Latest / DairyTalk by Helmut Demmelhuber
DairyTalk 321: More Fat, Less Size: How the Updated NM$ Index Shifts Breeding Priorities - by Helmut Demmelhuber
This podcast episode draws on an industry analysis examining the 2025 revision of the Net Merit index and its implications for Holstein breeding. A central element is the newly introduced economic penalty on higher body weight, designed to place greater emphasis on feed efficiency and environmental sustainability. At the same time, the index increases the weighting of butterfat production and integrates genomic indicators for resistance to respiratory and diarrheal diseases. Rising inbreeding levels within the Holstein population add another layer of complexity for breeding programs. The…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.