Dr. Todd Bilby of Merck Talks About Targeted Reproductive Management (TRM)

Targeted Reproductive Management (TRM) is redefining dairy reproduction by merging synchronization protocols with real-time monitoring technology to boost efficiency without sacrificing fertility. Dr. Todd Bilby of Merck Animal Health explains that while traditional methods like double-Obsync have driven conception rates to near-peak levels, the next frontier is precision: using data from activity monitors to identify cows that naturally show heat and breed them earlier, while reserving intensive protocols for those that don’t. This shift doesn’t lower overall fertility—it accelerates pregnancy speed and increases the number of cows pregnant by the end of lactation, leading to a $85 per cow ROI in studies. The key insight? TRM’s success isn’t measured by first-service conception rates but by herd-level metrics like pregnancy at 100, 150, and 200 days. This approach reduces cow stress, minimizes injections, and turns data into actionable decisions—especially in heifers, where timing prostaglandin injections based on estrous cycle stage can boost conception rates to 65% and eliminate wasted treatments. It’s not for every farm, but for progressive dairies ready to optimize, TRM is the next evolution of reproductive efficiency. The conversation reveals a paradigm shift: high fertility isn’t the goal anymore—it’s the baseline. The real challenge is maintaining it with fewer inputs. TRM allows cows to be more natural, reduces labor, and leverages technology not just to detect heat, but to time treatments with surgical precision. Dr. Bilby emphasizes that this isn’t a replacement for synchronization, but a smarter, more strategic layer—using the system as insurance for non-heat-showing cows while letting natural cycles drive the rest. The future of dairy reproduction isn’t more shots, it’s smarter ones.