Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Livestock Bio-Systems » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #377917
Research Project: Improving Livestock Production by Developing Reproductive and Precision Management Technologies

Location: Livestock Bio-Systems

Title: Review: Perspective on high-performing dairy cows and herds

Author
item BRITT, JACK - North Carolina State University
item Cushman, Robert - Bob
item DECHOW, C - Pennsylvania State University
item DOBSON, H - University Of Liverpool
item HUMBLOT, P - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences
item HUTJENS, M - University Of Illinois
item JONES, G - Central Sands Dairy Llc
item MITLOEHNER, F - University Of California, Davis
item RUEGG, P - Michigan State University
item SHELDON, I - Swansea University
item STEVENSON, J - Kansas State University

Submitted to: Animal
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/8/2021
Publication Date: 7/12/2021
Citation: Britt, J.H., Cushman, R.A., Dechow, C.D., Dobson, H., Humblot, P., Hutjens, M.F., Jones, G.A., Mitloehner, F.M., Ruegg, P.L., Sheldon, I.M., Stevenson, J.S. 2021. Review: Perspective on high-performing dairy cows and herds. Animal. 15. Article 100298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2021.100298.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2021.100298

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Milk and dairy products provide highly sustainable concentrations of essential amino acids and other required nutrients for humans; however, amount of milk currently produced per dairy cow globally is inadequate to meet future needs. Higher performing dairy cows and herds produce more milk with less environmental impact per kg than lower performing cows and herds. In 2018, 15.4% of the world’s dairy cows produced 45.4% of the world’s dairy cow milk, reflecting the global contribution of high performing cows and herds. In high-performing herds, genomic evaluations are utilized for multiple trait selection, welfare is monitored by remote sensing, rations are formulated at micronutrient levels, health care is focused on prevention and reproduction is managed with precision. Higher performing herds require more inputs and generate more waste products per cow, thus innovations in environmental management on such farms are essential for lowering environmental impacts. Our focus is to provide perspectives on technologies and practices that contribute most to sustainable production of milk from high performing dairy cows and herds.