Co-op Oman LOGAN emerges from the January 2010 Holstein proof run as a leading improver for £PLI, production and milk components and, according to Bullsemen.com, now ranks as the best value Oman son currently on the UK market.

Normally priced at £20 but available in the company’s winter sale catalogue at £13.50, Logan has also held his Type Merit and Lifespan figures, once the new base rate changes are taken into account, and has improved his somatic cell count score substantially.

“Logan now has a PLI of £185, which having taken into account the base rate change that has reduced all Holstein bull PLI figures by £35, makes him one of the highest available to the British farmer,” points out Bullsemen.com managing director Nick Kirby. “He shows significant improvement also in his milk production and milk components, and his somatic cell count score is now better still at -20.

“As a son of top PLI sire O-Bee Manfred Justice out of dam BW Marshall, Logan – who we source from leading US co-operative CRI - fully reflects his pedigree. He really does represent exceptional value and probably the most cost effective route to such outstanding genetics.”

Newly available Jocko Besne son JANOSCH sets a remarkable new standard for GB dairy farmers as the only Holstein bull with ratings of ‘Excellent’ for the in-demand characteristics of milk production, UK Type Merit, udders and legs & feet.

From the renowned Blackstar cow family and a full brother of the successfully established Janssen, Janosch boasts figures of +800kgs for milk production and 2.97 Type Merit and has the best second crop figures yet of any Jocko son.

For Holstein UK members familiar with the HUK website’s helpful bull selector facility, Janosch will stand alone if requesting over 700kg milk, +2.5 or more for Type Merit and Legs

“Janosch now has over 4,000 daughters in more than 1,000 herds contributing to his production figures and 600 daughters in 285 herds behind his type data, so this is a well-proven dairy bull,” explains Nick Kirby of Bullsemen.com.

“He is an outstanding example of the strength of German Holstein breeding and will be of great interest to dairy farmers in Britain who are seeking to build a herd for the future based on highly productive long-lived cows.

“This bull’s combination of production and type is unrivalled by any other Holstein currently available in the UK, and specifically Janosch has mammary figures at +2.5 and legs & feet at +2.51, which are both Excellent. With an overall £132 PLI to back up these individual elements of his proof, Janosch sits well within the Minimum Standards that we recommend should form the basis of future herd breeding.”

Newly available Holstein sire OMRO, one of a growing number O-Bee Manfred Justice (Oman) sons in the current proof listings, stands apart from his siblings due to his unrivalled +2.05 Type Merit and +2.11 Mammary figures.

According to Nick Kirby, managing director of Bullsemen.com, it is Omro’s udder improvement potential – alongside a good overall production and functional trait profile – that should attract a good proportion of dairy farmers.

“Omro is an Oman son out of Aaron, and hence he is so strong on Type and Mammary traits,” he points out. “With +2.1 fore udder attachment, +1.4 udder depth and +0.7 udder support, he does a really good job on udders. Omro is another fine example of German Holstein breeding from GGI and is certainly a bull for anyone looking to incorporate Oman genetics into their future herd, particularly where udder strength is a priority.”

Available in the UK from Bullsemen.com at a price of £18/dose, Omro has strong all round figures of £162 PLI and 393kg milk and he is a somatic cell count improver with an outstanding value of -22. Omro therefore comfortably sits within Bullsemen.com’s Minimum Standards recommendations of over £100 PLI, +200kg milk and +1 Type Merit.

Bullsemen.com’s Leif has now strengthened his UK proof with 120 daughters in 40 herds, and has made further improvements on his strong international position.

His long-lasting international daughters (8,644 in his total proof at 0.6 lifespan) produce clean (-20% Somatic Cell Count) and good quality milk (+0.18% Fat & +0.04% Protein).

The daughters exhibit good fertility at +2.30 and are very strong, being recommended by Blade Farming for dairy beef, so bull calves will have a useful life. Chest width is +2.02, Body Depth +1.30 and Rump Width +1.18.

In the latest (August 2009) proof run, his UK Type Merit score has improved to +1.62, with well attached and supported udders at +1.44 and very good feet & legs with a foot angle of +1.86.

With a PLI of £192, Leif qualifies as an “Elite Profit Bull” within the Bullsemen.com catalogue. He is a Lukas son from a Zack dam and is recommended for use in most herds. Leif is currently available from Bullsemen.com at £15 per straw and can be ordered directly by calling 0808 202 3230.

Co-op Oman LLOYD at £226 PLI is the highest PLI sire of all new entrants onto the latest (August) Holstein UK bull proof listing and is one of three new releases from Bullsemen.com with a PLI over £200.

A son of top PLI sire O-Bee Manfred Justice out of dam BW Marshall, Lloyd is from US co-operative CRI and fully reflects his pedigree with an outstanding +886kg for milk and +33.1kg fat (+63kg fat and protein combined), and -22 for somatic cell count. With a Type Merit of over +1 indicative of very strong linear traits, Lloyd is a new star performer within Bullsemen.com’s Minimum Standards recommendations of £100 PLI, +1 Type Merit and +200kg milk.

Lloyd’s full brother Co-op Oman LOGAN brings similar potential to Bullsemen.com’s latest catalogue with £209 PLI, +798kg milk and a combined fat and protein of +57kg. Logan is also a somatic cell count reducer with a rating of -15 and has an impressive Type Merit of +1.51.

Another O-Bee Manfred Justice son Dansire Oman OMAR completes the over £200 PLI treble for Bullsemen.com. Like Lloyd and Logan, Omar comfortably qualifies for Bullsemen.com’s Minimum Standards catalogue with a £202 PLI, +495kg milk and +1.11 Type Merit. Omar has a combined fat and protein figure of 53.1kg and is another somatic cell count improver with a -8 rating.