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Owner-sampled dairy cattle herds will see earlier genetic evaluations
Dairy, Genetics

Owner-sampled dairy cattle herds will see earlier genetic evaluations

Lactanet proposes move to monthly official evaluations for Canadian cows in early 2025

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More dairy cows in Canada may have the potential to achieve top-rated status in publicly released genetic rankings, thanks to a change being introduced by the Lactanet organization in early 2025. The change will be of particular benefit to herds in which monthly milk samples are collected unsupervised by the herd owner. Why it matters: […] Read more
Dairy Lifetime Performance Index will include more emphasis on what's being called milkability and environmental impact in an update of the index.
Dairy, Genetics

Top genetics shouldn’t change much under modernized LPI

Lactanet to update its benchmark Lifetime Performance Index by early next year

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The emphasis given to production and health characteristics will change in a proposed new Lifetime Performance Index (LPI) for Canadian dairy cows – with new weighting for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing “milkability”. Brian Van Doormaal, chief services officer for Lactanet, the genetic testing and data management organization leading the process, says changes in […] Read more
A genetic defect was discovered last year as a cause of muscle weakness (calf recumbency) in Holstein calves.
Calf health, Cow health, Dairy, Genetics, Livestock

Carrier status for two dairy defects available soon

Lactanet will publish evaluations for defects affecting Holstein and Brown Swiss

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Lactanet says dairy producers will soon have access to genetic information on tested bulls and females that carry the defect for muscle weakness (Holsteins) and the BH14 haplotype (Brown Swiss). Why it matters: To prevent potential spread of the fatal defects, breeders must avoid mating two recessive carrier-status animals. Dr. Allyson Fleming, a geneticist with […] Read more
Based on its genomic database, AGI has created a ranking of beef-on-dairy options for using Angus bulls on Holsteins and another for Jerseys.
Livestock, News

Lactanet partners with Angus group for beef-on-dairy genetics

U.S-.based organization also publishes sire data from Canada, Australia

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Lactanet is working with a U.S.-based Angus association to share genotyping of Angus bulls from Canada, the U.S. and Australia, as it responds to calls from dairy sector stakeholders to assist in beef-on-dairy breeding decisions. Brian Van Doormaal, chief services officer for Lactanet, described the arrangement during the company’s Feb. 27 Open Industry Session webinar. […] Read more
Lochdale Holsteins of Alexandria, Ont. was third nationally in Lactanet's 2023 awards. The farm is run by David, Anne Marie and Andrew MacMillan.
Dairy, Genetics, Milking equipment, News

Lochdale Holsteins third in Lactanet dairy performance awards

The Alexandria-area farm was the top Ontario herd, with five of the top 10 from the province

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An Ontario farm had the third highest dairy herd performance index in Lactanet’s annual national awards. Lochdale Holsteins, of Alexandria, Ont., had a score of 969. The farm is owned by David, Anne Marie and Andrew MacMillan. They milk 78 cows in a pipeline system. Lactanet is the national herd recording and dairy farm data […] Read more
Next year, Lactanet plans to publish fertility ratings for sexed bull semen.
Cow health, Dairy, Genetics

Lactanet to publish sexed semen fertility ratings

Farmers will now have access to information previously only sent to bull line-up owners

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Canadian dairy farmers will soon have access to fertility ratings for sexed bull semen. Lactanet recently announced it plans to publicly release the ratings, previously provided to artificial insemination service providers only, in early 2024. Dr. Gerrit Kistemaker, the national organization’s manager of genetic evaluations, gave an update on the process during Lactanet’s Open Industry […] Read more
Lactanet’s Genetic Evaluation Board (GEB) is contemplating modernizing the LPI, which was introduced more than 30 years ago.
Dairy, News

Lactanet embarks on LPI modernization process

Predictive production index has become cumbersome, complicated

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A long-standing tool for predicting the milk production performance of dairy cattle daughters will be “modernized” to make it more user-friendly and reflective of contemporary knowledge about feed efficiency. During Lactanet’s recent open industry session, Chief Services Office Brian Van Doormaal gave a presentation entitled “Modernizing LPI (Lifetime Performance Index)” and later said he had […] Read more
Dairy cattle, Ontario
Dairy, Genetics, Livestock

Dairy farmer eager to see results of low-methane breeding decisions

Lynden-area farmer's herd one of the first to use trait

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Reuters — When dairy farmer Ben Loewith’s calves are born next spring, they will be among the first in the world to be bred with a specific environmental goal: burping less methane. Loewith, a third-generation farmer in Lynden, started artificially inseminating 107 cows and heifers in June with the first-to-market bull semen with a low-methane […] Read more
A forage expert says acid detergent fibre percentage is an indicator of harvest maturity, and can have an effect on feed costs.
Dairy, Forage and crops

Forage tests reveal harvest, storage information

How to interpret forage lab analyses to achieve quality

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A recent webinar by Lactanet’s expert in forage production and nutrition offered tips on how to interpret analyses of ensiled forage. Jean-Philippe Laroche asked participants to have on hand copies of analyses for grass or legume silage so he could relate “what your forage analyses have to tell you and provide solutions” to address shortfalls […] Read more
Ontario farm Canada’s third-best-managed dairy herd
Nutrition

Ontario farm Canada’s third-best-managed dairy herd

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Seven Ontario dairy farms in the top 10

[UPDATED: Feb. 24, 2023] Stewardson Dairy Inc. of Thedford, Ont., has been named Canada’s third best-managed dairy herd by Lactanet. Each year, Lactanet brings together dairy producers and industry stakeholders from across the country to pay tribute to top-performing herds and celebrate excellence in dairy herd management. Lactanet’s Herd Performance Index allows herds across the […] Read more

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