Despite the negative effects of milk production on some reproductive traits, calving intervals between highand low-producing groups varied by only 9 days (414 vs 423). First-service conception rates were 8 percentage points greater in the low-producing group than in the high-producing group. However, the percentage of cows not yet inseminated that were more than 120 days in milk was 18 percentage points greater in the low-than highproducing herds. When Kansas dairy herds in the DHIA program are

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... evaluated, the higher producing herds seem to have lower firstservice conception rates and more services per conception. However, managers of high-producing herds are doing a better job of servicing cows inseminated earlier in lactation and putting replacements into the milk string at a younger age. This occurs because managers of high-producing herds have reproductive records and heat detection programs that allow them to detect a higher percentage of the cows in heat before 120 days in milk. Fine tuning the reproductive management program also can improve the profitability of a dairy operation. The reproductive losses in high-producing herds are considerably less than those in lowproducing herds ($139 vs $203). There are no magic formulas in establishing a good reproductive program. Combining good records, diligent heat detection, and sound artificial insemination technique can increase the profitability of a dairy.; Dairy Day, 1995,