GEA sees new potential in dairy breeding as CattleEye data supports genetic approaches to lameness

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — A joint research project by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding and the University of Minnesota presented new findings on the genetic basis of lameness in dairy cows at the World Dairy Expo.

The results confirm that lameness is not just a management challenge — it is also heritable to a meaningful degree, indicating that targeted breeding strategies could reduce it over time.

These new insights have been enabled through the large, consistent datasets collected via the AI-based CattleEye video system, distributed globally by GEA.

For the first time, researchers have access to millions of objective, daily mobility assessments — a level of scale and precision that traditional manual scoring systems could never economically provide.

“We’re looking at breeding cows that simply don’t get lame as often,” said Terry Canning, senior director at GEA and founder of CattleEye. “This isn’t about treating lameness better or catching it earlier — it’s about creating herds where the problem largely doesn’t occur. That’s transformational for animal welfare and farm economics.”

New Genetic Traits In Development

The findings presented at World Dairy Expo highlight two potential new genetic traits under development:

Mobility: A novel trait derived from AI-generated mobility scores collected via CattleEye’s video analytics platform.

Hoof Health: Based on lesion data collected by professional hoof trimmers.

While the heritability of hoof disorders has been known for years, this study is the first to combine daily, objective mobility data at this scale with genomic information. That combination makes it possible to quantify the heritability of mobility itself — a direct measure of how smoothly an animal walks.

Preliminary analysis by the CDCB suggests heritability of 10% to 30%, providing a strong foundation for breeding more resilient herds over time.

“The combination of big data, artificial intelligence and genetics is transforming how we understand animal health,” said Maximilian Jacobi, senior director of market and product management at GEA. “Our customers see CattleEye not only as a diagnostic tool, but as a data platform that empowers them to actively breed for healthier, more durable herds.”

A Milestone For Animal Welfare, Productivity And Sustainability

Lameness remains one of the most significant economic and welfare challenges in dairy production worldwide. Depending on region, herd size, lameness severity and management conditions, the annual costs for dairy farms can be substantial.

Beyond direct treatment costs, lameness affects milk yield, fertility and animal longevity. Modeling studies and review articles suggest that the costs per affected cow average around $350 to 400 per year, with variations depending on country, housing system and disease prevalence.

From Early Detection To Long-Term Genetic Gains

GEA CattleEye provides daily, objective mobility data that enables early detection and serves as the foundation for future genetic selection.

“This collaborative research is a prime example of pairing existing information — hoof trimmer records, with novel insights and camera data — to address high-impact issues on dairy farms,” said Javier Buchard, chief innovation officer at CDCB. “Genetic solutions are a powerful tool to drive cumulative and permanent improvements in herd health beyond environmental factors.”

Within three to five years, farmers could select breeding stock with substantially lower lameness risk. Their daughters can potentially stay healthier, produce more milk, conceive faster and remain in the herd longer.

By integrating CattleEye data into national breeding programs, the project is creating the first closed-loop, data-linking system between barns, science and breeding organizations. For dairy producers, this means:

• Early detection of lameness through automated AI monitoring.

• Genetic selection for cows with greater mobility resilience.

• Healthier, longer-living cows that produce more milk and require fewer interventions.

“For our customers, this means lameness can not only be better managed, but that we can also make a genetic contribution to reducing it over time,” Jacobi said. “The project shows the added potential that emerges when AI, big data and genetics come together.”