DairyNZ’s Improving Dairy Fertility Genetics Project has discovered new markers to help boost dairy herd fertility.
Breeding Values (BV) estimate a cow or bull’s genetic merit for particular traits to help farmers increase desirable features in their herd. This DairyNZ project focused on the Fertility BV. Less than 5% of the measures in the existing Fertility BV were heritable, which limited its use to improve reproductive performance through selective breeding/artificial insemination. DairyNZ identified a range of new traits for the Fertility BV that have higher heritability and can be measured earlier, which can significantly accelerate herd fertility improvements.
Improving Dairy Fertility Genetics
Gene Genies
Hamilton City Council Primary Industries Award
DairyNZ’s Improving Dairy Fertility Genetics Project has discovered new markers to help boost dairy herd fertility.
Breeding Values (BV) estimate a cow or bull’s genetic merit for particular traits to help farmers increase desirable features in their herd. This DairyNZ project focused on the Fertility BV. Less than 5% of the measures in the existing Fertility BV were heritable, which limited its use to improve reproductive performance through selective breeding/artificial insemination. DairyNZ identified a range of new traits for the Fertility BV that have higher heritability and can be measured earlier, which can significantly accelerate herd fertility improvements.