Review: Perspective on high-performing dairy cows and herds

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Dairy Production

Background:

• Global milk production needs to increase to meet future demands.
• High-performing dairy cows and herds offer greater milk yield with reduced environmental impact per unit of milk.
• A significant portion of global milk is produced by a smaller percentage of high-performing herds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore technologies and practices for sustainable milk production from high-performing dairy cows and herds.
• To address the environmental challenges associated with intensive dairy farming.
• To provide insights into optimizing resource utilization in dairy production.

Main Methods:

• Focus on genomic evaluations for multi-trait selection in high-performing herds.
• Utilizing remote sensing for welfare monitoring.
• Precision nutrition through micronutrient-level ration formulation.
• Preventative healthcare and precision reproduction management.
• Investigating innovations in environmental management for intensive farms.

Main Results:

• High-performing herds demonstrate superior milk production efficiency and lower environmental footprint per kilogram of milk.
• Advanced management practices in high-performing herds include genomics, precision feeding, and health monitoring.
• Increased inputs and waste products per cow in high-performing herds necessitate environmental management innovations.

Conclusions:

• Sustainable milk production relies on optimizing high-performing dairy herds through advanced technologies and management.
• Environmental management innovations are crucial to mitigate the impact of intensive dairy farming.
• Integrating genomics, precision management, and environmental strategies can enhance dairy sustainability.