Early History of the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB)

compiled in 2013, posted in 2026

by Paul VanRaden, USDA and Duane Norman, CDCB

USDA staff provided genetic evaluations for dairy cattle traits using national records from 1926-2012, but major revisions always required inputs and approvals from external bodies to ensure the evaluations served the industry well. USDA formats, calculation methods, editing rules, animal identification, new data sources, trait expression, economic indexes, etc. were presented by USDA staff and approved by CDCB since 1986 and by other formal deciding bodies 1927-95. This report outlines how dairy industry representatives controlled the genetic evaluations that USDA staff calculated and provided for free. CDCB and earlier external groups spoke for the data providers and evaluation users to ensure accurate and fair US genetic rankings for 100 years.

History of US genetic evaluations

In 2013, CDCB became responsible for maintaining the national dairy records database and computing genetic evaluations after signing a non-funded cooperative agreement (NFCA) with USDA-ARS transferring control from the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory (AIPL) to CDCB.

In 2012, the CDCB board of directors was expanded from 9 to 12 and includes 3 votes each from the National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB), Purebred Dairy Cattle Breed Associations (PDCA), Dairy Herd Information Association (DHIA), and Dairy Records Processing Centers (DRPC).

In 1999, CDCB was incorporated, became fully responsible for quality certification of dairy data, and approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with AIPL. Meetings held 1999-2012 are listed below in Table 1.

In 1986 (or earlier), CDCB was formed and held annual or biannual industry-wide meetings. Those were often open to other organizations and to the press.

In 1980, the National Cooperative Dairy Herd Improvement Program Policy Board was formed, replacing the Coordinating Group and including 5 dairy producers from NDHIA plus representatives from State Extension, USDA Extension, USDA-ARS, PDCA, and NAAB. The Policy Board met until 1995 when superseded by CDCB; during 1991-1995 the 2 groups met jointly.

In 1965, the National Cooperative Dairy Herd Improvement Coordinating Group was formed “to provide a stronger base for formulating policy, rules and regulations, and to administer their effective coordination and application to this program.” The chairman was from USDA Extension, the secretary from USDA-ARS, and voting members from State Extension, NDHIA, PDCA, NAAB, and ADSA.

In 1952, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by USDA-ARS and by Extension service on responsibilities for data collection.

In 1927, the ADSA Dairy Records Committee was established to develop data collection rules for Standard DHIA Plan testing.

In 1926, USDA calculated transmitting abilities for 23 Holstein bulls and began sending those genetic evaluations to bull owners routinely.

In 1908, USDA expanded the milk testing program begun in Michigan into national collection of milk and fat production records of individual cows.

Initial 2013 staff (earlier picture): Leigh Walton and Duane Norman – CDCB contractors after both retired from USDA.

Table 1. Biannual meetings of CDCB from incorporation to 2012.

Year	Meeting	Month	Location	Chair	Sector
2012	Fall	Oct	Madison	Ole Meland	NAAB
	Spring	Apr	Milwaukee	Ole Meland
2011	Fall	Oct	Milwaukee	Ole Meland
	Spring	Apr	Baltimore^1	Ole Meland
2010	Fall	Oct	Milwaukee	Ole Meland
	Spring	Apr	Baltimore	David Kendall	PDCA
2009	Fall	Oct	Milwaukee	David Kendall
	Spring	Apr	Baltimore	David Kendall
2008	Fall	Oct	Baltimore	David Kendall
	Spring	Apr	Milwaukee	Pete Giacomini	DHIA
2007	Fall	Oct	Milwaukee	Pete Giacomini
	Spring	Apr	Milwaukee	Gordon Doak	NAAB
2006	Fall	Oct	Milwaukee	Gordon Doak
	Spring	Apr	Columbus	Neal Smith	PDCA
2005	Fall	Oct	Milwaukee	Neal Smith
	Spring	Apr	Milwaukee	Jay Mattison	DHIA
2004	Fall	Oct	Milwaukee	Jay Mattison
	Spring	Mar	Columbus	Gordon Doak	NAAB
2003	Fall	Oct	Columbus	Gordon Doak
	Spring	Mar	Columbus	John Meyer	PDCA
2002	Fall	Oct	Columbus	John Meyer
	Spring	Mar	St Louis	John Meyer
2001	Fall	Oct	Columbus	Paul Miller	DHIA
	Spring	Mar	Reno	Paul Miller
2000	Fall	Oct	St Louis	Paul Miller
	Spring	Mar	St Louis	Chuck Sattler	NAAB
1999	Fall	Oct	St Louis	Cal Covington	PDCA

¹USDA ordered AIPL staff not to attend the 2011 meeting at BWI.

References

Council On Dairy Cattle Breeding Working For The Future (2011)

100 years of AIPL and just getting started [ppt] (2008) Paul VanRaden and Robert Miller, USDA

The USDA Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory: A century old and just getting started (2008). Report HIST1.

CDCB Activity Report (2023)

CDCB Overview and System (2024) José A. Carrillo