By Andi Anderson
Reproductive success plays a central role in the profitability and sustainability of dairy farms. Strong reproduction leads to regular calving, consistent milk production, and fewer costly herd replacements. Research from Michigan State University is helping dairy producers improve these outcomes.
Michigan State University Professor J. Richard Pursley has led groundbreaking work in dairy cow fertility through his roles with MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension. His research focuses on helping producers improve herd efficiency, profitability, and long-term sustainability by improving reproductive performance.
“I think almost every dairy farmer would agree that nothing is as critical to the success of a dairy farm than the reproductive success of cows on a farm,” said Wendell Van Gunst, owner of Country Dairy, a fourth-generation, 1,200-cow dairy farm in West Michigan.
Reproduction drives lactation in dairy cows. After calving, milk production begins, making timely calvings essential for maintaining high milk yields. While Michigan dairy farms lead the nation in milk production per cow and contribute about $15.7 billion annually to the state economy, many farms operate on tight margins. Replacing cows that fail to conceive can be extremely expensive.
“I'm certain for most farms that most cows are culled out of a herd because of reproductive failures, and then farmers end up having to replace them,” Van Gunst said. “Today, a replacement animal is about $4,000, so every time you cull a cow, that's the impact. This means that if you're culling 40% of your herd every year, anything you can do to reduce that down to 34%–35% is just money in your pocket."
Pursley understands these challenges firsthand as a former dairyman. In 1995, he and University of Wisconsin Professor Milo C. Wiltbank developed the Ovsynch reproductive program, a method that synchronizes breeding in dairy cows. This approach eliminated missed breeding opportunities caused by undetected estrus cycles.
Since then, Pursley has improved Ovsynch and developed additional fertility programs using funding from the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture. These programs have helped raise conception rates from below 30% to 50% or higher.
According to Pursley, improvements in reproductive performance can increase profitability on a 1,000-cow dairy farm by approximately $135,000 each year, demonstrating the strong economic value of continued research and innovation.
Photo Credit: michigan-state-university-msu
Categories: Michigan, Education