Research Insights: Making Milk Yields Right
Written by CDCB
December 09, 2022
In 2021, CDCB USDA AGIL and NDHIA (National Dairy Herd Information Association) started a multi-year project to update or develop new milk yield projection factors and develop reliable tools for on-farm management. This project updates work of more than 20 years ago to provide more accurate lactation information for the modern cow in current diary environments.
The first learnings of this comprehensive project have been presented in recent articles and seminars.
Nick Wu, CDCB Product Development Manager, presented on December 2 at the Third International Forum on Advanced Science and Technology in Animal Breeding at the Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, China. His seminar, “Making milk yields right for genetic (genomic) evaluations: The forgotten pillar,” covered the two papers published (to date) from this project. View Nick’s seminar slides on the CDCB website.
New Publication: Daily Milk Yield Correction Factors: What Are They?
Nick Wu is the lead author of an article published December 1, 2022, by JDS Communications: Daily Milk Yield Correction Factors: What Are They? This article presents a technical review of statistical models for estimating daily milk yields concerning their statistical interpretations, mode assumptions, and challenges. An exponential regression model was proposed as an alternative tool for estimating daily milk yields.
Daily Milk Yield Correction Factors: What Are They? JDS Communications, Dec. 1, 2022. X.L. Wu, G.R. Wiggans, H.D. Norman, A.M. Miles, C.P. Van Tassell, R.L. Baldwin. J.F. Burchard and J.W. Durr
An earlier paper was published in Frontiers in Genetics on August 10, 2022: Statistical Methods Revisited for Estimating Daily Milk Yields: How Well do They Work?
ICYMI: Progressive Dairy published an article on this topic, Getting Milk Yield Right, by Asha Miles of USDA AGIL on June 14, 2022.
Collaborators on the milk yield projection work include Xiao-Lin (Nick) Wu, George R. Wiggans, H. Duane Norman, Javier Burchard, João Dürr of CDCB; Asha M. Miles, Curt P. Van Tassell and Ransom L. Baldwin VI of USDA AGIL; and Jay Mattison, Steve J. Sievert, and Chip Donatone of NDHIA and Iyotah.