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 matters, why slow progress is still real progress, practical tips for long-term herd improvement. Listen for the full story behind the science.