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The DAT People's Choice Question of the Week:Is it worth it?
The DAT People's Choice Question of the Week:Is it worth it?
 
With tight margins for dairy producers of all breeds, is registration/classification an expenditure that can be justified?
Reader Comments
Comments posted do not express the viewpoint of Dairy Agenda Today or its staff members.
Tony Whitehead
October, 28 2018
Ron, Gibbs rule #6.
chuck
October, 28 2018
Ron, I don't think you need to apologize. Same person posting under different names. If he used his real name his credibility as a breeder/expert would be out the window.
Ron Flatness
October, 28 2018
Sorry I was insulting to Bottom line. Anonymous comments just bother me....you don't know if you are talking to a 12 year old expert or an older person that really is an expert on that topic. Other sites require names... particularly with the last heated debate over US-Canada milk pricing... if you know their name and where they are from...it gives you insight into the other persons fears and needs.
Ron Flatness
October, 27 2018
Bottom Line. I just love you guys that don't have enough guts to sign your name! I like Genomics ..but to say it is helping 99.9 % of dairymen is ridiculous...you should remain in hiding. To say it is helping 90% of big AI increase their bank accounts...is plausible...yet you keep merging! In the end it is the politics I hate. Why not keep your pre-release semen un-available until their 1st far inflated... progeny proof arrives....similar to crooked breeder proven bulls from the past..Then offer it to your disciples.
Bottom Line
October, 27 2018
Ron-The bottom line is that genomics is a diamond mine for the 99.99% of the dairymen that milk cows for a living. The genetic profiles of the bulls they have available to use today are simply amazing compared to just 10 years ago. Tremendous balance of production, longevity, fertility, calving ease, scc, etc, and they continue to get better at a faster rate than ever. Yes, for the breeders who profited from selling bulls to AI, it is a tough business, but there is still a good market for embryo export and for top GTPI females.
Tony Whitehead
October, 26 2018
Tax write off.
z
October, 26 2018
I have to say Ron's comments are pointed and accurate. 10 years ago there were nearly 1500 bulls purchased in north American AI per year, all from breeders. Today I would guess the total put into production would be 8-900 and a very significant portion (over 50%) are not purchased from breeders. My question is what is the role of the sire boys? Do they need them and for how much longer? What would they do in a weeks time to justify the big title and high pay? I would be pretty skeptical of the long term job prospects.
Ron Flatness
October, 25 2018
Genomics is a diamond mine for big AI. They captured it from USDA/AIPL and they are NOT going to give it up...or share it quickly. The very top bulls are kept for their own matings on herds of over 7,000 head for quite awhile. Some of these very top bulls are over 2 years old...still no semen released to the public...their obedient... customers. Often when they do release the semen on the very top bulls,it is only sexed semen, thus no future sons of their top bulls to compete against.How many traditional breeders are now selling bulls to AI? Maybe 10?
Tony Whitehead
October, 25 2018
I look at genomics like a monkey wrench. It can be several things. Hammer. Wrench. Pry bar. It just doesn't do them like it is advertised. Just my opinion.
Old Timer
October, 24 2018
Genomics will give us way more information about an animals genetic profile than a pedigree full of phenotypic data, Yes we need classification to verify genomic predictions but let the CDB find a way to pay for it rather than put the financial burden of classification on the already financially over burdened dairymen
Tony Whitehead
October, 24 2018
Therefore genomics is the gospel and boots on the ground is a waste of money? How are you going to verify the genomics are accurate if you don't evaluate something? If we followed your business plan we are only going to see the good ones.
Old Timer
October, 24 2018
Tony-Herd size makes a difference but on a 200 cow herd, my play for Basic ID, tags and genomic testing would be less than 1/2 of Complete and you would know a whole lot more about the genetics of your calves! You get updated genomics on all tested animals each proof for free on ST's website
Old Timer
October, 24 2018
I don't know what Holstein Complete costs but my guess is that one could pay for Basic ID, tags and the genomic test for no more money than what Complete would cost?
Tony Whitehead
October, 24 2018
If you register a calf on complete before 90 days you don't pay for it. The cheapest genomics test is $43. I can't figure that out?
Old Timer
October, 23 2018
Best investment is to put all calves in Holstein's Basic ID program, get the custom tags, genomic test all calves, put a few in the herdbook and classify them if they are special. One will not get a return on investment from registering and classifying the majority.
John
October, 22 2018
I have never seen cattle that the value was not enhanced by official testing and ID. For some farmers some of the other breed programs may be unnecessary.