Breeding for the long game | Ep. 97

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 mattersWhy slow progress is still real progressPractical 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 talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz Follow DairyNZ on socials for the latest updates: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn