Genetic improvement in the U.S. dairy herd has been fueled by the teamwork of producers and organizations that collect, transmit, and deliver individual cow data. On Wednesday, October 2, this team and the integrated value of the U.S. genetic evaluation system will be center stage at World Dairy Expo during the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) Industry Meeting.

Dairy farmers around the globe rely on a trusted team of advisers every day — veterinarians, nutritionists, bankers, calf care experts, agronomists, and more. Often in the background is another team that provides dairy herd information, delivers data for decisions, and fuels genetic improvement. These team members include milk testing organizations, dairy record processing centers, breed associations, A.I. companies, and businesses that provide genomic testing. Each player on this team provides a unique value to dairy herds. When combined, producers benefit through the integrated value of the genetic evaluation system. The performance of individual cows is measured and optimized, improving the productivity of herds and the dairy population as a whole.

Collaboration at the core

U.S. dairy herd improvement has been powered by the century-long partnership of producers and many organizations that collect and transmit quality farm data into the national cooperator database stewarded by CDCB.

CDCB and its many collaborators — more than 60 U.S. and international organizations — work hand-in-hand with dairy producers to assure quality farm-level data is added to the database to fuel accurate genetic evaluations. This unique cooperation has set the global standard for genetic improvement and created the world’s largest database dedicated to animal performance. This database delivers value to dairy herds through reliable genetic evaluations, management reports, new genetic traits, and performance benchmarks that are derived from the data.

All dairy enthusiasts welcome

The integrated value of the U.S. system is the focus of the upcoming CDCB Industry Meeting. Hosted on October 2, 2024, the CDCB Industry Meeting returns to The Tanbark at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis. All are welcome, starting with hospitality at 7:30 a.m. The program begins at 8 a.m. and concludes at 11:30 a.m. The event will also be livestreamed.

The engaging program will highlight the value of collaboration, genetic research underway, and future benefits expected as dairy data management and genetic improvement evolves. Speakers and topics include:

• 2024 CDCB annual report by João Dürr
• Understanding the integrated value of CDCB and its collaborators by Amy te Plate-Church
• USDA Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory research updates by Asha Miles
• CDCB research and development initiatives by John B. Cole

Headlining the event will be a producer panel, “Using cow data for progress on and off the farm.” Producers will discuss investments in data collection, how they utilize cow information to manage their herds, and how innovative types of data collection can lead to new genetic selection traits. I’m looking forward to moderating this panel to develop an informative and thought-provoking conversation with diverse perspectives from three producers:

• Skylar Gericke, Triple G Dairy, Buckeye, Ariz.
• Matt Hendel, Hendel Farms, Caledonia, Minn.
• Jordan Matthews, Rosy-Lane Holsteins LLC, Watertown, Wis.

Although there is no cost to attend, registration is appreciated for our planning; RSVP at this link. Walk-ins on the meeting day are welcome. Those who register for the livestream will receive the link the week prior.

Teamwork does make the dream work, and the U.S. dairy genetic evaluation system is a shining example.