The dairy industry’s sustainability is being scrutinized for its environmental and social impact. A significant but often overlooked aspect of this is genomics. Since the 1950s, dairy farmers have utilized artificial insemination to enhance the quality of their herds and farm safety. Traditional genetic improvement methods required lengthy progeny testing, but in 2008, genomics revolutionized the industry. By comparing an animal’s DNA to the entire population’s performance, genomics accelerated genetic progress, leading to improvements in milk, butterfat, and protein production, as well as cow health and longevity.
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For the full story visit: Dairy Cattle Genomics is Quietly Improving Sustainability
Source: CoBank