CDCB In The News
CDCB delivers the latest news on genetic improvement, research and U.S. evaluations through its monthly newsletter, dairy media, and events.
Novel Milking Speed Trait is Highly Heritable
June 23, 2025
Soon, a new tool will be available to help make the milking process even more efficient and uniform: genetic selection for milking speed in Holsteins.
National Dairy Shrine Names 2025 Pioneer Award Honorees
May 5, 2025
Dr. Paul VanRaden and Dr. George Wiggans are honored together for their unparalleled impact on dairy cattle genetics and genomic evaluation. This duo developed and implemented much of the U.S. system for genetic evaluation, enabling more accurate and efficient selection of elite dairy animals.
National DHI Test-Day Somatic Cell Count Unchanged at 181,000
April 9, 2025
Nationally, the average 2024 DHI test-day herd SCC was 181,000 cells per milliliter, unchanged from 2023, according to a summary report from the Council of Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) and compared to previous reports from CDCB and the USDA’s Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory.
Genetic Evaluations: Change is in the Air
March 31, 2025
The genetic bases to which (most) dairy traits are expressed in the U.S. have been updated every five years since 1980. This adjustment schedule allows PTAs to reflect genetic improvement over time while still maintaining stability in evaluations.
The Data That Makes Better Cows
December 11, 2024
Data that leaves the farm destined for the National Cooperator Database fuels genetic improvements in dairy cattle through male and female genetic evaluations, independent research to support new selection traits, and national benchmarking.
Where Do Genetic Evaluations Come From?
December 2, 2024
Dairy producers worldwide use these evaluations each and every day for breeding, culling, and other management decisions. How those genetic values are used on farms is common knowledge, but where they come from may be a mystery to some.
Come See What Genetic Teamwork is About
September 23, 2024
Genetic improvement in the U.S. dairy herd has been fueled by the teamwork of producers and organizations that collect, transmit, and deliver individual cow data. This team and the integrated value of the U.S. genetic evaluation system will be center stage at World Dairy Expo during the CDCB Industry Meeting.
What’s New in the August Evaluations?
August 12, 2024
New genetic evaluations will be available on Tuesday, August 13 for all dairy cattle in the U.S. database. Several updates were implemented in this proof run so that the evaluations are as accurate as possible.
CDCB Connection
A monthly newsletter, details genetic evaluation updates and industry news.
Filter by Author
- View All
- Asha Miles
- Audrey Schmitz for Progressive Dairy
- Ben Rosen
- CDCB
- Corey Geiger for CoBank
- Corey Geiger for Hoard’s Dairyman
- Dan Null
- Derek Bickhart
- Ezequiel Nicolazzi
- FFAR
- George Wiggans
- H Duane Norman
- Holstein USA
- Jana Hutchinson
- Javier Burchard
- Jay Megonigal
- Jay Weiker
- Jeff O'Connell
- Jeff Ziegler for Progressive Dairy
- Jim Dickrell for Dairy Herd Management
- João Dürr, Ph.D.
- Joel Hastings for DairyVoice
- John Cole
- José Carrillo
- Kaori Tokuhisa
- Karen Lee for Progressive Dairyman
- Katelyn Allen
- Katelyn Allen for Hoard’s Dairyman
- Katie Schmitt
- Kent Weigel for Dairy Business
- Kristen Parker Gaddis
- Leigh Walton
- Lillian Bacheller
- Lindsey Worden
- Mahesh Neupane
- Murray Hunt for The Bullvine
- National Association of Animal Breeders
- National Dairy Shrine
- Nick Wu
- Paul VanRaden
- Penn State University
- Rob Tempelman
- Rohith Shetty
- Sophie Eaglen
- Taylor Leach for Dairy Herd Management
- Taylor McWhorter
- Tom Lawlor
- USDA Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory