Embryo Transfer Gains Popularity, Accessibility in Efforts to Improve Dairy Herds

Embryo transfer continues to expand in the dairy industry. The technology has grown by 12% in just two years, mainly thanks to more accessible prices. Producers can expect to pay just $125 with pregnancy rates similar to artificial insemination.

Asha Miles, geneticist for USDA’s Animal Genomics laboratory on Dairy Science Digest, says producers see the technology as a way to accelerate the generation interval of desirable cow families. Miles’ lab works collaboratively with the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) to confirm genetic evaluations three times each year.

With dairy evaluations beginning in 1908, the data pools now contain 100 million lactation records, genotypes from nearly 7 million animals and 90 million pedigrees. CDCB is a resource for all dairy producers looking to explore the most progressive genetics for their dairy herd.

Read more on dairy genetics and evaluation here.