Thermo Regulatory Genetics has bred the world’s first team of homozygous Slick Jerseys, and owns the largest dairy breeding nucleus of Slick animals in the world to mitigate heat stress, improve milk production and animal welfare. In addition to Jerseys, our Holstein and Crossbreed teams have superior heat tolerance.
Slick cows have body temperatures up to 1 degree Celsius (approx. 2 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler than non-Slick cows.
They are a targeted 100% Taurus animal, yet as heat tolerant as Indicus breeds.
Cows with Slick genetics not only tolerate the stresses of tropical climates, they thrive:
They produce, on average, 4 liters/8.82 pounds per day more milk than non-Slick genetic cows (USA Holsteins)
They drink less, putting less stress on limited water supplies
They provide hybrid vigour - an outcross benefit of around 12% increase in milk production from the first milking
They have a decreased average calving interval of 2 months (USA Holsteins)
In heat stress environments, Kiwipole heifers reach mating weight up to 2 months earlier
As you can see, there are no downsides to introducing Slick genetics into your herd, but many upsides such as milk production, reproduction, animal welfare and environmental impact.