Zoetis Releases First Genomic Test for Jerseys

Zoetis announced on March 6 its first ever genomic test for Jersey cattle, including a predictor for milk fever.

“Clarifide Plus for Jerseys gives producers the opportunity to build healthier and more productive herds,” says David Erf, a geneticist with Zoetis Dairy Technical Services. “It allows producers to select cattle for traits like mastitis, lameness, milk fever and scours, which are all very important to the Jersey breed.”

The Cow wellness traits include: Mastitis, lameness, metritis, retained placentas, displaced abomasum, ketosis and milk fever. Calf wellness traits include calf livability, respiratory disease and scours.

These are combined into three separate indexes:

Dairy Wellness Profit Index: This proprietary, multi-trait selection index includes production, reproduction, functional type, longevity, calving and Zoetis cow and calf wellness traits and polled results to make more profitable animal rankings and decisions.
Wellness Trait Index: This index estimates differences in expected lifetime profit associated with the risk of diseases in cows (mastitis, lameness, metritis, retained placenta, displaced abomasum, ketosis and milk fever) in addition to adding the economic value for the polled gene.
Calf Wellness Index: This index estimates the difference in expected lifetime profit associated with the risk of calfhood diseases and early death losses.
For more information, click here.

Jim Dickrell
Wed, 03/06/2019 – 10:09

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Zoetis Releases First Genomic Test for Jerseys

JOB TITLE: PRE-SELL DAIRY HYGIENE SUPPLIES SALES SPECIALIST