Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding

06/11/2026

In August, the reproductive performance traits available for dairy farmers to use for genetic selection will enter a new era. A brand-new trait, First Service to Conception (FSC), will be introduced, and the four existing traits of DPR, CCR, HCR, and EFC will receive revisions.

All of these adjustments are intended to better capture an animal’s true genetic capability for reproductive performance by reducing the impacts of farm decision-making on reproductive evaluations. Importantly, the definitions and interpretations of the existing traits do not change, and their weights in NM$ and the lifetime merit indexes also do not change.

Why are these changes needed? Dairy farms today look a lot different today than they did in 2003 when DPR was introduced. The tools producers use must reflect that.

⬇To understand more about what is changing (and what is not), check out this article in Progressive Dairy:
https://www.agproud.com/articles/63527-reproductive-performance-evaluations-enter-a-new-era

06/09/2026

Know what an NAAB code is…but not exactly what NAAB is? Check out this month’s episode of The CDCB CowCast with National Association of Animal Breeders President Jay Weiker!

Jay explains how, as a trade association for the bovine semen industry, NAAB supports members in selling their products around the world. That also allows them to get a clear picture on how semen is being produced, sold, and used in the U.S. and beyond. “We estimate that about 99% of the semen that’s exported from the U.S. is produced by an NAAB member,” Jay shared. “About 95% of the semen used in the U.S. is produced by an NAAB member.”

In 2025, NAAB reported that 45.8 million units of semen were sold. Listen to the conversation on YouTube or your podcast streaming platform for insight on:
📊 How that number breaks down between sexed, conventional, and beef semen
🌏 What countries are the biggest purchasers of U.S. semen
💡 What trends could be ahead

Watch on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/55IG_LFi2Ls

06/04/2026

Genomics is the foundation of the business model at Luck-E Holsteins in Hampshire, Illinois. By identifying a calf’s genetic potential within the first month of life, the Engel family can make faster, more informed breeding decisions. That means every generation of cows is stronger — with improved health, higher components, and greater market value.

Thousands of other dairies also rely on genomic results for making decisions every day. When that information is shared with the National Cooperator Database, insight is gained on animal performance much more quickly, driving genetic progress forward faster.

06/02/2026

Accurate animal identification is the first step in making informed on-farm decisions and collecting quality animal information. Brent Wickstrom of Hilmar, California, describes how the Wickstrom Dairy team is dedicated to proper ID 24/7, ensuring newborns are tagged and entered into the computer with parentage right away. With genomic testing central to their herd improvement, Brent also values genomics as a way to check their on-farm systems and provide additional health data for mating decisions down the line. Animal identification organizations play a significant role in the integrated system that makes genetic evaluations possible.

05/29/2026

Health records transmitted from dairy farms to the National Cooperator Database have made two new selection traits a reality — this time for calves!

Thanks to Select Sires Inc. for having our own Kristen Parker Gaddis, Ph.D., on to talk about Resistance to Respiratory Problems (RSP) and Resistance to Diarrhea (DIA), which are coming in August. Listen to the episode below!

05/28/2026

A key component of moving data from farms across the country to the National Cooperator Database is official milk testing programs. From somatic cell counts to butterfat and protein, information from DHI records helps Joe Engel of Hampshire, Illinois, manage cows day-to-day and select for the next generation. But that information and more is put to a second use when shared with the database — it powers the most trusted, accurate, and consistent genetic evaluations in the world.

05/27/2026

Congratulations to Bjorg Heringstad on receiving the prestigious J. L. Lush Award in Animal Breeding from the American Dairy Science Association!

Dr. Heringstad is a professor in animal breeding and genetics at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and a research scientist at the breeding organization for Norwegian red cattle, Geno. She works on genetic improvement in dairy cattle health and fertility traits, feed efficiency, and the use of sensor technology.

CDCB is proud to support this award, which recognizes outstanding research in animal breeding. Dr. Heringstad will be recognized at the ADSA Annual Meeting in June.

🏆 Announcing the 2026 ADSA Award Winners! 🏆 Bjorg Heringstad (Norges miljø- og biovitenskapelige universitet) is the 2026 recipient of the J. L. Lush Award in Animal Breeding, generously sponsored by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding ➡️ https://www.adsa.org/About-ADSA/Awards/2026/Award-Heringstad

See all award winners: https://ow.ly/XZPa50YZfGQ
Join us at to celebrate: https://ow.ly/12p050YZfGP
Become a member: https://ow.ly/2xTc50YZfGK

05/26/2026

What does it take to breed better cows, improve herd health, and shape the future of a dairy farm? For Brent Wickstrom and his family’s dairies in Hilmar, California, the answer is clear: data, collaboration, and commitment. He values the National Cooperator Database as an objective way to get that information.

“There’s a lot of value in having all our data processed through a third party,” Brent says. “Having CDCB there to take everything from everywhere, put it together, process it, and give us the data that we need to use every day on our operations makes it all the more trustworthy to me.”

05/21/2026

Every decision on the farm is fueled by data. From milk samples to genomic testing, information collected daily by farmers and data partners flows into the National Cooperator Database stewarded by CDCB.

This trusted collaboration delivers the highly reliable bull proofs and female genomic predictions farmers depend on. But it’s only possible when all parts of the integrated system are working together. What does that mean for individual farms? Learn more here.

05/19/2026

The National Cooperator Database stewarded by CDCB is the result of an integrated system that starts on U.S. dairy farms and involves 60-plus cooperating organizations around the world that voluntarily collaborate to support genetic improvement. Together, these organizations move large volumes of data on individual dairy cows — millions of records each year — into the database, which fuels dairy cow improvement through genetic evaluations.
See how many collaborating organizations you recognize or use on your farm: https://uscdcb.com/partners/