The objective was to study the transcriptomic changes in adipose tissue in the early stages of lactation, specifically in Bos Taurus, Holstein dairy cattle as a function of milk production and genetic merit. Chip quality backgrounds averaged below 50 units, and 3’/5’ bias on control genes < 2.0. Correlations among replicates were > 0.85. Overall design: The design was a simple paired sampling, with time (30 d prepartum and 14 d postpartum as the sampling times. There was no dietary manipulation. Animals were all first calving Holstein heifers, all raised on the same farm on the same diet