Animal Improvement Programs : Business

Customers of Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory research and their involvement

Results from the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory (AIPL) research program (genetic evaluations, research summaries, and industry reports) are provided to dairy producers for day-to-day management decisions related to the relative genetic merit of dairy animals, such as breeding and culling. The Dairy Herd Information affiliates (milk recordkeeping associations) serve as conduits to return AIPL genetic information to producers. Artificial-insemination organizations use information from genetic evaluations computed by AIPL to determine which bulls will improve the domestic dairy population and then to market those superior bulls. Research results and evaluations also are provided to breed registry societies, which use the information to enhance breed competitiveness; AIPL genetic information is incorporated into animal pedigrees, and animals with high genetic merit have greater market value. Genetic information from AIPL also is disseminated to dairy industry organizations worldwide and to the International Bull Evaluation Service (Uppsala, Sweden) to serve as a primary basis for determining global rankings. The national database maintained by AIPL and genetic evaluations computed by AIPL serve as a data source for dairy genetics research by Government, university, and industry scientists.

Links to dairy industry cooperators