Eco$ from STgenetics® - When sustainability meets productivity!
STgenetics® continues to push the industry norms and releases the next level of sustainability index, Eco$. From the company that created the revolutionary EcoFeed® Feed Conversion Efficiency, Eco$ brings the synergy between sustainability and productivity, creating the simplicity dairy producers have been asking for to make logical genetic decisions, paving the way for a more efficient and environmentally conscious herd.
This new index takes advantage of EcoFeed® and places emphasis on combining Feed Conversion Efficiency, with productivity and other economically relevant ones to maximize the traits with the most profit potential. Additionally, Eco$ will significantly contribute to the industry’s efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. Generation after generation, Eco$ will be a permanent ecological improvement through the impact of proven Eco$ genetics.
Eco$ is an index that has re-thought the equation importance, incorporating fewer, highly heritable traits to drive the most genetic progress in the next generation. Eco$ is a combination of Production, EcoFeed®, Form and Function traits. This focus creates a simple tool that increases selection intensity to maximize production and functionality with an emphasis on Feed Conversion Efficiency to propagate genetics from cows who have a reduced carbon footprint.
“The role of genetics in reducing the carbon footprint in agriculture is significant. Through simple selection decisions at breeding, there is potential to make a permanent improvement in lowering methane emissions from bovine. Using STgenetics® Eco$ Index as a genetic approach offers a sustainable and long-lasting solution that doesn't require massive investments in machinery or technology.
Genetics, being cumulative, ensures a continuous and lasting impact on environmental sustainability,” states STgen™ CEO & Founder, Juan F Moreno.
Breeders who focus on Eco$ will enhance their profitability while promoting sustainable dairy production. This not only provides value to dairy farmers but also creates a positive sustainability message for consumers to easily understand. Eco$ from STgenetics® is assisting dairy breeders to produce food with less overall resources while greatly reducing methane emissions.
“With Eco$ we are now looking at the true combination of the feed cost and feed efficiencies and not doing a generalized value, providing a much more accurate evaluation relative to the production and profit potential of a Holstein cow,” states David Kendall, STgenetics® Director of Genetic Development. “One of the most important things for profitability is production, feed efficiency and the health and durability of the animal. We believe the traits that we’ve selected to go into Eco$ are the best representation of those considering heritability and the total growth in the potential data set.”
Eco$ is now available on all females who are genomically tested through Genetic Visions-ST™ genomic test, Vision+™. All Holstein sires will have their Eco$ value published following the April 2024 Genetic Summary and can be viewed at stgen.com.
Located in Navasota, Texas, STgenetics® is making the world greener, more sustainable and profitable. By improving herd genetics through science and technology, we believe that the best way to predict the future is to create it, while feeding the world with our passion for the beef and dairy industries. The STgenetics® Integrated Approach to management combines cutting edge genetics, innovation driven programs and gender-sorted semen to aid farmers in improving cattle performance to feed the world while reducing their carbon footprint.
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