Geneticist Siobhan Ring joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge to discuss updates to the Economic Breeding Index including the new calving difficulty tool for heifers.
 
Firstly, Siobhan explains the new tool to help farmers make an informed decision to select appropriate sire for heifers. Going forwards, sire will be identified as low, moderate or high risk for heifers. Traditionally, calving difficulty did not differentiate between cows and heifers. 
 
Siobhan also reviewed the changes to the maintenance sub-index. Previously, maintenance was calculated based on cull cow records from the factory with a maintenance figure of €0 accounting for a 605 kg cow and a maintenance figure of €20 accounting for a 550 kg cow. 
 
The new maintenance is calculated using lactating cow live weights, maintenance figure of €0 accounting for a 644 kg cow and a maintenance figure of €20 accounting for a 559 kg cow.
 
Genomic bulls remain consistently higher on the Active Bull List compared with daughter proven bulls and Siobhan reminds us on the importance of using a genomic bull team equally.
 
Finally, Siobhan reviewed the Dairy Beef Index. She reassures us that DBI bulls are short gestation, easy calving, whilst also having improved carcass merit and conformation. Siobhan explains that DBI bulls should be targeted at lower EBI and problem cows such as high SCC and lame cows.
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