Previously, commercial dairy producers had to wait until the cows reached the production herd to evaluate their genetic potential in action, the costs of raising a heifer from . . .
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Previously, commercial dairy producers had to wait until cows reached the production herd to evaluate their genetic potential in action, with the costs of raising a heifer from birth to first calving estimated at $1,200 to over $2,000 USD (approximate cost in Mexican pesos $23,784 to $39,641), meaning a significant investment must be made in each animal before anything is known about its performance as a cow. Genomics technology allows access to this information to only develop heifers that exceed the lower cut-off limit of genetic potential for productivity. Dairy Wellness Profit Index (DWP$), an especially important index, is offered in CLARIFIDE® Plus, Zoetis' genomic test. The DWP$ selects for multiple traits including production, fertility, type, longevity, calving ability, milk quality, but also wellness traits. By combining wellness traits with those found in the Net Merit Index, the DWP$ directly calculates the possible profit contribution an animal will make to the herd ...