DairyTalk 344: Between Common Resource and Intellectual Property: New Power Structures in Dairy Breeding - by Helmut Demmelhuber

This episode is based on a professional article examining the
structural transformation currently unfolding in international
Holstein breeding. Traditionally built on open exchange and
collaboration, the system is increasingly shifting toward
exclusive marketing structures and contractual control over
genetics. Inspired by models widely used in the United States,
breeding organizations are expanding their influence over
offspring and the distribution of elite bloodlines. This
development alters the economic balance between breeding
companies and dairy farmers, particularly regarding access to
genetic progress. The article frames the debate within a broader
tension between genetics as a shared driver of industry
advancement and genetics as protected intellectual property.