AbacusBio consultants worked with DairyNZ, and other research partners as part of the MBIE Pillars of sustainable diary system research program

AbacusBio consultants worked with DairyNZ, and other research partners as part of the MBIE Pillars of sustainable diary system research program, to assess how well the fertility breeding value could improve heard reproductive performance. The team was lead by Natalie Howes, following initial work of Edinburgh based consultant Hadyn Craig. Over three or more decades in the 2000s, there was a decline in cow fertility, resulting from negative genetic correlation between fertility and production. Meaning intensive selection for production traits eroded the fertility performance of cows over time.