Hartpury University pioneers breeding index for more sustainable dairy cows New breeding index developed to select dairy cows based on traits like milk production, health, fertility and lifespan28 November 2023 28 November 2023 3 minute read 3 minute read By: By: Hartpury UniversityProfessor Matt Bell, Hartpury University’s Director of Agriculture, has created a ‘breeding index’ to select dairy cows based on traits that are key to enhancing sustainability such as milk production, health, fertility and lifespan. The Hartpury Herd Index can be replicated on any dairy herd to select and breed cows that are best suited to their farm conditions. By selecting more sustainable cows, it is hoped that the carbon emissions from each cow can be reduced by 10% or more if we are more selective. “We estimate that around 80% of our cows are sustainable under our index terms, so we’d be looking at ultimately replacing the other 20% with younger animals that are more sustainable for the future based on our selection index,” said Bell. The study has already had an impact with the farm’s younger cows, showing a reduced carbon footprint.