The Importance of Type in an Effective Breeding Program

Abstract

Functional type appears to be related to culling rate and longevity in dairy cattle, thus it should not be ignored in an effective herd breeding program. The dairy cow is the foster mother of the human race, thus any discussion of dairy cattle breeding must necessarily begin with the production of milk. That is the primary reason for their existence. Therefore, any other trait included in a breeding program must contribute to the profitability of the herd to be considered.

Through vast increases in progeny testing over the last decade the potential for genetic improvement has increased rapidly. In the Holstein breed, for example, USDA summarized less than two dozen bulls in 1967 with predicted differences over + 1000. In the 1977 November summary there were well over 100 bulls exceeding that same level.