 ways to Hit the Bull’s Eye
Everyone agrees that the cattle breeding game is changing but good business sense, cow sense and common sense will keep your herd on the growing edge. It is obvious that everything you would do to raise your investment heifers should apply to bull rearing. But there are a few details that could make the difference to whether your young bull makes it to the proven list or becomes one of the Generation Exit bulls.
Get A Contract When it comes to getting bulls into A.I., don’t rely on wishful thinking. Before you take the first step, make contact with A.I. studs and discuss what bulls they are interested in. No one produces a product without knowing the end market and A.I. organization have the data, information and market to guide you in this part of the decision making process. It is in their interest and yours to make sure that neither time nor money is wasted on producing a bull that will not be used. This is the time to confirm all the details relating to health requirements and timelines and negotiate financial particulars as well. When the bull is on the ground, it’s too late to realize that there were health protocols that were not taken care of or that you were not clear on payout terms.
We’re Talking Bull High on the decision making list is how you will get the bull you and the A.I. company are targeting. Embryo transplant? Sexed semen? The more risk of failure you remove from this process, the higher your input costs will be. Variables like conception rates, fertility and recipient costs all add up. Having said that, nine months down the road you want a healthy bull to work with
Without Health There’s No Wealth Whatever female carries your bull, it is imperative that she be free of diseases. Failure to pass even one required health test brings your bull breeding dreams to a full stop. The dairy breeding market is unforgiving. Be diligent in this area. It’s costly if it is overlooked.
Well Begun is Half Done Every dairy operation has routine procedures for calving. If yours are working for you just keep on. If you have regular problems in this area, take care of them before you lose a potential money maker. Leave nothing to chance. Be present for the calving. Make sure the new bull gets off to the best possible start. There are many choices to make in how you will raise your bull. Every one of them can affect your bank balance.
It’s a Test. Will you pass? If you’re focused on producing an A.I. bull, you’ve got to keep the paperwork going. Inform the A.I. company you’re contracted with that the bull calf has arrived. Register with the breed association. Get the genomic testing done. Genomics is the modern day “no-darn-good” identifier. If you have done your homework this won’t be a problem for you. There is no reason to wait to send in the sample. When these steps are taken care of, you are ready to move on. You might as well find out any problems that could arise here. It’s costly to raise an animal that already has been eliminated for some unexpected reason
COLOSTRUM Makes the DIFFERENCE It’s impossible to focus on the health of the bull calf without careful consideration of colostrums. Many breeders, veterinarians and consultants will advise making sure that the mother is free of disease and thus use her colostrum. There are costs associated with this. Experience says that dried artificial colostrums is worth the price in this situation. The goal is to make sure the bull is free of all diseases. Take the steps to see that this job gets done!
Leave That Bull Alone With all the talk of the need for a disease-free, healthy bull, the most important step you can take is to keep him isolated as much as you can. Every farm is host to certain resident diseases and the more contact the bull has the more opportunity there is for him to pick up something that will nullify your contract. It is never too early to move this young investment to a scrupulously clean hutch. Any modification that keeps him in a closed space with other animals is a decision that reduces your financial success. Making space in the barn means making an opportunity for the bull calf to be infected with vaccines used on females.
Absolutely no Vaccinations This is another “must not” that should be clearly covered in your A.I. contract. Don’t leave anything to chance. Make sure that you are prepared to prevent contamination through rigorous housing and animal handling protocols.
Don’t Follow the Herd on Weaning Bulls that stand out from the crowd most likely were raised away from the crowd too. After weaning, the young bull should be isolated from other dairy animals, until they are ready to leave for A.I.
Looking for Mr. Good-Body Just as raising heifers is a big investment, so is raising a bull. The area of body condition is one that is slightly different for bulls. The young male needs to be strong and mature quickly. A body condition score around 3 or 4 is the goal. The correct nutrition will ensure better development of testicles and then production of semen at an earlier age and in larger quantities. The impact of doing this right is crucial.
Now for the Inspection The A.I. company you are contracted with will come to the farm to inspect the young bull. They will have benchmarks they are looking for relating to growth and development and, of course, health tests will be key to the contract being fulfilled.
The Best Bulls Start Early When you have done everything you can and all systems are “Go!” you will want to see your bull in use as a sire of sons as soon as possible. In the bull breeding business the one who is first with the most is the one that wins!
THE BULLVINE BOTTOM LINE There are many important steps to take to make sure that the bulls you raise are attractive to cattle breeders and A.I. studs. Do it right and it’s money in your pocket. That’s No Bull! That’s Your Bull!
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Join the Revolution!
Join the Revolution!
The book and movie (starring Brad Pitt) Moneyball tells the story of how Billy Beane, GM for the Oakland A’s, used statistical analysis to find players who were undervalued by other teams. The movie was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It made over $100 million. Billy Beane forever changed the way major league baseball teams look at assembling their teams. No longer is it about your gut feel. You need Jedi senses in order to develop winners. .
In baseball the teams that win the championships are not always the ones who have the highest payroll, or the biggest names, instead it the ones who have mastered the basics and can do so consistently. Advancing the base runner (hit, sacrifice or bunt), throwing to the correct base to get the lead runner out, backing up every throw and not throwing the ball away and getting the leadoff batter out, these are all the little things that contribute greatly to the success of major league baseball teams.
One of the outstanding benefits of living on a dairy farm is that it provides the opportunity to learn how to compete in the dairy ring. Working with dairy animals improves physical fitness, coordination, self-discipline and teamwork, but these beneficial activities can also put participants at risk for injury.
