IMPROVING DAIRY FEED EFFICIENCY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND PROFITABILITY BY IMPACTING FARMER'S BREEDING AND CULLING DECISIONS

The project objective is to expand existing genomic tools for improving feed efficiency in dairy cattle to enable inclusion of genomic breeding values for feed efficiency in the U.S. Net Merit Index. There are 4 Specific Aims as follows: Aim 1 is to increase the reliability of genomic predictions for feed efficiency on young sires so that efficiency is included in the US Net Merit Index. Aim 2 is to identify proxies for predicting feed intake on individual cows. Aim 3 is to implement a long-term strategy for adding animals to the feed efficiency reference population at a reasonable price so that reliable selection can continue for the next 25 years. Aim 4 is to determine the relationship of methane emissions to feed efficiency and if genomics can be used to predict emissions. The long-term goal is to enable US dairy farmers to make breeding decisions that will decrease feed costs and increase efficiency, sustainability, and profitability.