Neogen : Genomics Importance in Breeding Beef on Dairy

With the increase of beef on dairy breeding in the industry, what is the main criteria that producers are using to make their decisions?

Beef on dairy breeding can help to diversify an operations revenue and improve feed and quality performance within their offspring. The following study looked at the criteria that producers used to make their breeding selection decisions. Producers must look at not only the bull's performance, but also the cows to make the proper semen selection.

There are many factors that play into a producer's semen selection for a particular cow. In this survey participants were asked "to rank criteria that were used to select dairy females to breed to beef bulls". Only 14% used genomic testing as criteria that they looked at when making their decision. However, when AI representatives were asked "what criteria their customers use to select dairy females to breed to beef" they answered that 56% utilized genomic testing.

Genomics plays an important role in mating selection decision for many reasons. While criteria vary for every farm, genomic testing allows producers a wealth of knowledge to make more educated decisions. Neogen® Dairy profiles can provide you with that knowledge through allowing you to better understand your cows fertility traits, yield traits, health traits, and more.

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Source

Halfman, Bill & Sterry, Ryan. "Dairy farm use, and criteria for use, of beef genetics on dairy females." https://livestock.extension.wisc.edu/. Spring 2019. Division of Extension, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Accessed: January 10, 2023.