BUILD A HEALTHIER HERD Health and Wellness Indexes CLARIFIDE Plus reports on six cow wellness traits, including mastitis, lameness, metritis, retained placenta, displaced abomasum and ketosis, as well as three calf wellness traits, including scours, respiratory health and calf livability. The Dairy Wellness Profit Index® (DWP$®) and Wellness Trait Index® (WT$®) are specially designed indexes that include these valuable health and wellness traits. According to Zoetis, “With the use of DWP$, producers can make approximately $47 more profit per selected female over 10 years using a 15 percent culling selection strategy, as compared to a lower-cost CLARIFIDE test. The difference is even higher in favor of DWP$, when compared to lower reliability tests at low cost.”* Mike Larson, Evansville, Wis. The Larson Acres herd includes 2,500 lactating Holsteins and DWP$ is the single most important factor in their selection of service sires. 6% REPRODUCTION Larson’s genetic strategy for sire selection is +1,000 DWP$ and then consideration of Combined Fat and Protein (CFP) values. 8% As a trial herd in 2011, Larson Acres worked with Zoetis to CALF WELLNESS collect, analyze and apply herd data for health and wellness traits. Since observing the impact of this data in his herd, Larson CONFORMATION 10% explains, “I recognized the immense value in this information when tied to profitability and sustainability.” HEALTH, LONGEVITY 19% Genetic Strategy AND CALVING Profitability hinges on the difference between the top 25 COW WELLNESS 25% percent and bottom 25 percent of a herd’s performance. This genetic potential is outlined and detailed in a genetic audit. Larson Acres works with Brian Kelroy of PRODUCTION 32% CentralStar Cooperative, and Kevin Jorgensen to analyze this data and prepare genetic strategies to meet profitability and sustainability goals. DWP$ Relative Values *Data on file, January 2018 Includes the economic benefits of Polled cattle
Genetic selection and genomic technology have yielded more milk and components, desirable feet and legs, stronger and smoother udder attachments and increased conception rates. Kevin Jorgensen, senior sire analyst, explains, “The U.S. dairy cow is probably the most analyzed species on planet earth. Whether it be for production, health, fitness or type, we have hundreds of different things that we evaluate.” Historically, genetic strategies have focused on increasing favorable traits for production, type and fertility, while decreasing undesirable haplotypes. Herd health and wellness was determined by management and health protocols. With the onset of Zoetis’ CLARIFIDE® Plus technology, dairy producers have a prime opportunity to build a healthier herd through genetic selection.
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