Have we bred the perfect cow?

In an overview of genetic improvement, Mike Coffey highlights the shift in UK dairy farming from British Friesian to high-yielding Holstein cows during the 1980s and 90s. But this coincided with an improvement in how animals are evaluated genetically and by the early 2000s it became clear the demand for yield was accompanied by other problems, including those related to fertility, mastitis and lameness. 

Selecting the perfect breed
So, the pursuit of yield traits was replaced by those associated with the costs of maintaining the herd and the national index for cattle breeding expanded to include characteristics beyond just milk production, such as fertility and mastitis resistance. 

“I think it's fair to say, today's modern Holstein cow is the best it's ever been,” says Mike. 

So, with less than 50% of traits now relating to production, the emphasis in genetic decisions reflects a growing focus on efficiency. 

Mike says for dairy farmers, selection pressure is now based on how they can produce as much milk as possible for the lowest cost. Unless it's more efficient to produce more milk, they won't. 

A large part of this move to increasing efficiency centres on feed efficiency, a factor positively impacting Jim Dixon’s suckler beef enterprise, allowing him to produce more beef with less feed.

“It [a cow] takes less and grows and does better. It's as simple as that. When we look over the years of what we've done here, we've got the same silage pits we had 20 years ago and we're keeping 30 to 35 more cows,” explains Jim.  

Jim transitioned from dairy to beef in the mid-2000s due to the marginal profitability of dairy at the time, settling on Stabiliser cattle after visiting a large operation in the US. The visit convinced him of the breed's potential with benefits such as hybrid vigour and the ability to introduce new bloodlines.

It is also one of the few breeds recording feed efficiency on animals ‘at source’, so farmers can choose this particular trait for breeding, actively selecting more feed efficient bulls, and this is one of the tools Jim uses to maintain a balanced herd alongside more traditional methods such as visual selection. 

Feed efficiency is also highly correlated with methane emissions; another parameter Jim has seen change since introducing the breed to his farm.  

With selection for feed efficiency now happening in both dairy and beef breeding, and with more feed efficient beef calves coming through the dairy industry, Mike suggests: “Between us, we're doing a pretty good job of making beef and dairy more efficient than it was 10 years ago.”  

Modern tools and technologies
Considering the impact of genetic technologies and artificial insemination (AI), Mike suggests genomics has revolutionised animal selection, allowing for more accurate choices at a younger age. 

“We can take a piece of DNA and determine whether it's likely to be one of the best cows or likely to be one of the worst,” he explains. “For about the last 10 years, that's enabled innovative farmers to really push ahead and go faster in their selection.”

The use of sexed semen in AI has also been a gamechanger, enabling more targeted selection of dairy replacements, but has its place in beef cattle too, according to Jim.

“We use genomics on all the bull calves that we sell and across the board with the females we're keeping. It speeds up the process of knowing what you've got.”

The perfect cow
Looking ahead at the evolution of cows and the concept of the ‘perfect cow’, Jim would like a medium-sized, easy-care animal that “does its thing, keeps it weight on and doesn’t have any hassle – and ideally comes with calves already tagged, but I think that’s pushing it a bit!”

Mike Coffey agrees, suggesting his perfect cow is “a cow I don’t know I’ve got”, adding it would have high yield and good health, calving every year. 

He adds: “That's how genetic improvement takes place, favouring your best producers, or the most profitable cows; a whole herd of those is what you want.” 

In conclusion, both Jim and Mike stress the importance of basing breeding decisions on data and information rather than traditional beliefs.

“If you don't record it, you can't select for it and you can't manage it. And I would say, forget the old wives’ tales and all the muck and magic stories. Base all your decisions on data information and make sensible choices,” advises Mike.

“Trust the EBVs,” adds Jim. “It’s based on data, and you can’t get any better than that.”

Do you have a herd or a collection of cows?
In the bonus episode following the Farming Focus™ discussion about the ‘perfect cow’, the guests return to talk about what’s next for cattle genetics.

Professor Mike Coffey suggests it will advance to allow farmers to identify the best animals and traits of interest with improved technology. Farmers will be able to categorise bulls into groups depending on the specific traits they require. 

As one of those farmers, James Dixon agrees to this approach but cautions against over-complicating trait selection, so farmers retain a herd and don’t just have a collection of cows. “Limiting bulls gives a tighter band of cows to look at,” he explains. “Uniformity comes from keeping it tight.” 

He says his priority is to continue what he’s doing and to be more efficient, concluding “We’re getting there, quietly.” 

Take-home messages
·       Aim for a uniform base across your livestock and strive to eliminate the extremes. It's less about the cow and more about the herd.

·       Start your genetic improvement by establishing a baseline. Look at where your herd is now and choose the priority areas to improve, such as fertility

·       Make breeding decisions to meet market demands and have a positive impact on farming business. Aim to be making more from less.

Listen to the full main episode and bonus below - also available via Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

About our guests

Jim Dixon farms near Kendal in Cumbria, on a 445-hectare property ranging from about 140 to 425 metres and supporting a mixed enterprise of beef, sheep and free-range layer hens.

Professor Mike Coffey is head of animal breeding and genomics at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). In 2024, he was awarded the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland Special Medal for his contribution to science in the field of animal genetics.