When it comes to herd improvement, it’s easy to focus on high heritability traits like milk production and liveweight - where the gains are faster and more visible. But what about the traits that take time?

In this episode of Talking Dairy, Jac McGowan and Dr Rhiannon Hancock, a scientist at NZ Animal Evaluation, talk about why low heritability traits deserve a place in your breeding strategy – especially if you’re playing the long game.

Rhiannon explains how even small genetic gains in these areas can build over time, leading to big wins for herd productivity and long-term profitability. 

Find out:

• Why heritability matters
• Why slow progress is still real progress
• Practical tips for long-term herd improvement

Listen for the full story behind the science.
 

This episode was inspired by the myth-busting story in the Feb-April edition of Inside Dairy – available at dairynz.co.nz/inside-dairy

 

Resources for more information on this topic:

Is focusing on low-heritability traits valuable when making breeding decisions? | DairyNZ

Animal - Breeding Decisions | DairyNZ

Breeding Worth | DairyNZ

Bull Search | DairyNZ

 

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]

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