Dairy producers and genetic enthusiasts are invited to “discover new dairy genetics” on Oct. 3, when the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) will introduce six new genetic evaluations for health traits. Conveniently located at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., the meeting – which is open to the public – will be in the Exhibition Hall (Mendota Room 4) from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3. The meeting will be headlined by a producer panel providing perspectives on dairy herd health, and recent research findings will be presented by staff from the CDCB and USDA Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory (AGIL).
“This is an extremely exciting time for new discoveries in dairy genetics. Clearly there is accelerating development of new traits that can help to continually improve dairy herd health,” said João Dürr, CDCB chief executive officer. “The CDCB meeting in Madison will be the first time most producers and industry representatives will hear first-hand the research, profitability impacts and application of genetic evaluations for these important new health traits.”
Four dairy producers will share their perspective on health traits, with discussion on data recording, data availability, economic impact and genomic evaluations. Participating producers include Don Bennink, North Florida Holsteins, Bell, Fla.; Mitch Breunig, Mystic Valley Dairy LCC, Sauk City, Wis.; Alan Chittenden, Dutch Hollow Jerseys, Schodack Landing, NY; and Simon Vander Woude, Vander Woude Farms, Merced, Calif. The panel will be moderated by CDCB Board member Dan Sheldon of Woody Hill Farm, Salem, New York.
The research base, economics and implementation of the new health evaluations will be summarized by lead researchers Dr. John Cole of USDA AGIL and Dr. Kristen Parker Gaddis of CDCB. Dr. Paul VanRaden of AGIL will present an overview of 2017 genetic research, followed by recent validation of genomic predictions and reliability from Dr. Mel Tooker of AGIL. Isaac Hagen, 2017 CDCB intern and PhD candidate at Penn State will present drivers of dairy genetics research.
View this link for the detailed agenda and to register. While pre-registration is appreciated, walk-ins are welcome on October 3 with registration at 8 a.m. and the program start at 8:30 a.m.
About Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB)
The Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB), in Bowie, Md., provides premier dairy genetic information services through industry collaboration centered around a mission to help optimize cow health and productivity in herds worldwide. The CDCB drives continuous improvement and maintains the integrity of the world’s largest animal database, building on a quality foundation with more than eight decades of recorded U.S. dairy animal performance. The CDCB is a collaborative effort between four sectors of the U.S. dairy industry: Dairy Records Providers (DRP), Dairy Records Processing Centers (DRPC), National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) and Purebred Dairy Cattle Association (PDCA).
