Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast, where we separate
the genetic gold from the barnyard hype. Today,
we're tackling a question that'll make you rethink
everything you know about breeding champions.
What do Kentucky Derby winners and World Dairy
Expo Grand Champions have in common? Spoiler.
All right, welcome back to another Deep Dive.
You know, where we take the stuff you're probably
already thinking about and, well, maybe think
about it just a little bit deeper. Today we're
doing something maybe a little unexpected. We're
going to connect two worlds that might seem pretty
far apart. Like really far apart? Yeah, like
a prize Holstein standing proud at Madison and,
say, a triple crown winner crossing the line
at Churchill Downs. Okay, I see where you're
going. Seems like a stretch. It might, but stick
with us. What could the high -stakes world of
Kentucky Derby champions possibly, you know,
teach a sharp dairy breeder like you? Well, it
might sound a bit crazy comparing elite racehorses
to, you know, the pride of your heifer pen. Right.
But if you really strip it back, the chase for
that ultimate champion, I mean, whether it's
getting across that finish line first on the
first Saturday in May. The Derby, yeah. Or hearing
your own animal called supreme champion at World
Dairy Expo. Well, it relies on genetic strategies
that are surprisingly kind of similar. That's
what we're diving into. Exactly. We want to explore
how maybe adopting some of those well -worn paths
from the thoroughbred world, especially their
longstanding focus on finding and really using
elite genetics. Yeah. That can give you a real
competitive edge. An edge, right. Moving beyond
just good cows. Yeah, helping you breed not just
good cows, but those truly exceptional ones.
The ones that make people stop and look and,
well, boost your bottom line too. Precisely.
That feeling, right. That electric moment when
your animal just nails it on the colored shavings.
That's your derby day. Totally. And just like
those horse folks are chasing that one legendary
race, you're aiming for that absolute peak of
dairy excellence. Now, here's a thought. Thoroughbred
breeding. They've been seriously at it since
the 1700s. Wow, that long. Yeah. Centuries of
figuring this stuff out. That's a huge head start,
isn't it? A whole library of lessons maybe we
could be tapping into. That's a really interesting
point, like a historical advantage. Think of
it like this. They've been planning matings based
on generations of performance data, while maybe
some of us are still crossing our fingers a little
too much. Or maybe relying just on what we see.
Less on the deep data. Could be. So let's saddle
up, metaphorically speaking, and see what wisdom
we can maybe borrow from the racetrack. Okay,
I'm intrigued. So this relentless drive for the
best, it really boils down to those basic steps,
right? Identifying, then selecting, and then
very deliberately combining the most promising
genetics you can find. Absolutely. Whether you're
like pouring over a stallion's race record and
his pedigree charts. Or you're on your phone.
Right. Or dissecting the genomic evaluation.
You know, looking in that merit dollars, that
crucial index for lifetime profit for a bull
you're considering. The core goal. It's the same.
Find the best. Pinpoint those elite animals.
The ones with the highest chance of passing on
the good stuff. Superior traits. And the thoroughbred
world has this rich history. You mentioned the
1700s. Those foundation sires. Exactly. The Byerly
Turk, the Darli Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian.
It's actually pretty amazing that something like
95 % of modern thoroughbreds trace their male
lines straight back to the Darli Arabian. 95%.
That's dominance. A really tight family tree,
like you said. It is. But it really highlights
the power of those early, really influential
genetic choices. It makes you think about our
own key bloodlines in dairy, doesn't it? You
know, the impact of bulls, like round oak rag
apple elevation. Yeah. Or the whole Hanover Hill
prefix influence. We've definitely had our own
genetic giants who've left a massive mark on
the breeds. No question. And it's also wild when
you think about how far our selection methods
have come. Totally. I mean, you hear stories,
right? Breeders making decisions based on a quick
look at the herd from the Guernsey Farm Road.
Literally. A drive -by appraisal. Pretty much.
And now? Now we're all tapping away on our smartphones
during milking, you know, diving deep into complex
genomic predictions. It's quite the evolution.
It really is. And, you know, the experienced
eye, the cow sense, it still matters. Of course
it does. Sure. But genomics, that was a real
paradigm shift for both industries, actually.
Yeah. Though maybe the timeline. And the initial
enthusiasm were a bit different. How so? Well,
the horse genome got sequenced around, what,
2006? That gave them the map for more targeted
DNA marker breeding. Okay. But the dairy industry.
Man, we jumped on genomics with both feet starting
around 2009. Really embraced it. Yeah, it feels
like it became central almost overnight. It's
become such a cornerstone of modern dairy breeding,
hasn't it? It's a transformative technology,
kind of like how the rotary parlor totally changed
milking efficiency. That's a great comparison.
And the numbers back it up, don't they? Absolutely.
The data doesn't lie. Studies clearly show the
annual gain in net merit dollars, that key profit
index we talked about, it practically doubled
after genomics really took hold. We went from
around $40 a year gain pre -genomics to over
$79 a year post -genomics. That's not a small
bump. No, that's doubling your progress. It's
a quantum leap, really. You could argue it's
one of the biggest advancements in animal breeding,
like, ever. I think you could. And yet. And this
is what the sources point out. You still find
breeders who aren't quite, you know, fully using
the power of genomics. Really? Still? Yeah. It's
kind of like having that amazing top of the line
TMR mixer sitting there. Right. But you're still
just throwing silage over the fence by hand.
Yeah. The potential is massive, but you got to
plug it in and actually use it effectively. Yeah.
You have to commit to the system. And when we
talk about those really influential genetics.
We mean those rare sires, right? The ones who
don't just produce a few good ones. No, they
build dynasties. Yeah. Genetic dynasties that
echo down through generations. They lift the
whole herd. Maybe even the whole breed. It's
like the difference between a herd that's consistently
hitting 30 ,000 pounds. Yeah. And one that's
kind of stuck struggling around 20 ,000. Big
difference. Huge difference. And in thoroughbred
racing, a name like Tappet is the perfect example
of this. Right. Tappet. Heard the name. His record
is just phenomenal. Sire over 100 graded stakes,
winners, progeny earnings over $210 million.
Wow. He break the single season progeny earnings
record three years straight. He's a true cornerstone
sire, a patriarch. That's hitting the genetic
lottery again and again. And, you know, in our
dairy world, we're seeing that kind of impact
now with bulls like far near Delta Lambda. Lambda,
yeah. Big splash. Being named premier sire at
the 2024 International Holstein Show at World
Dairy Expo. That's a massive deal. A huge stamp
of approval. Definitely tells you something.
He's become kind of the go -to sire if you're
aiming for success on those colored shavings.
Right. It seems that way. It's like the bovine
equivalent of striking oil in your back 40. Well,
they dominated the competition this year. They
really did. But here's maybe a critical lesson
we can pull from the horse world on this. Okay.
Building a truly lasting... impactful genetic
program. It isn't just about jumping on every
hot new genomic young sire that pops up. Chasing
the number? Yeah, chasing the absolute newest,
highest number without a bigger picture. It needs
a long -term vision, a strategy focused on building
those strong, reliable sire lines, not just riding
the short wave of the latest genomic superstar.
So it's more than just picking the hashtag one
bull on the list each time. Exactly. It's kind
of like investing heavily in the fanciest sexed
semen for your heifer. Okay. But then completely
neglecting the basic nutritional needs of your
transition cows. You know, you're missing the
foundation for long term success. That makes
a lot of sense. You need the whole system working.
And that kind of brings us to an interesting
point about single gene discovery. Right. Because
we in dairy, we often work with these complex
indexes, right? Balancing tons of traits. Net
merit, TPI, LPI. Yeah. But the thoroughbred folks,
they had this sort of. genetic lightning strike
moment back in 2010. Oh, yeah. With the discovery
of what they call the speed gene. Research pinpointed
a specific gene variation near the myostatin
gene that strongly predicts a horse's best racing
distance. No kidding. Just one gene. Well, a
key variation near one gene, yeah. And what's
really fascinating is how clear -cut it seemed
to be. Oh, so? They found three main genotypes.
Oh. CC horses. They tend to build bustle early.
Excel at shorter, faster races. Yep. Sprints.
Okay. CT horses. They're more versatile. Perform
well across different distances. The all -rounders.
Kinda. And then the TT horses. They generally
have more stamina, better suited for the longer
races. Wow. That's incredibly specific. Right.
And it wasn't just some academic paper. It got
commercialized almost immediately as the equinome
speed gene test. So breeders could test their
horses. Exactly. gave them a powerful tool to
make more informed choices about breeding, yes,
but also about training strategies based on the
horse's genetic potential for distance. Man,
talk about a genetic cheat sheet for the racetrack.
That's amazing. It is pretty cool. And while,
you know, most traits we care about in dairy
milk production, confirmation health, they're
influenced by lots of genes working together.
Polygenic, right. Right. But the speed gene story
is a great reminder to keep our eyes peeled for
those single gene discoveries that could have
a really big impact on our industry too. Like
A2A2. A2A2 beta casein is the perfect example.
A single genetic variant that almost overnight
created whole new markets and definitely shifted
breeding priorities for a lot of people. Yeah,
that changed things fast. Absolutely. And you
have to think, as our understanding of the dairy
genome gets deeper and deeper, We could very
well find similar markers, maybe for things like
resistance to metritis. Or maybe better feed
efficiency. Things that are hard to measure easily
otherwise. Exactly. And the breeders who are
quick to adopt those tools, to strategically
use them, they're going to gain a significant
competitive edge. Like the early adopters of
robots. Yeah, or activity monitors for heat detection.
It's about staying ahead of the curve, leveraging
the latest science. Which leads kind of nicely
into market awareness, doesn't it? Staying ahead
means knowing what the market wants. Absolutely
critical. Both thoroughbred breeders and top
dairy producers understand this inside out. You
have got to know what the buyers are looking
for. Whether it's the racehorse auction crowd.
Or your milk processor. Or the folks buying your
breeding stock. The research is clear. If you
want to produce foals that bring top dollar,
you need to think like a buyer. You've got to
study the auction results, track which bloodlines
are hot, figure out the emerging trends. It's
a whole strategy. And the same logic applies
directly if you're aiming for success in the
dairy show ring, right? 100%. Breeding for World
Dairy Expo. It's not just about making a pretty
cow. It's about deeply understanding what those
judges are rewarding. What they're looking for
on the day. Exactly. That ideal package, sound
structure, that incredible style, but also, and
this is key. The built -in capacity for high
efficient milk production. The whole package.
The ultimate champion is the cow that, yes, catches
the judge's eye on the shavings, but also has
the genetic foundation to back it up with great
production records and the ability to last. And
this is where maybe some breeders get sidetracked.
Focusing too much on one thing. It's a common
pitfall. Yeah. Maybe focusing too intensely on
that extreme show type, that sharpness. Yeah.
And maybe sacrificing some functional traits
along the way. Or the other way around. Or going
all in on production numbers without enough thought
to confirmation, longevity, health traits. It's
like celebrating amazing component percentages,
but ignoring the fact that half the herd is limping.
Or having super easy calvings, but the cows just
don't milk enough. Exactly. The most successful
breeders, they have a clear, well -defined strategy
that lines up with their specific market goals.
Know your target. Yeah. Are you aiming for those
premium prices for elite show genetics? Or is
your goal maximizing lifetime pounds of milk
solids and components for the bulk tank? You've
got to decide what your win actually looks like
and breed for that. Right. Now, another difference,
historically at least, has been generation interval.
Ah, yes. That's been a big one. Though genomics
is really changing the game here, too. How so?
Well, traditionally, horses have had longer generation
intervals than dairy cattle. But genomics? It's
leveled the playing field and maybe even given
dairy a bit of an edge now. Because we adopted
it so quickly. Partly that and partly how it
lets us identify the good ones so much earlier.
Research shows a significant drop in generation
intervals in dairy since genomics went mainstream.
Makes sense. You don't have to wait for progeny
proofs on bulls anymore. Exactly. We can identify
genetically superior animals way earlier, even
as embryos sometimes, and start breeding from
them at younger ages. Faster turnover. And the
dairy industry has really run with the reproductive
technologies too, hasn't it? AI, ET, IVF. Oh,
aggressively. Yeah. We leverage those tools heavily
to maximize the impact of those elite, early
identified genetics. So the question for you,
listener, is... Are you really maximizing these
tools? Right. Are you using genomics and ReproTech
to shorten your generation intervals as much
as possible? Or are you maybe operating with
longer intervals, effectively slowing down your
own genetic progress? It's kind of like watching
your neighbors adopt all this precision ag technology.
Drones, GPS, variable rate. Yeah. While you're
still kind of relying on, you know, dead reckoning
to spread your fertilizer, that difference in
adoption, it directly impacts your speed of genetic
gain. You see it in TPI, NMOI, LPI. It widens
the gap over time. It really does. And, you know,
just picking elite genetics. Even with genomics,
that's still only part of the puzzle, isn't it?
What's the other part? Strategic mating. Making
champions, whether they run fast or milk well,
it requires really careful mating decisions.
Not just putting the best with the best randomly.
No, it's about understanding the specific genetic
strengths, but also the weaknesses of your individual
animals. Being honest about your cows. Exactly.
And then picking mates that complement those
traits, creating offspring that are hopefully
better, more balanced than either parent. Like
the horse experts say, right? Choose stallions
based on pedigree compatibility and what you
need, not just the marketing hype or the stud
fee. That's the wisdom. And it applies directly
to dairy. Take a hard, honest look at your cows,
your cow families, then pick bulls specifically
to address their shortcomings. So if a family
needs better udders, use a bull. Known for making
great mammary systems. If feet and legs are a
recurring issue. Focus there. Right. Find a bull
known for improving mobility and structure. The
calming mistake, maybe, is just using the highest
ranked genomic bull on everything. The blanket
approach. Yeah. It's like using the same general
antibiotic for every single mastitis case without
ever bothering to culture first to see what you're
actually treating. It's just inefficient. It
rarely gives you the best results. Yeah. Tailored
treatment works better. Precisely. Think about,
say, those great Goldwyn daughters. Amazing udders,
right? But sometimes maybe lacking a bit in overall
strength and body depth. Yeah, that was the knock
sometimes. So instead of just using the current
hashtag 1TPI bull on them, maybe you strategically
mate them to a bull known for adding strength
and power, like Impression or Jabir back in the
day. To get a more balanced package. Exactly.
Creating that synergy, that complementary advantage.
It's like focusing on hitting those high component
premiums instead of just shipping maximum fluid
milk volume. Different goals, different strategies.
Okay, so we've got the genetics, the strategic
mating, but that's still not the whole story,
is it? Not even close. You can have the best
genetics on paper, but you also cannot expect
a champion to just appear. Needs the right environment.
Needs proper development, meticulous management,
absolutely crucial in both worlds. For the racehorses,
that means specialized nutrition for performance,
very structured exercise programs for fitness,
expert handling for confidence. And for our dairy
animals? It's a parallel path. It starts with
great young animal care. Calf raising is fundamental.
Then the right nutrition at every single stage,
including that critical dry cow TMR. Can't forget
the dry cows. Never. And then, if you're aiming
for the show ring, there's the whole art and
science of preparation. Expert fitting, professional
clipping and presentation, training the hair.
Managing utter edema? Timing the feed? All of
it. Like that veteran dairy breeder wisely said,
even with Elite Genetics, there is absolutely
no substitute for hard work, keen cow sense,
attention to detail, and just a passion for perfection.
Genetics loads the gun. Management pulls the
trigger. That's a good way to put it. A genetically
superior animal just won't hit its full potential
without that dedicated care and management. It's
like having the most advanced robotic milking
system. Yeah. It still needs regular maintenance,
skilled oversight, and proper management to actually
perform at its peak. Right. Now, here's maybe
a key difference we should touch on. A derby
winner. Needs one perfect race, two minutes.
Exactly. One flawless performance on one specific
day. But a World Dairy Expo champion. Ideally,
she represents years of productive life back
in the herd. That's a really crucial distinction.
And it highlights why in dairy, it's so important
to balance that pursuit of maybe extreme show
type with a rock solid foundation of functional
traits. Production, health, longevity. All of
it. The truly great dairy champion isn't just
the one with the stunning confirmation that wins
the ribbon. Although that's nice. Of course.
But she also has that inherent genetic ability
for high, efficient, trouble -free production
over a long, healthy life. She pins the blue
ribbon and fills the bulk tank. A complete package
again. And, you know, it does raise a bit of
a provocative question, doesn't it? Have we,
in some parts of the industry, maybe pushed that
pursuit of extreme dairy character, that ultra
-sharp, angular show style? Yeah. Push it maybe
a bit too far, to the point where we might be...
perhaps inadvertently compromising some of those
essential functional traits. When cows look maybe
too refined, almost frail. Exactly. When they
look like they've maybe been on a bit of a starvation
diet to achieve that look, you have to wonder
if the balance has been lost slightly. What's
the counterpoint? Well, the thoroughbred industry's
primary focus is and always has been performance
on the track. That offers a useful perspective.
You know, a flashy Ferrari in the driveway looks
great. Sure does. But it's the reliable, well
-built pickup truck that actually gets the hard
work done on the farm day after day. You need
both, perhaps, but function has to be there.
That's a really good analogy. Okay, let's maybe
try to put the traditional versus genomic breeding
approaches side by side more directly. Yeah,
we can summarize that. So think about age at
selection. Traditional, you waited years for
bull proofs, evaluated cows over multiple lactations.
Long cycle. Very. Genomics, selection can happen
super early, even before birth, for both bulls
and heifers. Huge change. Accuracy. Traditional
relied on performance records, pedigree estimates.
Genomics adds direct DNA info, boosting accuracy
significantly, especially for young animals and
harder to measure traits. Generation interval,
we covered that. Much shorter with genomics.
Dramatically shorter, like five to seven years
down to maybe two or three, which directly drives
the rate of genetic gain. Doubled, roughly. Yep,
using net merit dollars as the yardstick. Even
managing inbreeding becomes more precise with
genomics. You move from pedigree estimates to
actual DNA marker tracking. Then the traits we
select for. Genomics just opens the door wider.
allows us to put more emphasis on things like
health, fertility, feed efficiency stuff that
was tougher to select for accurately before.
Okay, so summing all that up, with all these
lessons from the horse world, plus the power
of genomics, what are the real actionable takeaways
for breeders listening right now? What can they
do tomorrow? Okay, number one, absolutely got
to be, prioritize data -driven decisions, just
like those thoroughbred guys analyze every bit
of data. We need to do the same. Yeah, base your
breeding choices on solid, comprehensive data
genomics, production records, classifications,
not just the latest hype or pretty picture in
a sire catalog. The data is way more valuable.
Okay, what's next? Second, embrace truly strategic
mate selection. Get beyond just using the highest
index bull on every cow. Be specific. Exactly.
Focus on how specific bull strengths complement
each individual cow's weaknesses. High production
cow needs better feet and legs. Find a bull for
that specific job. Got it. Third. Identify and
really leverage your own elite genetic lines.
Your best cow families. Just like the horse guys
did with Tabet's line. When you find those families
that just work high performance, healthy, trouble
-free, double down on them. Like focusing on
your best performing field or crop rotation.
Perfect analogy. Fourth, always keep market demands
front and center. Know what your market wants.
Show ring, components, efficiency. Whatever your
target is. Align your breeding goals with what
the market actually values and pays for. If there
are big butterfat premiums, breed for butterfat.
It's like adjusting your crops based on commodity
prices. Makes sense. Keep going. Fifth, harness
the power of shortening that generation interval.
Use genomics. Use repro tech like sexed semen,
IVF maybe, to speed things up. Get faster progress.
Yeah. Using sexed semen on your best genomic
heifers. It's like getting three cuttings off
a fast -growing alfalfa stand versus one cutting
off slow old grass hay. Faster returns. Nice
one. What else? Sixth, always, always strive
for that balance between form and function. Looks
matter, sure, especially in some markets. But
production, health, longevity, they pay the bills.
The show cow needs to milk too. Absolutely. That
county fair champion needs to be able to walk
back to the barn, eat like she means it, and
milk right alongside the best of them. And finally...
Finally, never forget development. Nurture that
genetic potential. All the best genomics in the
world mean nothing if the execution is poor.
Bad calf raising kills potential. Exactly. Poor
ventilation, letting heifers get over -conditioned,
it negates the genetics. It's like planting that
amazing new corn hybrid in a swampy, low -fertility
field. You just won't get the yield you paid
for. Right. OK, let's shift gears just a little
for the final stretch here. Thinking about that
bigger picture, how our industry connects or
maybe doesn't connect with the general public.
Ah, the mainstream appeal question. Yeah. It's
kind of hard to ignore the huge difference between
something like the Kentucky Derby and our own
World Dairy Expo, isn't it? It really is stark
when you think about it. The Derby pulls in,
what, hundreds of thousands of people, millions
watching on TV, many of whom probably couldn't
pick a Holstein out of a lineup. Exactly. While
Expo, which showcases arguably the most elite
dairy genetics on Earth, remains largely, well,
an industry event. It's true. The Derby has become
this massive cultural thing, hasn't it? It's
way more than just a horse race. They've built
an experience that draws everyone from, you know,
bourbon sipping traditionalists to TikTok influencers.
Yeah. While Expo, by its own mission statement,
is focused primarily on serving dairy farmers,
there isn't really that big push for general
consumer marketing. And you see the difference
in tactics. Churchill Downs has celebrity announcers.
They create trendy mocktails for Gen Z. The fashion
is all over social media. And meanwhile, we're
sometimes, you know, debating whether to let
high school kids take free pencils from trade
show booths. It feels like maybe a missed opportunity.
It really does. Because Expo has amazing stories
to tell. The sheer spectacle of the colored shavings,
the incredible champion animals, the fact some
are worth huge money, the cutting -edge genetics,
the family stories behind the cows. It's marketing
gold. It really is. Yeah. But it often feels
like it's hidden behind industry jargon and sort
of closed doors, kept within the family almost.
Yeah. That observer comment you mentioned about
the amazing community feel in the barns. Right.
That passion, that dedication. They said you
just want to bottle it up and share it. And the
Derby uses celebrity, uses the whole experience
to make people curious, to make them want to
be there. They sell the sizzle and the steak.
Maybe we as an industry need to think about,
well, maybe. stealing a page or two from their
playbook. Before we become irrelevant. Before
the dairy industry risks becoming, you know,
as obsolete as yesterday's classification score
in the public eye. We need to tell our story
better. Okay, so let's wrap this up, bringing
it all back home. Yeah, the core message seems
clear. Whether you're aiming for that derby win
or that supreme champion banner at Expo, the
basic principles of chasing excellence through
genetics, they share a lot of common ground.
And the genomic tools we have now in dairy are...
incredibly powerful. Amazingly powerful. And
the key is making sure we're fully using them,
right? Not leaving that potential on the table.
Still using conventional semen across the board
when genomics offers so much more precision.
Maybe time to rethink that. And looking to the
thoroughbred world, their focus on markets, on
elite lines, on strategic mating, there are real
lessons there for dairy breeders. Absolutely.
Lessons that can lead to more success in the
show ring, yes, but also more profit back on
the farm. So that dream, standing there on the
colored shavings with the champion. It's achievable,
especially if you're willing to look outside
our usual dairy box, apply some of these cross
-species lessons. The genetics might be different,
but the principles of strategic breeding hold
true. So the final thought we want to leave you
with, our listener, is this. Are you ready to
maybe take a hard look at your breeding strategy?
to maybe find some inspiration beyond the barn
door and to actively apply some of these ideas
to create your next champion. The colored shavings
are waiting, and so is, hopefully, a more profitable,
more sustainable future for your dairy. Thanks
for making another deep dive with us. That's
it for this episode of the Bullvine Podcast.
If your takeaway isn't genomics today or bankruptcy
tomorrow, you might need to replay this one.
Head to thebullvine .com for the full article.
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Bullvine. Until next time, breed smart, manage
harder, and remember, even Secretariat couldn't
win races eating moldy hay. This is The Bullvine,
signing off from the milking parlor to the winner's
circle.