DairyTalk 204: Too Few Bloodlines, Too High the Price - A Wake-Up Call for Dairy Breeding - by Helmut Demmelhuber

Inbreeding in the global Holstein population has reached a
critical level. Over the past decade, inbreeding rates in elite
bloodlines have tripled - with measurable consequences for milk
yield, fertility, and physical robustness. This episode examines
how reliance on a small number of genetic powerhouses and
inadequate measurement tools have masked the true extent of
genetic erosion. It also explores practical counterstrategies,
from transparent data use and targeted outcrossing to the role of
gene banks. A clear warning: genetic progress without diversity
comes at a high long-term cost.