BREEDING elite, high-producing dairy cows will be fast-forwarded by up to three years.
The first team of proven genetic marker bulls were released this week by Genetics Australia.
Genetics Australia chief executive Ray Johnson said the development meant bulls could be tested for genetic markers to predict their breeding value two to three years ahead of their normal progeny test proof.
Farmers usually have to wait for potential bulls to be tested through milk-production performances from their daughters.
"The technology provides breeding values that are far more accurate than just using pedigree estimates," Mr Johnson said.
Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme chairman Allan Burgess said the bull team was evidence of where all the work invested in dairy genetics had reached.
"It is just the first step of a range of other products in this area which will be released next year," he said.
"It will give the opportunity to accelerate genetics and improve profits."
