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Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

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Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#251

Post by bariumbitmap »

tectec wrote: post #228
bariumbitmap wrote: post #205

One aspect the article does not fully address is why so many dairy farmers are using artificial insemination instead of bulls. Partly it's slightly enhanced milk production, but a bigger reason is the availability of sexed semen, allowing farmers to breed roughly 95% heifer calves instead of 50%. This is a big deal for a dairy farm's finances because a cow is much more valuable than a steer. https://www.agweb.com/art…

This is not true. Artificial insemination was widely used long before sexed semen was available.

I guess it depends on what you mean by "widely used", but all I'm claiming is that sexed semen has had a big economic impact on the industry and helped convince more farmers to adopt artificial insemination.

It's not easy to find and correctly interpret solid numbers on this topic, but the USDA's National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) survey appears to support a substantial increase in both artificial insemination (for both cows and heifers) and sexed semen (for heifers) between 2007 and 2014.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/monit...

From the 2007 report:

> Although it has been possible to sex and sort semen since the 1980s, the use of sexed semen is still not a common practice. The sorting process is extremely slow, can damage the semen, and greatly reduces the overall semen counts. Consequently, compared with unsexed semen, sexed semen costs more and contains fewer viable sperm per straw, leading to a lower conception rate. Because heifers are generally more fertile, it is recommended that sexed semen be used only in virgin heifers.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/dairy/downloa...

> Artificial insemination (AI) to natural estrus was used for first-service breeding for the majority of heifers on 57.1 percent of operations and the majority of cows on 54.7 percent of operations during the previous 12 months. Natural service (use of bulls for breeding) was the second most common practice used at first service for the majority of heifers and cows (33.2 and 21.7 percent of operations, respectively).

> For operations with pregnancies conceived via AI during the previous 12 months, sexed semen was used to inseminate 11.4 percent of heifers and 3.5 percent of cows. Because sexed semen costs more and contains fewer viable sperm per straw than unsexed semen, it is recommended that sexed semen be used only in heifers, which generally are more fertile than cows.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/dairy/downloa...

From the 2014 report:

> The highest percentage of operations (89.3 percent) used AI for breeding. AI was used exclusively on 43.7 percent of operations. Timed AI programs were used to manage heifer and cow reproduction on 34.9 and 55.5 percent of operations, respectively. For operations that used a timed AI program, more than two-thirds (68.6 percent) had used the program for 9 years or more.

> A higher percentage of operations used sexed semen in heifers than in cows (41.1 and 18.6 percent, respectively).

> About one-third of heifers (32.5 percent) were bred using sexed semen compared with only 3.4 percent of cows.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/dairy/downloa...

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#252

Post by topmonk »

Ensorceled wrote: post #119
topmonk wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But why would a superbug that takes out all the bananas have any effect on the corn, wheat, etc growing down the road? Simply, copies. If a superbug is able to destroy all the world's bananas, it would grow in population 1 million fold to do so. A bacteria or virus with a million times as many members will evolve a million times as quickly. Given such, a species jump wouldn't be hard to do. And after the first coup…

Ah, so you think this virus will wipe out ALL plants everywhere simply because there are lots of copies of the banana killing virus? There are already lots of viruses at scale that don't become superbugs and randomly jump the species barrier.

There haven't been a lot of species that are all genetic clones of each other until recently, either. Such a condition makes the arrival of a superbug much more likely.

A species entirely made up of genetic clones is what this whole thread is about. I'm surprised you missed this.

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#253

Post by teh_klev »

arethuza wrote: post #76
teh_klev wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That isn't strictly true (not in the UK anyway). I was out for a beer tonight and serendipitously bumped into the secretary for the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society[0] and proceeded to have a discussion about the Society, cattle, beef production etc. You'd (and I was) be surprised to know that Aberdeen Angus sires impregnate dairy cattle for offspring that end up as prime steak. And this isn't just for burgers, it's for…

I was in Spain recently (in the Picos de Europa) and had probably the best steak I've ever had - from an Asturian Mountain beastie - we had seen (and heard) a lot of them walking in the Picos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asturian_Mountain_cattle

checks to see if Aden Films[0] has tried one of these ...but sadly not yet.

What cut did you have?

[0]: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu9g5OmzcCpcJnmSYyHnIVw/vid...

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#254

Post by scruple »

tracker1 wrote: post #235
SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Copying the genes of a single animal hundreds of thousands of times, killing the males at birth, plugging the females to a milking machine, feed them corn and soy which is totally not their natural diet and injecting them with tons of antibiotics, hormones and god knows what else. I'd just like to point out as you seem to be (wilfully?) unaware - there are far more ethical and natural ways of producing cows' milk c…

I don't know the specific numbers, the US does a LOT more cattle farming than a lot of places. But there are naturally raised cattle in the US as well.

Sure, the US does. Go and look at dairy imports/exports. We farm a lot because we also export a lot. At least, that's been my working understanding. My parents have a dairy near them, nearly 8,000 head of cow, all of the milk production is sent to the Netherlands.

FWIW, when my grandparents ran a dairy, in the 40s-70s, they peaked ~300 head of cow and all production remained local -- within 50 miles of the farm. They went out of business because they couldn't compete with the global producers. The farm was eventually sold at auction to a coal mining operation.

If the world wants to engage in better farming practices, it's a global problem. It's not going to be solved by Americans alone.

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#255

Post by dang »

ntzm wrote: post #143
lexapro wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can image cutting out meat from my diet, only thing I would really miss is the taste of chicken and maybe fish. Dairy on the other hand would be much much harder. Because I wouldn't just miss the taste but would have to change my entire diet.

Awwww your poor little tastebuds :((((

Could you please stop posting unsubstantive comments to Hacker News? You've done it repeatedly and we ban accounts that do that. Also, no personal attacks please.

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#256

Post by tracker1 »

scruple wrote: post #254
tracker1 wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know the specific numbers, the US does a LOT more cattle farming than a lot of places. But there are naturally raised cattle in the US as well.

Sure, the US does. Go and look at dairy imports/exports. We farm a lot because we also export a lot. At least, that's been my working understanding. My parents have a dairy near them, nearly 8,000 head of cow, all of the milk production is sent to the Netherlands. FWIW, when my grandparents ran a dairy, in the 40s-70s, they peaked ~300 head of cow and all production remained local -- within 50 miles of the farm. They…

Given they're exporting to the Netherlands, don't they have to meet those standards? I'm not sure if they require grass raised in seasons permitting or not, I do know some places do.

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#257

Post by malka »

onion2k wrote: post #62
baroffoos wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There will be no famine as a result of a single type of crop in a local area getting killed. It still takes at least weeks for the virus to spread around to other crops which is plenty of time to become aware of it and stop its spread. There is also nothing preventing imports of healthy foods over the border. There is also no real incentive to bring bad crops over the border to a safe area.

Assuming it's spread naturally of course. If it was a deliberate attack it wouldn't be quite so straightforward.

Fortunately the subset of People that are chaotic, bad, smart, and organized enought to pull this though is emptt

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#258

Post by anigbrowl »

vfc1 wrote: post #181
netcan wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Necessary/unnecessary, when it comes to food matkets, is a problematic way of thinking. It's ultimately preference, not necessity driven and our food culture is very complex. Completely necessity driven (calories, nutrients and such)... the food market could be much tinier than it is today. We'd be getting our animal proteins from insects, our fresh vegetables from a small collection of locally efficient species, etc…

There is this illusion in european countries that factory farming is a thing of the US, when in fact for example in Ireland factory farming it exists too - https://beyondthepaleireland.com/2017/07/28/factory-farms-on... And it couldn't be any other way, its economics. If one farmer starts feeding the animals with cheaper food and have better milk yielding cows, he would have a competitive advantage over other farmers…

And it couldn't be any other way, its economics.

Of course it can. You just regulate the market and don't allow it to operate completely freely because it's well understood that if you do do so everyone will quickly converge on the lowest common denominator.

Re: Most U.S. Dairy Cows Are Descended From Just Two Bulls

#259

Post by anigbrowl »

baroffoos wrote: post #50
CameronNemo wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody will obey customs in the event of a famine. Have you been on the dark web?

There will be no famine as a result of a single type of crop in a local area getting killed. It still takes at least weeks for the virus to spread around to other crops which is plenty of time to become aware of it and stop its spread. There is also nothing preventing imports of healthy foods over the border. There is also no real incentive to bring bad crops over the border to a safe area.

That's an extremely naive attitude. No famine looks that serious until it is already too late.
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