A Total Merit Selection Index for Ontario Organic Dairy Farmers

Selection of Dairy Cows for Economic Merit

Selection of dairy cows for economie merit requires the use of a model for genetic merit that involves the cross-product of the genetic values for milk and milk fa t percentage. A linear and a quadratic index are described as procedures for selection of cows, the linear index being blp.~ + bzp, and the quadratic index being blp,~ + b~_pt + b~p,n 2 + b~p, ~ + b~p.,pt where p~ and pt are the phen...

Development of a Lifetime Merit-based selection index for US dairy grazing systems.

Pasture-based dairy producers in the United States face costs, revenue streams, and management challenges that may differ from those associated with confinement dairy production systems. Three Grazing Merit indices (GM$1, GM$2, and GM$3), parallel to the US Lifetime Net Merit (NM$) index, were constructed using economic values appropriate for grazing production in the United States. Milk prices...

Report on Economic Basis for a Nordic Total Merit Index

Danish stable schools for experiential common learning in groups of organic dairy farmers.

The farmer field school (FFS) is a concept for farmers' learning, knowledge exchange, and empowerment that has been developed and used in developing countries. In Denmark, a research project focusing on explicit non-antibiotic strategies involves farmers who have actively expressed an interest in phasing out antibiotics from their herds through promotion of animal health. One way of reaching th...

Bovine Mastitis - A Disease of Serious Concern for Dairy Farmers

Mastitis is an inflammatory disease condition of udder affecting milk production negatively and having a serious impact on the economy of dairy enterprises. It is considered to be the most costly disease of dairy animals and losses mainly occur through discarded milk, reduction in milk yield, premature culling of animals and replacements. It is usually caused due to the effects of infection by ...