US prefers to manage for infertility

BREEDERS in most countries reckon the 35% weighting for fertility in Ireland’s breeding policy is too high, said Holstein USA director of research Dr Tom Lawlor, one of the Killarney speakers.

However, he admitted it could be the right thing to do in Ireland’s dairy industry, because it is based on lower cost seasonal milk production, mostly from grass.

He said changing breeding goals too quickly is unpopular with breeders, because they had been asked for years to breed for more milk and fat and protein, and their cattle are no longer as valuable after a new breeding goal is selected.