Management
Udder health: Besides breeding, management plays an important role
Udder diseases continue to be one of the primary culling reasons for dairy cattle. For several decades, udder health has been a main breeding priority and yet it remains a...
Fertility & Genetics: Become Familiar with the Different Traits that have Produced a Major Success Story
The most important improvement over the past 20 years ensuring the Holstein retains its position as the world’s premier dairy cow has been in the area of her fertility. Credit...
Recumbency: Calves that Can’t Stand Up
The latest genetic disorder to be identified in the Holstein breed involves calves that appear normal but can’t stand up. It has taken researchers more than a year to unravel...
Heat Stress: The Modern Dairy Cow is less Heat Tolerant Than in the Past
Every summer, heat stress leads to lost milk production and supressed fertility rates in the modern dairy cow. Selection for more heat tolerant animals, incorporating the slick gene, providing housing...
Unique: The Most Influential Dams and Breeding Icons behind the Highest American Sires!
Here follow the most prominent dams, foundation dams, and breeding icons behind the highest DNA and progeny proven sires from the recent April release - with a special role for...
Software Meets Dairy Management: Solutions to allow for better decisions!
Take a moment to look back and think about what your situation was like 20 years ago. What technology was available at the time and how would you have solved...
The sharp rise of global milk production – New countries and traditional Holstein nations are trying to find their balance
Milk has been consumed in this world for millennia, but never as much as now in the 20th and 21st centuries. And the increase in global milk production seems to...
Do Grazing Conditions Require a Different Type of Cow?
Holsteins have become the universal dairy cow and dominate in most major dairy countries. However, it may not be a “one size fits all” situation. The interaction of genetics with...
Canada Releases the World’s First Methane Efficiency Genetic Evaluations
In a world-first, the April genetic evaluations in Canada include the new trait of Methane Efficiency. It is expected that this new genetic selection tool should enable dairy producers to...
Polled Holstein Elite Global Overview of Current Female Polled Genetics
Globally, the breeding of polled Holsteins is coming to greater maturity. The supply of attractive P and PP sires is steadily increasing with more variety. The same is true for...
Cows are not climate killers!
Cows are often presented as the source of many climate problems due to their methane emissions. To introduce a scientific perspective to the conversation, Prof. Dr. Frank Mitloehner, the well-known...
Global Dairy Youth Challenge: Your Favourite Sire Selection
In February, HI presented the winners of the Global Dairy Youth Challenge: William Neale (16) from the United Kingdom and Marieke Albring (25) from the Netherlands. For the 2022 Global...