Breaking free from the chains of the past Where
truth moves faster than a Holstein calf No law
waiting on some printed page We're charting new
ground in the digital age From genomic codes
to robot facts We cut through the noise, no hold
them back not your daddy's dairy news tonight
we're sparking Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast,
your source for unfiltered insight, real -world
data, and practical strategies from the front
lines of the dairy industry. I'm your host, and
today we dive into one of the most important
and contentious battles shaping the future of
Holstein genetics. Are we unlocking new heights
through genomics or risking our herd's long -term
health with rising inbreeding and short -term
decisions? We'll break down the science, the
economics, and the real action plans that can
put your dairy at the front of this genetic war.
Whether you're a progressive producer looking
to protect your long -term ROI or a breeding
buff chasing the next big thing, this episode
will give you the clarity and confidence you
need to lead your herd into the future. Let's
dive in. Welcome back to the Bullvine podcast,
the show that digs deep into the topics that
matter to dairy producers. That's right. Today,
we're tackling a really interesting feature article
from the Bullvine that's got everyone talking.
It's a pretty crucial piece, actually. Yeah,
it really is. And we're going to break it all
down. Exactly. Our mission for this deep dive
is to truly unpack the current state of Holstein
genetics. We're going to zero in on, well, the
inbreeding crisis that's become such a pressing
concern, you know, across the industry. And explore
its far -reaching economic impact, right, on
individual farms. And most importantly, provide
you with practical, actionable strategies for
navigating these challenges in your own operation.
Yeah, definitely. We'll be pulling insights directly
from comprehensive research and analysis featured
right here on The Bullvine. It's a topic that
honestly demands our attention. Because while
genomic selection has, I mean, without a doubt,
brought incredible progress. Almost revolutionary
progress, yeah. It really has. But it has also
kind of inadvertently created this significant
growing challenge that we just can't ignore.
Right. It's the other side of the coin. So we're
going to unpack both sides of that for you today.
Give you a complete nuanced picture of what's
happening and, you know, critically, what tangible
steps you can take about it. Okay, so let's start
with the part of the story everyone loves to
celebrate, the incredible, almost dizzying pace
of genetic progress we've witnessed over the
last, what, couple of decades? Yeah, exactly.
The article points out that genomics has truly
revolutionized dairy farming. Oh, absolutely.
Transformative for productivity. You're absolutely
right. And the numbers here aren't just impressive.
they really tell a story of a fundamental shift
in how we advance our herds. Before the widespread
adoption of genomics, say, around 2005 -2010,
we were seeing annual genetic progress in net
merit hovering, approximately $40 per year, specifically
of $40 .33. Post -genomics, that figure has pretty
much doubled. It reached around $79 .20 per year
in the 2016 -2020 period. Doubled, wow. Yeah.
And some research even pegs it as high as $83
.33 per year, up from that earlier, like... $36
.90 figure. I mean, that's not just incremental
gain. It's a dramatic acceleration of genetic
improvement. It really is. A staggering leap
in efficiency and potential profitability. And
it's not just about the dollar values. The article
also talks about the generation interval. Precisely.
The generation interval, that's the time it takes
for one generation to replace the next in the
breeding cycle that's seen an equally dramatic
shift. Okay, how dramatic. Well, historically,
before genomics, we were looking at over 10 years
to bring new generations into the breeding pool.
Especially for those sire -to -bull pathways.
Right. That takes time. It did. Today, that's
dropped to a mere 2 .5 years. Two and a half
years. Down from 10. Yeah. Think about that for
a moment. We've compressed a decade -long cycle
into a quarter of the time. That's lightning
-fast improvement. It lets us stack genetic games.
Build on improvements at an unprecedented rate,
giving us more productive, more efficient animals
much, much faster. It truly highlights the power
of the tools we now have. Wow, it's genuinely
astonishing how fast those genetic gains are
happening. But as we often see, such rapid progress
usually comes with unforeseen consequences, doesn't
it? Yeah, it often does. It seems like moving
this fast might be creating other... maybe hidden
issues beneath the surface. That's an excellent
point. You hit on something critical there. The
sheer speed is what differentiates this from
past challenges. Right. While we celebrate the
doubling of annual net merit gain and the drastic
reduction in generation intervals, what's happening
in parallel is an acceleration of the inbreeding
crisis. Ah, okay. So the efficiency cuts both
ways. Exactly. The same genomic efficiency that
allows for rapid genetic improvement also allows
for the incredibly rapid concentration of genetics
from Well, just a few elite animals throughout
the entire population. It's a classic double
-edged sword. It is. And the speed of progress,
paradoxically, can make the problem of inbreeding
harder to spot initially because everyone is,
you know, rightly focused on those rising production
numbers. You see the milk, you don't necessarily
see the underlying issue immediately. Precisely.
You might be seeing more milk in the tank, which
is fantastic, obviously. Yeah. But underneath,
other crucial traits like fertility, health,
longevity, they could be suddenly eroding without
immediate obvious signs. It's like a silent squeeze
on the herd's long -term resilience. That's a
good way to put it. So with those staggering
figures on genetic progress, it's tempting to
just, you know, pat ourselves on the back. Right.
But as you mentioned, there's a darker side to
that coin. So let's peel back another layer.
What exactly is this inbreeding crisis? And when
we look at the cold, hard numbers, how truly
alarming is it for dairy producers? The numbers
are, frankly, alarming. They really should serve
as a wake -up call. When you dig into the data,
you find that genomic inbreeding in elite Holstein
bulls surged. Look at this. A staggering 168%.
168%. Yeah. From approximately 5 .7 % in 2010
to a concerning 15 .2 % by 2020. In just 10 years.
In just a decade. It's a massive rapid jump,
and it reflects a deeply concerning trend in
the breeding population that needs urgent attention.
It's not just a slow creep. It's like a runaway
train. And it's not just a theoretical concern
for geneticists, is it? The article emphasizes
that the 6 .25 % danger zone is a recognized
industry benchmark. Right. That's a critical
threshold where inbreeding depression starts
to show up as a real economic issue for producers.
That's absolutely critical to understand. When
we talk about 6 .25%, we're talking about the
point where the negative effects of inbreeding
start to noticeably impact performance and profitability
across a herd. And the reality is... Well, we're
far beyond that threshold already. Young Holstein
bulls born just in 2019. They already showed
an average genomic inbreeding of 13 .7%. 13 .7?
That's more than double the danger zone. Exactly.
It's a stark indicator of how deeply entrenched
this problem has become in just a few years.
And the projection. If these trends continue
unchecked, industry projections suggest that
average inbreeding levels could hit between 18
% and 22 % by 2030. 18 to 22 percent? That's
nearly triple that recognized threshold. Imagine
the costs, then. And this concentration isn't
just about rising percentages. It's also reflected
in a fundamental measure of genetic health, the
effective population size, or NAC, for Holsteins.
What does that tell us? It's currently at a historic
low, ranging from a mere 43 to 66 animals. 43?
That sounds small. It is. For proper context,
the minimum threshold for long -term genetic
adaptability in a population, allowing it to
respond to environmental changes, disease pressures,
is generally considered to be 50 animals. So
we're below that or right on the edge. We're
hovering right on or even below that critical
line, putting the entire breed at risk. This
creates what we call a dangerous genetic bottleneck.
Like a traffic gem for genes. Kind of. Picture
a vast genetic landscape suddenly funneling all
its traffic down a single, narrow lane with no
exit ramps. If there's a problem in that lane,
or if the genetic vehicle isn't suited for a
sudden turn, the entire population is at risk
because diversity, its natural shock absorber,
has been severely constrained. That makes sense.
No room to maneuver. Exactly. And what's more,
common metrics used to assess inbreeding, like
expected future inbreeding or EFI. Yeah. They
can be really misleading. How so? Well, EFI is
based on a reference population that is also
becoming more inbred. Oh, right. So the baseline
is moving. Precisely. It creates what we call
a shifting baseline for EFI, which is particularly
insidious. Imagine trying to measure a mountain's
height, but the ground you're standing on is
slowly sinking. Your measurement might look stable,
but the mountain itself is still getting shorter
relative to its original height. Gotcha. Similarly,
if the genetic average is already getting more
inbred, then a small increase in EFI can mask
a far more alarming acceleration of inbreeding
in the elite lines you're actually using and
relying on. Okay, give me an example. Sure. The
EFI for the Holstein -based population rose from
7 .5 % in 2015 to 9 .4 % in 2020. Okay, seems
like a small jump. It looks like a small increase,
right. But it's masking the accelerating problem
within the elite lines the very animals most
producers are drawing from. So that explains
why some producers might have a gut feeling that
something is off with their herd. Exactly. Even
when reported numbers seem acceptable or only
slightly increased. Your instincts might be picking
up on the true acceleration of inbreeding in
those elite genetics you're using. And these
aren't just abstract genetic percentages that
we're talking about, are they? This has a real
tangible and... frankly devastating cost. Oh,
absolutely. To the industry as a whole and perhaps
more importantly to individual farms struggling
to maintain profitability. Absolutely. This isn't
just about academic discussions of genetic health.
It's about billions of dollars being lost. Academic
research estimates total industry losses due
to increased inbreeding at a staggering 3 .6
to 6 .7 billion dollars. 3 .6 to 6 .7 billion.
Yes. Just from 2011 to 2019 alone. That's a massive
economic hit. And while it's an aggregate industry
impact, it filters down directly to the farm
level, affecting every producer's bottom line,
whether they realize it or not. So let's break
that down. What does it mean for someone listening
right now on their farm trying to run a profitable
operation? What does this financial hit look
like for an individual cow? Right. So for every
1 % increase in inbreeding, a cow's lifetime
net merit value declines by an estimated $23
to $25. 23 to 25 bucks per percentage point.
Yep. Think about that across a herd of, say,
100 cows, and those small percentages add up
fast. But it's not just an abstract net merit
figure. It impacts specific economically crucial
traits. Like what? Well, things that directly
affect your daily operations and long -term profitability.
For example, a 1 % increase in inbreeding can
lead to a reduction in lifetime milk production
of 177 to 400 pounds. Less milk. Less milk. Yeah.
Or if you look at it daily, that's two to nine
kilograms less milk in the tank. Fertility, a
cornerstone of any successful dairy operation,
is also hit hard. Right. That's huge. Calving
intervals extending by 0 .19 to 0 .34 days per
1 % inbreeding. A cow's productive life, which
directly correlates to her overall value, can
be shortened by approximately six days per 1
% inbreeding. Six days less productive life for
every percent. And when you consider a more significantly
inbred animal, say one at 12 .5 % inbreeding,
which remember is now below the average for young
bulls, the impacts are even starker. A four percentage
point reduction in survival to second. lactation,
a 1 % increase in the incidence of stillbirth.
and a 2 % increase in the incidence of dystocia,
meaning more difficult calvings. So more vet
bills, lost calves, cows leaving the herd sooner.
Exactly. These are direct, measurable reductions
in your herd's performance and consequently your
profitability. The bottom line here for you,
the producer, is that every 1 % increase in inbreeding
acts like a silent tax on your herd. Slowly but
surely eroding profitability. Yeah, across milk
checks, replacement costs, overall herd health.
It's death by a thousand cuts, but the data clearly
shows where those cuts are bleeding. And we've
even seen historical examples of the immense
risk when genetics become too concentrated, right?
Like that Arlinda Chief bull. Oh yeah, Pawnee
Farm Arlinda Chief from the 1970s. A perfect,
though tragic, example. He was one of the most
widely used Holstein bulls of his time, renowned
for production. But his genetics carried a single
deleterious mutation, BLAD bovine leukocyte adhesion
deficiency. Is it? genetic time bomb what did
it do daughters and sons inheriting this recessive
gene had severe immune deficiencies chronic infections
early death the industry unknowingly propagated
this mutation widely due to chief's popularity
so everyone was using him exactly it wasn't until
researchers connected the dots that the true
scale emerged this single mutation ultimately
caused an estimated 500 000 spontaneous abortions
and nearly 420 million dollars in losses half
a million abortions just from one bull's mutation
yeah It highlights the catastrophic risk of relying
on a narrow genetic base and the potential for
one widely used bull to cause immense damage.
Underscores the need for vigilance. Wow. And
what's fascinating and, frankly, quite problematic
here is this concept of a negative externality.
Right. That's a key point the article makes.
It creates what we call a negative externality,
a fancy term for a simple truth. AI companies
profit from selling top -ranking bulls. Market
demand pushes them to produce the highest ranking
sires. And they often use line breeding related
animals to get there reliably. Correct. They
often engage in line breeding using elite related
animals to reliably create those top performers.
But the hidden costs. reduced health, lower productivity
in those inbred progeny. Those costs get pushed
onto the farmer. Exactly. Those costs are effectively
externalized. They're pushed directly onto your
farm, quietly eating into your bottom line through
reduced milk yield, poor fertility, increased
vet bills. It's a multi -billion dollar problem
for the industry, but it lands squarely on the
producer buying the semen. And the speed of modern
inbreeding, you mentioned tripling in a decade.
That makes it worse. It makes it uniquely dangerous,
yes. In natural populations, harmful genes might
eventually be purged through natural selection
over many generations. But we're moving too fast
for that. We're concentrating genetics so rapidly
that this speed simply outpaces any natural purging
mechanism. We're creating widespread inbreeding
depression and potentially new genetic defects
much faster than the breed can adapt or correct
itself. The genetic yardstick is shrinking faster
than the population can evolve. That's a great
way to put it. It intensifies these risks. rather
than mitigating them. So for you, the listener,
these aren't just statistics. These are direct
reductions in profitability for your operation,
affecting everything from milk checks to replacement
costs and herd health. It's a tough pill to swallow,
hearing about those billions in losses and the
erosion of genetic health. But it begs the question.
How did our industry, which prides itself on
scientific advancement, end up in this genetic
bind? Right. It seems like there's more at play
here than just random selection or simple breeding
decisions, doesn't it? The article talks about
sophisticated market dynamics and corporate strategies
influencing the direction of genetics. You're
absolutely right. There's a powerful centralized
force at work that underpins much of this, and
that's the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding,
or CDCB. CDCB. They play a massive role. They
manage what is essentially the world's largest
dairy cattle database. How big are we talking?
We're talking an astonishing 100 million... animal
records, with 10 million genotyped, collected
from 72 different countries. 100 million records.
Wow. Yeah. This massive amount of data not only
sets global benchmarks for genetic evaluation,
but inevitably. concentrates information, and
by extension, breeding power in fewer hands.
Which has broad implications for the industry
structure and genetic diversity. Exactly. It's
truly a marvel of data collection, no doubt.
A testament to scientific advancement in aggregating
genetic information globally. But as you say,
this centralized database also means that information
and breeding power are concentrated, which can
lead to specific market behaviors and influence
who has the advantage. Precisely. While U .S.
breeders might be in the driver's seat globally
due to the sheer volume and depth of this data,
this concentration also creates an environment
where control over elite genetic lines can become
highly centralized. This structure allows for
certain strategic maneuvers by companies that
can significantly influence the genetic direction
of the entire Holstein breed. It's not just about
what individual farmers choose. It's about the
bigger players shaping the available options.
And within that structure, companies like ST
Genetics are actively building bulls, as the
article puts it, not just breeding them in the
traditional sense. Yeah, that's a key phrase,
building. This isn't just about pairing a cow
and a bull and hoping for the best. It's a much
more engineered, almost industrial process. Tell
us about the captain example, because that's
a fascinating and telling case study. Captain
is indeed the poster child for this new paradigm,
and it's a perfect illustration of how modern
breeding has become an aggressive, engineered
approach. The CEO of ST Genetics himself publicly
stated that Captain was not merely bred, but
rather built to a decade of careful genetic strategy.
A decade. Yeah. This wasn't a lucky mating. It
involved meticulously planned proprietary matings,
leveraging specific genetic combinations. And
advanced tech. And the cutting -edge use of advanced...
productive technologies like in vitro fertilization
or IVF. IVF, wow. These techniques allow them
to bypass traditional breeding timelines, navigate
potential genetic pitfalls, and simultaneously
amplify the desirable traits they're targeting
with incredible precision and speed. It's a very
hands -on, almost laboratory -like approach to
genetic design, an deliberate, almost architectural
approach aiming for specific outcomes with a
high degree of control. Exactly. And the article
also highlights a specific, very strategic tactic
they used with Captain Sire, Tango Sabre. Ah,
yes, Tango Sabre. That really underscores this
proprietary approach to securing genetic advantage.
What did they do? It's a prime example of strategic
market dominance and demonstrates the depth of
planning involved. Rather than widely marketing
Tango Sabre, Captain Sire, to the broader industry,
ST Genetics reportedly held him back from most
public catalogs. Held him back, so kept him private.
Essentially, yes. This wasn't an oversight. It
was a calculative move, a strategic decision
to gain exclusive use of his unique genetic potential.
By controlling access to such a promising sire,
they essentially secured a significant competitive
advantage. So they could make bowls like Captain
without others using the same ingredients. Pretty
much. It allowed them to produce elite progeny
like Captain without immediate competition from
other AI companies vying for those same genetics.
This focused, proprietary strategy ultimately
allowed FT Genetics to achieve a historic dominance
of the U .S. net merit list, cementing their
position at the top. And Captain was successful.
Immensely. Captain himself went on to achieve
an incredible seven consecutive hashtag 1 TPI
rankings and has over 39 ,000 genotype daughters
globally. It demonstrates the huge success of
such a concentrated engineered approach. So for
you, the listener, this is about understanding
the aggressive, engineered approach behind some
of the top -ranking sires you see today. Exactly.
It's a very different game than traditional breeding
that relied more on widespread progeny testing
and open access. But this idea of hidden or selectively
distributed sires, where access is controlled,
maybe even restricted, it's not entirely new
in dairy breeding, is it? No, you're absolutely
right. The article points to some fascinating
historical precedents. This is an amplification
of past strategies. It's a classic playbook,
but now it's on hyperdrive thanks to modern technology.
This strategy of restricting access to promising
sires has long been used for various reasons.
Like what? To sharpen specific genetic lines,
maybe conserve rare or unique genetics within
a herd, or to commercialize elite genetic lines
strategically for maximum return. Okay. Think
of Round Oak Rag Apple. Elevation. Roar RE. a
true legend in the Holstein breed from the 1970s.
Right, Elevation. Huge name. Huge. His genetics
were incredibly sought after, and his semen was
tightly managed by his owner and by Select Sires,
the cooperative that owned him. So they controlled
who got it. They did. This controlled distribution
allowed Select Sires and its members to gain
a significant competitive advantage with early,
sometimes exclusive, access to a bull who would
become one of the most popular and respected
sires in the breed's history. It amplified his
influence and value for those who got in early.
Created a tiered access system, really. So it's
always been about strategic advantage, controlling
the flow of those elite genetics to benefit a
select group or an individual operation initially.
Like building a genetic dynasty or securing a
proprietary trade secret for a period. That's
a perfect way to put it. And we see similar patterns
with other historically significant sires across
different breeds. Take Roybrook Starlight from
Canada, for instance. Okay. Highly influential
Holstein bull, but he was used almost exclusively
in -house by Roybrook Farm. Their goal was very
specific. Intensify key genetic traits within
their own herd. Ah, build their own distinct
line first. Exactly. create a powerful, distinct
genetic foundation for their own program before
his genetics were released more broadly, allow
them to achieve significant genetic consolidation
internally, and shape their herd's identity.
And Sonny Boy in the Netherlands. Sonny Boy,
yeah, the Dutch Friesian Holstein. Even though
he eventually produced a world record 2 million
doses of semen over his lifetime, his early distribution
was highly rationed. Rationed, why? And strategically
targeted by his owner, CR Delta. Initially due
to supply constraints and his burgeoning reputation.
This careful, controlled release optimized both
the commercial returns and his overall influence
on the breed, maximizing the value of those genetics.
So these historical cases clearly show that restricting
access to promising sires has always been part
of the playbook for competitive positioning.
Undeniably. It's a time -tested method for sharpening
genetic lines and securing market advantage.
So... If it's an old strategy with these historical
precedents, what's really different now? Why
is it reaching a crisis point today when these
tactics have existed for decades in various forms?
What's the fundamental shift? The fundamental
difference in what makes this a crisis is the
scale and critically, the speed. Speed again.
Always comes back to speed. In the past, this
was a slow, deliberate process. Limited by the
time required for traditional progeny testing
and natural reproduction cycles. Right, you'd
have to wait for daughters to milk. You'd have
to wait for daughters to be born, mature, and
or lactation to truly assess a sire's genetic
merit. That could take years, sometimes five,
seven, even ten years before a bull's true value
was known and his genetics could be widely disseminated.
But now. Today, with genomic selection, IVF,
sex semen. That timeline has been compressed
from years to mere months. That's a monumental
game changer. It means a company can act on genetic
potential almost immediately. Identify a valuable
animal at birth rather than waiting years for
phenotypic expression. The lag time is virtually
eliminated. Precisely. The technology is so efficient
that it fundamentally alters the entire breeding
landscape. So a company can spot a winner at
birth. Identify a promising sire as soon as he's
born. engineer a proprietary mating with other
elite animals, and then, using these advanced
reproductive technologies, flood the market with
his genetics almost instantaneously. Which accelerates
that historical strategy to an unprecedented
level. Right, to a degree that simply wasn't
possible before. Instead of gradually building
influence over decades, We're seeing the rapid,
almost instantaneous and dangerous concentration
of a few select bloodlines throughout the entire
Holstein population in a very short period. And
that's the crisis. This rapid genetic concentration,
driven by the hyper -efficiency of modern technology,
is what has created the current inbreeding crisis.
The technology is so incredibly efficient that
it's actually outpacing the breed's natural ability
to maintain sufficient genetic diversity. Creating
this genetic bottleneck and its associated problems
at a pace we've never witnessed before. Okay,
this all sounds pretty bleak. Outlining such
a rapid and concentrated genetic landscape with
significant economic costs, it's easy to feel
a bit overwhelmed, honestly. It can be, yeah.
But the article also offers solutions. It emphasizes
what it calls the diversity dividend and how
we can actively rediversify our herds. And a
really fascinating discovery comes from the USDA
Gene Bank that fundamentally challenges a lot
of our current assumptions about what makes genetics
elite. This is truly the silver lining. And it's
a powerful discovery that fundamentally shifts
our perspective on genetic value. USDA researchers
actually used frozen semen from Holstein bowls
dating all the way back to the 1940s and 1950s.
Semen from the 40s? Wow. Yeah, semen that had
been stored in their gene bank for decades, largely
forgotten, and the daughters they produced from
these heritage genetics. What happened? They
remarkably match today's leading sires for production
traits, and crucially for vital traits like fertility
and health. Match them on production, fertility,
and health. From 70 -year -old genetics. Exactly.
This groundbreaking research really demonstrates
that valuable traits, which we might have unknowingly
lost or diminished in our relentless modern selection
programs focused on pure production, are indeed
preserved and fully functional in these older
genetic lines. It's like finding genetic treasure
hidden in plain sight. So this isn't just about
nostalgia or a historical curiosity for geneticists.
Not at all. It's a direct scientific demonstration
that there is tangible, valuable genetic material
available that can actually compete with or even
improve upon modern genetics, particularly in
those fitness traits like fertility and longevity
that are suffering so much from inbreeding depression.
It's a powerful argument for looking beyond the
newest catalog rankings. Absolutely. The research
didn't just confirm production parity. It specifically
highlighted that these older genetic lines matched
modern genetics for production traits, and even
more importantly, matched or even exceeded today's
leading sires for fertility and health. That's
monumental. It challenges the prevailing mindset
that newer is always better. It really does.
It also revealed a startling fact about how narrow
our current genetic base truly is. Get this.
More than 99 % of all known Holstein AI bulls
trace their male lineage back to just two bulls
born in the 1950s. 99 % from two bulls. Yeah.
And if you go back further, all Holstein bulls
are traceable to only two bulls from the late
1800s. That's... That's an incredibly narrow
genetic base for such a dominant breed. Makes
it highly vulnerable. Extremely vulnerable. The
USDA gene bank, therefore, stores these rare,
lost Y -chronosome families that are now completely
absent from modern hole stains. It serves as
a critical insurance plan for the breed, holding
the keys to genetic resilience. So it fundamentally
challenges the market -driven assumption that
only the newest, highest -ranking genetics are
valuable. Right. Diversity isn't just an abstract
concept for conservation. It's a tangible, profit
-driving asset that can bring back lost traits
and dramatically improve herd resilience and
long -term profitability. So beyond looking to
the past, how can producers actively bring new
genetics and more diversity into their herds
now using current, readily available options?
What are some practical strategies? One of the
most effective and immediate strategies, and
one that has been proven globally, is through
strategic crossbreeding. Crossbreeding, okay.
This isn't just about introducing a new breed
for the sake of it. It's about leveraging what
we call hybrid vigor or heterosis. Hybrid vigor,
that gives a boost, right? It provides an immediate
boost in performance that often exceeds the average
of the two parent breeds. particularly when those
breeds are genetically distinct. It's like getting
a free genetic boost. And it's particularly impactful
for the traits that inbreeding tends to depress,
isn't it? Things like fertility, disease resistance,
overall health. Exactly. Those complex traits
that are hard to select for directly and suffer
most from a constricted gene pool. Hybrid vigor
is most pronounced in fitness traits, things
like fertility, disease resistance, general health,
and longevity. The exact things hit hardest by
inbreeding. Precisely. These are exactly the
traits that are most negatively impacted by inbreeding
depression in purebred Holsteins. So, by strategically
crossbreeding with a complementary dairy breed,
you can get an immediate, often dramatic, improvement
where your herd needs it most. Effectively counteracting
the negative effects of inbreeding. Right. We
see excellent real -world examples in European
programs. For instance, programs that have incorporated
breeds like the Norwegian Red have shown significant
success in improving fertility, boosting disease
resistance, especially mastitis resistance, and
enhancing udder health while maintaining strong
production. Norwegian Red, okay. Those cows are
simply more robust. Similarly, the New Zealand
Holstein Friesian a distinct genetic line selected
over 100 years specifically for pasture -based
systems, delivers high milk solids and exceptional
longevity, thriving in environments where other
breeds might struggle. So these aren't just theoretical
options, they are well -documented pathways.
They provide a viable route for you, the listener,
to immediately improve your herd's resilience
and profitability without necessarily sacrificing
overall genetic merit. It's a way to introduce
a controlled beneficial outcross and inject that
much needed genetic diversity. OK, let's talk
about something many producers are already doing,
and that's beef on dairy. The numbers are huge,
huge, exploding, really. And it seems like a
smart short term move for many farms struggling
with profitability. But the article cautions
that it can also be a trap if not managed correctly.
It's definitely an economic no brainer in the
short term, which is why we've seen such explosive
growth and widespread adoption. The numbers are
undeniable. Beaks even sales to dairies shot
up from, what, 2 .54 million units in 2017 to
a staggering 7 .9 million in 2023. Wow. Tripled.
Yeah. Other NAAB data shows an even wider increase,
from a mere 1 .2 million units in 2010 to 9 .4
million in 2023. 9 .4 million units. This isn't
a niche trend. Approximately 72 % of U .S. dairy
farms now incorporate beef genetics into their
breeding program. 72%. That's most farms. It
is. And the economic logic is clear and compelling.
Beef crop calves can command a premium of $350
to $700, sometimes even over $1 ,000. Compared
to maybe $150, $500 for a Holstein bull calf?
Exactly. That's a significant immediate cash
infusion for a dairy, making it an attractive
short -term solution for managing unwanted bull
calves. Those numbers are undeniably compelling
for a producer looking at their immediate bottom
line. But you mentioned the trap. What exactly
makes this widespread practice a risk long term?
The trap is that while it provides an immediate
financial gain, it has significant long -term
detrimental risks for the Holstein breed as a
whole, and ultimately for your own herd's future
viability. How so? By breeding a substantial
and increasing portion of the herd to beef sires,
producers are effectively reducing the number
of purebred dairy females available to contribute
to the next generation of Holsteins. Fewer replacements
being born. Exactly. This further shrinks the
purebred genetic pool. intensifying that genetic
bottleneck we discussed earlier, and accelerating
the very inbreeding crisis that can make dairy
animals less profitable in the first place. It
creates a self -perpetuating, vicious cycle.
It really does. Inbreeding makes more cows less
profitable as dairy producers, which in turn
pushes more producers towards beef on dairy as
a fallback, further shrinking the available dairy
gene pool. We're essentially accelerating the
decline of the purebred dairy population without
realizing the full long -term cost. And this
impacts replacement heifer economics directly.
Dramatically. The supply of dairy heifers weighing
500 plus pounds reached a 47 -year low. projected
3 .914 million head for 2025. 47 -year low. Yeah.
This scarcity is driving prices through the roof.
National average dairy replacement values hit
$2 ,660 per head by early 2025. $2 ,660. And
some markets are seeing Springer's approach an
astonishing $4 ,000 per animal. $4 ,000 for a
Springer? We even saw Wisconsin replacement prices
jump a shocking 69 % from $1 ,999 to $2 ,850
between October 2023 and October 2024. Record
highs. We're creating a shortage. We're inadvertently
creating a severe shortage of quality dairy replacements,
while simultaneously eroding the genetic base
for our future dairy herds. It's a short -term
gain for a long -term, costly problem. So what's
the smarter way? The smarter beef on dairy approach,
as highlighted in the article, is to be highly
strategic and data -driven, instead of breeding
just any low -end dairy female to beef. Use genomics.
Use genomics to identify females with genuinely
poor dairy genetics, those that have very little
genetic potential to be profitable dairy cows
for beef on dairy breeding. Michigan State research
shows an additional $250 plus per crossbred calf
with this targeted method. Okay, target the worst
for beef. And reserve your precious sex dairy
semen for your most elite females, those with
the highest genetic potential to become the future
of your herd. So it turns a potentially self
-destructive trend into a disciplined, data -informed
strategy. Exactly. Maximize profitability without
eroding the future genetic potential of your
dairy herd. It's about precision over broad stroke
application, ensuring every breeding decision
is intentional and optimizes your herd's future.
Hashtag actionable insights. Okay, so after all
that incredibly detailed and frankly somewhat
sobering information about the inbreeding crisis,
the economic costs, the corporate strategies,
what's the key takeaway for a farmer listening
today? What can they do right now on their farm
to navigate this complex genetic landscape and
ensure the longevity and profitability of their
operation? Where do they begin? The core message
is absolutely clear. Genetic management needs
to be proactive. strategic, and most importantly,
data -informed. Starts with a crucial mindset
shift. Seeing genomic testing, not as an expense,
a line item to cut, but as a critical, profitable
investment in the future health and productivity
of your herd. Treat it like an investment. It's
about leveraging information to make smarter
decisions. That's a significant shift in mindset
for many producers, viewing a test as an investment
rather than a cost center. So for a producer
considering this, what's the actual quantifiable
return on that investment? Can they truly expect
to see those dollars come back? The cost -benefit
analysis for genomic testing is incredibly compelling,
and the dollars absolutely come back. A heifer
test typically costs anywhere from, say, $33
to $50 per animal. $33 to $50. Yeah, which for
a calf might seem like a lot. But that initial
investment yields a significant positive return,
often within just two breeding cycles. Two cycles,
how much return? Research indicates that genomic
testing can boost a herd's overall genetic merit
by as much as $400 over those two cycles. $400.
And can cut your replacement cost by a significant
35%. This is a direct, measurable financial return
that goes straight to your bottom line. Why is
it so effective? The reason for this boosted
ROI is the dramatic increase in selection accuracy
that genomics provides. You're looking at 55
% to 70 % accuracy for genomic predictions. Versus
what for traditional pedigrees? Versus only about
35 % for traditional pedigree -based methods.
Big difference. Huge. This dramatically improved
accuracy empowers you to make far more confident
culling and breeding decisions. You can confidently
identify your lowest -ranking animals with poor
genetic potential for dairy and channel them
into that smarter Beef on Dairy program, maximizing
their value. And breed from the best. Conversely,
you identify your highest -potential animals
for breeding the next generation of replacements,
ensuring you're building a truly elite herd.
It also allows for the early detection of recessive
disorders and harmful haplotypes. Things like
HH1 to HH6, HMW. Exactly. Catching these early
prevents costly reproductive failures, stillbirths,
and calf losses down the line, saving you thousands.
So for you, the listener, this is a clear, proven
path to turning raw genetic data into actual
dollars and cents on your farm year after year.
Okay, so that's the big picture of why genetic
testing is so important long -term. But what
are some short -term, concrete tactics a producer
can implement, say, in the next month or quarter?
What are those first practical steps? Immediately,
you need to demand transparency from your suppliers.
Transparency? How? Insist that your AI companies
provide you with up -to -date inbreeding reports
on the progeny of the sires being sold. Not just
a single, potentially misleading index number
for the bull himself. You need the inbreeding
of the calf from that mating. Exactly. You need
to know what the offspring of a specific mating
will actually look like in terms of inbreeding,
not just general averages. This precise data
is crucial what else you should also calculate
your current herd average inbreeding you can
do this using your existing dhia records or ideally
your cdcb genomic parentage records to get the
most accurate picture Know your starting point.
Right. Once you have that baseline, when you're
making breeding decisions, be strategic and disciplined.
Refuse any matings that would push the progeny's
inbreeding coefficient above that 6 .25 % danger
zone. Stick to that 6 .25 % limit for the calf.
Remember, it's the specific matings inbreeding
you're focused on, not just the parent averages,
which can sometimes lull you into a false sense
of security. Okay. Anything else short term?
To diversify risk and avoid putting all your
eggs in one genetic basket, try to buy semen
from at least three different AI companies. Don't
rely on just one supplier. Right. This avoids
dependence on a single genetic pipeline and exposes
you to broader genetic diversity. And definitely
start exploring European outcross options. Like
the Norwegian red you mentioned. Yeah, as they
can introduce new bloodlines with documented
value for health and longevity traits that might
be lacking in the highly inbred North American
Holstein population. Finally, make it a non -negotiable
part of your budget to plan for genomic testing
of every replacement heifer you plan to keep.
Budget for testing every heifer. At $35 to $50
per sample, it's an investment that pays for
itself quickly, allowing you to cull effectively
and breed strategically from day one. These are
immediate practical steps you can take. And looking
beyond those immediate actions for the long game,
what should producers be focusing on to build
a truly resilient, profitable operation? What's
the strategic long -term play? For long -term
resilience and sustained profitability, a disciplined,
targeted beef on dairy strategy is absolutely
key targeted using genomics precisely using beef
semen only on genomically verified poor dairy
genetics those animals you're testing has identified
as having very low genetic potential for profitable
milk production this strategic approach supported
by university research lets you maximize profitability
by turning low potential dairy animals into high
value beef on dairy calves instead of losing
money on them or flooding the replacement market
Exactly. Rather than contributing to the oversupply
of low -quality dairy replacements or continuing
to lose money on unproductive dairy animals.
What about crossbreeding long -term? You should
also seriously consider piloting crossbreeding
for, say, 20 % to 30 % of your herd. A pilot
program. Yeah. This allows you to test the benefits
of hybrid vigor with other complementary dairy
breeds like Norwegian Red or Jersey. Evaluate
their performance in your specific environment
and management system. See firsthand how they
impact fertility, health and profitability before
expanding. Test it on your own farm first. It's
a controlled way to introduce that much needed
diversity and build a more robust, profitable
herd. Beyond your farm, actively engage with
university extension programs and CDCB information
sessions. Get unbiased information. These are
independent, unbiased sources of research and
guidance on managing inbreeding and exploring
alternative strategies. They provide a vital
counterpoint to commercial marketing claims,
invaluable resources for long -term strategic
planning. And the financial impact of doing this,
managing inbreeding down. It can be truly substantial.
transformative for your farm. For example, by
diligently dropping your herd's average inbreeding
from, say, a concerning 13 % down to a healthier
8%. That can mean an additional $75 ,000 to $94
,000 in better cow value across your entire herd.
$75 ,000 to $94 ,000. Yeah, and that's after
adjusting for the initial semen and testing costs.
That's not just a marginal gain. That's a powerful
incentive for managing your genetics like a long
game business. OK, so here's a thought to chew
on as you go about your day. The choice you make
today for your herd's genetics is a direct vote
for the kind of dairy animal and indeed the kind
of dairy industry we'll have in 2035. That's
a powerful way to put it. Are you simply chasing
the highest catalog rankings from a handful of
elite? potentially over -related sires, accepting
the hidden costs of inbreeding, or are you managing
your genetics like a savvy, long -game business
owner, diversifying risk, investing in data,
and optimizing for the long -term health, resilience,
and lifetime value of every single cow in your
herd? Yeah, the future of your farm and perhaps
the breed itself. depends on those decisions.
Great points and a powerful thought to leave
our listeners with. And that's all the time we
have for today's deep dive. For more articles,
in -depth research, and insights like these,
be sure to visit us at www .thebullvine .com.
Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your
podcasts so you never miss another deep dive
into the topics that matter most to dairy producers.
Thanks for listening. That wraps up this episode
of The Bullvine Podcast. If you found today's
insights valuable, make sure you subscribe, share,
and leave us a review on your favorite podcast
platform. For data tables, referenced research,
and more actionable strategies, visit us at www
.thebullvine .com. Remember, your breeding choices
today shape not only your profits, but the future
of the Holstein breed for years to come. Make
them count. Thanks for listening, and until next
time, keep those cows and those numbers moving
forward. Thanks for watching!