What’s a fertility leader?
Have you ever really thought about what’s involved to get highly fertile semen from the bull to your tank, and then into your cows or heifers? Fertility leadership is backed by the Alta people, processes and programs involved in every step. PEOPLE Fertility excellence is what drives our team! We hire and extensively train only […]
Haplotype & genomic reliability updates
Based on new findings from the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB), one new haplotype will be added, and two others removed, starting with December 2018 proofs. Alta Bull Search and Alta GPS will be programmed according to this new information. A new Holstein haplotype, HH6, was recently identified in France, and is currently found in about 0.5% […]
A2: genetic fad or future?
Since its 2015 US debut, A2 milk has been a hot topic among dairy producers. Now, the latest A2 buzz comes from consumers. This follows the launch of the A2 Milk Company’s national television advertising campaign, and increased local availability of A2 milk in many grocery stores. While the curiosity around A2 milk grows, it’s […]
ROI from AltaU
How often on your dairy do you find an instant return on an investment? Return on Investment (ROI) is what you’ll get with AltaU. During an AltaU session held this year, two participants learned first-hand how they can make changes that affect the bottom lines on their dairies. After watching the very first presentation on “health […]
The high value of low heritability
Most of us misunderstand heritability. In simple terms, for any given trait, heritability tells us how much of the difference in actual performance is due to genetics, as opposed to management or the environment. To better understand, think about two cows in two different herds. How much of the difference in their milk production is […]
Inbreeding: manage it to maximize profit
Inbreeding is a hot topic… Are you concerned about whether genomics is creating too much inbreeding in the dairy cattle population? Many producers express their concern that sire options to prevent negative inbreeding effects continues to dwindle. We certainly don’t want to mate an animal to her father or brother, but we do need to […]
Predict future production using average daily gain
Genomic testing is a popular way to rank heifers as part of a strategic breeding plan. But it’s not the only way. If you’re looking to not only maximize genetic progress, but also future profit, there might be alternative methods to decide which heifers to cull and which to keep. ADG as a female selection […]
Sire selection vs. mating
“What is the true value of a mating program?” Many producers around the world have used a mating program within their herd for many years. However, not all producers have put that keen focus on SIRE SELECTION. If you are in that same boat, you may be missing out on the best genetics to drive profitability on your […]
Genetics and A2 milk: what you need to know
As consumers continuously look for new ways to eat healthy, A2 milk is a trend that emerges on their radar. A2 milk has been a common brand in Australia and New Zealand for several years. It only made its entry to the US marketplace in 2015. It’s a new concept for many people, so before […]
Polled genetics – examine the pros and cons
The polled gene in dairy cattle is dominant over the horned gene Polled dairy cattle trace back as far as pedigree records have been kept. The polled gene in dairy cattle is dominant over the horned gene. Yet horned cattle are still much more prevalent in the global dairy population because few producers ever chose […]