Transition cow index

A method of breeding bovine animals to create a progeny population with improved milk production traits comprising:

• a) assaying the lineage of one or more bovine animals for mastitis, metritis, and ketosis incidence in one or more ancestors of said bovine animal, wherein said metritis, mastitis, and ketosis incidence is assigned an estimated breeding value;
• b) selecting a bovine animal from step a) with a favorable said estimated breeding value, wherein the selected bovine animal is used as a first parent bovine animal;
• and
• c) breeding said first parent bovine animal with a second parent bovine animal to create said progeny population, wherein female bovine animals of said progeny population demonstrate improved milk production and health during the transition period when compared to female bovine animals of a progeny population where a first parent bovine animal has not been so selected.