DairyTalk 371: The protein trap: TPI formula diverges from current U.S. milk check values - by Helmut Demmelhuber

DairyTalk by Helmut Demmelhuber · Apr 8, 2026 · 19m

This episode is based on an analysis of the 2026 TPI revision and its stronger emphasis on protein production. The article argues that the roughly 1.7-to-1 weighting in favor of protein does not reflect current U.S. milk pricing, where fat often carries higher value. Such a mismatch may encourage breeding decisions that diverge from actual farm profitability. An illustrative 500-cow herd is estimated to forgo around $17,500 annually under the index-driven approach. The discussion examines the implications for sire selection and highlights the relevance of total component output and…