Dairy producers leverage genetics to optimize milk composition for processing
Genetic improvements within the U.S. dairy herd are fueling historic gains in key milk components needed to produce cheese, butter and a variety of other popular dairy foods. While U.S. fluid milk production has remained relatively flat in recent years, butterfat and protein levels within the nation’s milk supply are growing at a record pace […]
How genetics has changed the science of animal breeding
Maeve Williams, VistaMilk, explains how genetic differences and modern breeding techniques, including DNA sequencing, are used to improve traits for economic and environmental sustainability in dairy farming. Have you ever been sitting around a table with your siblings and wondered why you all look so different? I have two sisters and, although there are similarities […]
18 months in LIC chief remains focused on dairy’s emissions
It’s been a changeable 18 months for LIC chief executive David Chin as the dairy improvement co-operative assists the dairy industry to meet the environmental challenges it faces locally and globally. Looking back at the time since he started in the role in January 2022, replacing Wayne McNee, Chin says it has reinforced his appreciation […]
Actions to improve milk protein percentage in May and June
John McCabe, Teagasc/Aurivo Joint Programme Advisor, looks at the factors affecting and the steps to take to improve milk protein percentage in May and June. Figure 1 below from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) indicates a few different things to us. Firstly, milk protein percentage flat lines for the summer months (red circle). Secondly, milk […]
Badri cow breed of Uttarakhand to get a genetic boost
To increase the productivity of its indigenous Badri cow, which grazes on herbs that grow in the Himalayas, Uttarakhand is now planning for its genetic enhancement. At the recent chintan shivir (brainstorming session) that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had with senior officials of the State, the Animal Husbandry Department proposed to use sex-sorted semen […]
How lactose tolerance in humans became widespread
Milk has often been branded as a superfood as it is rich in most of the nutrients necessary for health. However, how milk came to be an integral part of the human diet has been a conundrum to scientists because most of the world can’t digest the product. Studies on the global prevalence of this […]