By Blake Jackson
The University of Missouri’s Foremost Dairy herd received two honors from Holstein Association USA for its 2025 performance, recognizing its achievements in dairy genetics and breeding.
Foremost Dairy is part of the university’s Central Missouri Research, Extension and Education Center. The 1,065-acre research and teaching farm in Columbia supports projects conducted by faculty and students in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Their work focuses on improving milk production and operational efficiency while maintaining herd health.
Holstein Association USA, the world’s largest dairy breed organization, serves more than 20,000 members with programs and services focused on genetics and profitability.
The association awarded Foremost Dairy the Progressive Genetics Herd Award, which recognizes the nation’s 500 herds with the highest Cow Total Performance Index (CTPI) scores. This genetic measurement combines production, physical characteristics, and other traits.
Foremost Dairy earned the distinction for the seventh time, recording an average CTPI of 2,685 in 2025, the third-highest score in Missouri.
The herd also received the Progressive Breeders Registry designation for balancing production and physical characteristics while maintaining a high percentage of homebred females. Foremost Dairy qualified for the designation for the seventh time, with all its females homebred in 2025. Only one other Missouri herd achieved the same percentage.
These accomplishments reflect the contributions of the farm’s faculty, staff, students, and supporters in developing genetically strong, high-performing dairy cattle.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-digitalvision
Categories: Missouri, Education, Livestock, Dairy Cattle