New breeding direction delivers on promise in April ABVs

Genetics Australia’s new look proven team has delivered on a promise by Genetics Australia of higher type and more diverse pedigrees says Genetics Australia CEO Dr Ray Johnson.

“Nine new Holsteins and five new Aussie Reds have graduated to our proven teams following the April release and we’re pleased that the results were consistent with the greater emphasis we placed on type in our Horizon progeny test program”.

 “Farmers have been saying they want more type and new pedigrees and the 2010 graduates are clear testimony we have delivered on our promise, he said.

The Holstein team has been strengthened by the inclusion of the nine new bulls. Three Talent sons as well as two Jocko’s and three of the very first sons of past favourite INFORMER were added to the team. Current GA bull NINESCAPE also bred his first son.

Dr Johnson said that the Cooperative had made a deliberate change to the breeding direction and the balance between type and production is now being achieved in a large number of the Cooperatives proven bulls.

“Ten of our Holstein Premium team of twenty four bulls are either 110 or greater for Overall Type and Mammary System with half of these bulls new graduates after the April ABV release this year”.

“With type improvement now a highlight of all the Genetics Australia proven teams we have not taken our eye off ensuring our bulls are delivering high production genetics. Australian farmers don’t want type without production and our goal is to improve both simultaneously and our 2010 teams clearly delivers”, he said.

“The best new Holstein for Profit and Overall Type is new bull CARDINAL. At the new APR rating of 205 and an Overall Type rating of 113 he is the best new bull for APR and type improvement. His 28 Kg of Protein, super workabilities and ideal mammary ratings makes him the type of bull demanded by all dairy farmers. All farmers who purchased him in our Pre ABV Pack will be delighted with his ratings across the board”.

Dr Johnson also highlighted new Holstein bull NIMBLE. “Rated at 190 for profit and 112 for Overall Type, his outcross pedigree will appeal to many as will his excellent type rating and teat length ABV of 121 means he can be used in most breeding programs”.

But it is not just in the Holstein breed that we see the strength of the Genetics Australia breeding program.

“The Aussie Red program goes from strength to strength. Following the highlight of ARBBOBDOWN becoming the Number 1 Red bull available in Australia in 2009 he retained his number one position after the April release. He is now closely followed by new graduate ARBMAWSON. ARBMAWSON’ profit rating of 215 is complemented by superb type ratings of 111 for Overall Type, 110 for Mammary and 23 Kg of protein. This puts him as the number two red bull available and the best production and type bull available in the breed. ARBBONJOVI, another new high rated Aussie Red is 180 APR and a very impressive 114 for Overall Type.

The Aussie Red is a real success story for Australia and demonstrates the difference in breeding goals between Australia and the Scandinavian countries. While we have benefitted from the output of the breeding programs in these countries, their emphasis on health traits has been at the expense of production and is why we now see a dominance of Australian bred bulls in the Red Breeds lists.

“When you scan the protein ABVs for the Red bulls the superiority of the Australia bred bulls is clearly evident with bulls such as ARBBOBDOWN and ARBMAWSON well ahead of their imported competition. We are also beginning to see Australian bred bulls become sires of sons with new 2010 graduates ARBKOOKA and ARBPIRATE the first sons of past GA Aussie Red bull ARBLORIKEET, he said.

Dr Johnson said releasing a team of the quality we have made available this year does not come about by chance but from years of development and requiring a large investment by the Cooperative.

“It is crucial we continue to develop genetics suited to our Australian farming payment and management systems. Our investment and role in genomic technology is likely to change the way we develop genetics into the future but we will not waiver on ensuring the genetics we develop and offer are relevant to our farmers”, he stressed.

“We also acknowledge the ongoing support from dairy farmers across Australia who progeny test and use the bulls to help us identify the best bulls. Many of these farmers have been members of our program for decades and their support for using progeny test semen has been handed down through the generations and they can feel rightly proud they have helped in the improvements of dairy herds throughout Australia”

“It would also be remiss if we did not acknowledge the significant contribution of Breeders of not only all the bulls graduating to our proven team but in those that don’t make the final cut. Many of these bulls are still significant improvers and outrank many of the imported bulls that come in at much higher prices and with a lot more hype”.

Several Breeders need special recognition.

“Graeme and Rohan Sprunt of “Kaarmona” at Wunghnu in Northern Victoria are not only the Breeders of top new Holstein CARDINAL but also another new graduate YONDER. Their contribution does not stop there however as in probably what is an Australian first they also bred number one Jersey VALERIAN who continues to dominate the Jersey list and new Jersey addition JURACE, sourced from the alliance with World Wide Sires was also bred by the Sprunt family. He is the most exciting new Jersey in 2010 adding more daughters and lifting significantly from his first ABV in 2009”.

“The Cook family from ‘Country Road Holsteins” at Edi Upper in Nth East Victoria also needs congratulating by breeding two top new graduates. The highest APR bull CARLOS is an impressive 224 and one of the highest protein bulls in the Holstein breed at 35 Kg of protein and new outcross sire JEEBIN offers an attractive all round ABV and is one of the best value bulls in the team. Their use of many Australian proven bulls and strategic purchasing of top cow families suggest we are likely to see many more bulls bred by them enter future proven teams.

“Both the Cook and Sprunt families have also been strong supporters of past Elite Genetic Merit sales”.

“Aussie Red breeders John and Monica Williams of “Bosgowan” in Meningie in South Australia and Michael and Dennis Riggs of “Loden” in Cooroy in Queensland bred five of the six new 2010 graduates and their current and past support is also acknowledged”.

Dr Johnson said the all the Genetics Australia teams represented excellent value for money and he urged all dairy farmers to consider including a number of bulls from the GA team when making their 2010 breeding selections.

Genetics Australia is Australians leading animal breeding organisation and owned by over 4,000 shareholders across Australia. For over 50 years the Cooperative has been progeny testing and supplying the majority of Australian proven genetics needs. Over 50% of Australia’s top proven genetics can sourced from the Cooperative.

For more information:

Dr Ray Johnson

0419 012841