GENETIC AUDIT: FROM START TO PROFIT Select Sires’ ProfitMAX™ program helps customers achieve long-term profitability from future herd replacements and improve short-term cash flow by increasing the value of extra calves to be sold to the beef market. The genetic audit is the capstone of the program and uses the Optimal Genetic Pathways calculator to project profitable solutions. Learn more about the auditing process and the on-farm program’s impact from All West/Select Sires Dairy and Genetic Program Specialists, Amber LaSalle and Greg Collins. Who benefits from a genetic audit? Amber LaSalle: Whether you consider your herd genetically progressive, or you’ve made genetic improvement a goal, a genetic audit will undoubtedly yield benefits for your dairy. For some of the industry’s most progressive herds, the process can highlight correlations between current challenges and traits that don’t receive attention in the genetic selection program. Through the process, you can also gain a better understanding of herd rank compared to herds in the same environment and compared to the national Holstein averages. (Figure 1) If you’ve identified genetics as an area of improvement, the process can be truly eye-opening and will provide evidence that genetics make a huge difference in the sustainability of your herd. FIGURE 1: Index/Trait Holstein Breed Average
2015
2016
2017
2018
TPI
+1942
+2009
+2073
+2137
NM$
+226
+268
+310
+353
Milk
+459
+543
+628
+712
Productive Life
+1.7
+2.1
+2.4
+2.7
Daughter Pregnancy Rate
+0.7
+0.8
+1.0
+1.1
Somatic Cell Score
3.02
3.00
2.99
2.97
Combined Fat and Protein
+38
+45
+52
+59
Describe the timeline to complete the audit. What is the time commitment for a producer? Greg Collins: The time investment of the dairy producer is minimal. Dairies begin by providing their Select Sires professional with a herd data backup and a brief interview to determine the most important genetic traits specific to the dairy. Then we go to work! We sift through the data, analyze the information and prepare a complete presentation. The final meeting to present the information takes less than an hour, depending on the discussion and questions. We also recommend a minimum of annual reviews for herd auditing. Amber LaSalle: Once the presentation is complete, we select traits to continue emphasizing and strengthening. Next, we use the Optimal Genetic Pathways calculator to rank the individual animals. An index
6 u
or a combination of traits and production numbers can also be used to rank the individuals. Then we devise a strategy for use of sexed semen, conventional semen and beef semen. How does the Optimal Genetic Pathways calculator fit into the auditing process? Greg Collins: The Optimal Genetic Pathways calculator takes the eligible breeding population and allows the producer to strategically utilize the best genetics. It determines the most profitable combinations of semen usage, including sex-sorted, conventional and/or embryos, while making the number of females needed to maintain the desired cow numbers. Additionally, the calculator shows the producer where to utilize beef bulls to take advantage of the premiums offered for dairy x beef calves. This innovative tool brings together two very important segments for a producer. Utilizing a dairy’s detailed reproduction numbers and genetic data, it creates the desired number of females with the desired genetic emphasis. An example of the Optimal Genetic Pathways product strategy usage can be seen in Figure 2. FIGURE 2: Genetic Strategy %
1st Service
2nd Service
3rd Service
1st Lact Top
16%
S1
S1
B
B
B
1st Lact Lower
18%
S1
S1
B
B
B
Milking Herd Groups
4th 5+ Service Services
2+ Lact Top
31%
C
C
B
B
B
Beef
35%
B
B
B
B
B
100%
%
1st Service
2nd Service
3rd Service
Top
85%
S
S
S
B
B
Lower
7%
S
S
S
B
B
Beef
8%
B
B
B
B
B
Heifer Groups
4th 5+ Service Services
100% Product Type Codes % of the Breedings
1st Lactation 1st Lactation ConvenSexed Conventional Sexed tional
Beef
Embryo
S1
C1
S
C
B
E
17%
0%
22%
14%
47%
0%
