Feed Saved trait can vary 1,600 pounds Dairy producers are now able to breed for more feed-efficient cows. The trait — Feed Saved — debuted with the genetic evaluations published on December 1 by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB). This new tool can help reduce dairy’s environmental footprint and enable producers to save on feed costs, the largest expense item on most U.S. dairies. Cows vary in the ability to convert feed to milk, and the Feed Saved trait documents those differences. It is the first national evaluation in the U.S. to help dairy producers leverage genetic variation to develop a more feed-efficient herd.