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The 5 latest news items in reverse date order |
 | New Entries Symbolise Positive Evolution Of Holstein Rankings |  | |
Greater emphasis on functional traits in the new Holstein UK bull proof rankings is improving choice and value for commercial dairy farmers, according to Bullsemen.com managing director Nick Kirby.
This, he says, is exemplified by the two highest new entries to the latest list – the German-bred Gibbon son Gibor, and the US-bred Durham son Mr Monarch – both of which offer a balance of positive traits with no weaknesses and great reliability in their proof figures.
“The changes to the Type Merit component of the ranking system will in time bring to prominence greater numbers of bulls that will breed longer-lived and more problem-free cows,” he says. “This is already being seen with the entry of bulls such as Gibor and Mr Monarch, who now sit comfortably inside the top 20 bull ranked by £PLI under the new system.”
Gibor’s figures have reassuringly climbed consistently and, with second crop daughters now influencing his position, a leap from £130 to £189 PLI is significant, and places him at 14 in the rankings.
With Lifespan at +0.6, and SCC of -21, he reflects well how the new ranking system brings functionality to the fore. Daughter fertility of +3.5 is also a great strength, and most significantly given the reliability of his proof. With production figures of +526kg to underpin his functional traits, Gibor is certainly a bull to improve the majority of commercial herds.
Mr Monarch is the highest £PLI Durham son available in the UK. He has been progeny tested in both the United States and Germany and the reliability of his proof is underpinned by 176 daughters in 144 herds (for production) and 77 daughters in 66 herds (for type)
Mr Monarch’s dam is an Ex. 91 Comestar Lee daughter called Miss Lee Majestic, who calved at 2 years 4 months and in her first lactation (in 330 days) produced an outstanding 15,378kg of milk at 4.9% fat and 3.5% protein. Majestic is a maternal sister to the successful Starbuck son Mr Manhattan, who has a very good UK proof. Mr Monarch’s grand dam is the world renowned Chief Mark daughter Miss Mark Maui, who classified Ex.95-2E GMD DOM and in her third lactation produced 24,359kg of milk (365 days) at 4.1% fat and 2.9% protein.
All told, Mr Monarch boasts four generations of high producing Ex. Dams, so not surprisingly he excels in components (fat & protein percentage +0.13% & +0.10% respectively), and has impressive Lifespan (+0.3) and SCC (-15) traits, so is a very complete bull producing profitable, long living daughters.
“I expect to see more bulls of this calibre coming to the fore as the new £PLI formula becomes established, and that has to be good for the dairy farming industry,” adds Nick Kirby. “There is already sufficient choice for dairy farmers to apply a minimum standards philosophy to their bull selection, which means accepting no negative traits and setting a threshold for the key parameters of Type Merit and PLI.”
Updated: 21/04/2008 | |  | |  |
|  | Bullsemen.com Brings Minimum Standards To Sexed Semen |  | | |
Sexed semen is now available from eight Holstein bulls in Bullsemen.com’s current “Minimum Standards” catalogue, with all meeting the company’s “no holes” philosophy of at least £130 PLI, +200kg milk and +1.0 of type.
Included in this new sexed semen offering are the German-proven Gibbon son Gibor – who climbs to 12th in the April 2008 bull proofs having been the highest ranking new entrant in the January listings - and several bulls from the major American co-operative CRI including Dillon and Stopper.
According to Bullsemen.com managing director Nick Kirby, the company’s approach to sexed semen is an extension to its overall approach of marketing the highest quality without compromise.
“There is arguably no better bull than Gibor currently available as sexed semen,” he says. “He has over 7000 milking daughters in Germany and now has a UK PLI of £197 and a Type Merit of +1.45. With a Lifespan of +0.6 and a really good SCC PTA of -21% this bull offers outstanding value whether sexed or not.
“CRI is maintaining a dedicated approach to sexed semen through its Genchoice facility whereby bulls are selected for sexing not only on sperm quality but also on genetic quality. All the selected sires have to be in the Top 20% for Lifetime Net Merit which is the US equivalent to the UK’s £PLI index.
“Overall, we are looking to supply sexed sires that will deliver a good level of genetic improvement and that can be used across a group of heifers to improve overall type on commercial dairy units.”
CRI Genchoice bulls currently on offer as sexed semen through Bullsemen.com include Convincer son Be Ware Convincer Dillon who has a PLI of £163 and a Type Merit of +1.05, and the Bellwood Marshall son Fustead Stopper who is a good all round type and production bull with a PLI of £136 and Type Merit of +1.37.
Updated: 21/04/2008 | |  | |  |
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| | Minimum Standards in Bull Selection | | | |
Offer Best Route To A Profitable, Problem-Free Herd
Guaranteed minimum standards for the three key proof parameters of milk production, type merit and £PLI apply to all 27 Holsteins in Bullsemen.com’s latest sire catalogue.
According to managing director Nick Kirby, his company’s “no holes” approach to dairy genetics is unprecedented and creates a clear distinction in the cattle breeding market.
“We are only marketing Holstein bulls with a minimum £130 PLI, +200kg milk, and +1.0 of type, and that should give dairy farmers confidence that they are not breeding any significant weaknesses into their herds,” he says. “If these minimum standards are applied to all of the Holstein bulls currently available to UK dairy farmers, a staggering 80% fail to meet at least one of the three criteria. There are plenty of bulls available above the £130 PLI level, so there really should be no need to consider bulls of a lower standard and therefore risk inheriting significant negative traits.”
Bullsemen.com’s latest catalogue, called ‘The Bull Book’, includes ten bulls ranked in the top 40 ranked by £PLI, which is twice as many top ranking bulls than any other single supplier. These include the highest new entry to the latest proof listings, the German-proven Gibbon son Gibor, who is one of several to benefit from increased emphasis on functional traits in the new type merit formula.
Gibor’s figures have reassuringly climbed consistently and, with over 7,000 second crop daughters now influencing his indices, a leap from £130 to £189 PLI is significant, and places him at 14 in the latest rankings.
V. Eaton, now with 9,000 daughters in his second crop proof, is another to benefit from the positive changes to the type merit system, climbing to +2.37 from +1.85. With a PLI of £174 and milk of +224kgs, Eaton comfortably meets the minimum standards criteria applied by Bullsemen.com.
Typically priced in the £10 - £20 bracket, Bullsemen.com’s sires offer great value as well as guaranteed minimum standards, and this is exemplified by the Jesther son Jurus. At £168 PLI, +2.47 type merit and +429kg milk, Jurus offers outstanding value for a bull priced under £20.
Updated: 21/04/2008 | | | | |
| | Value For Money Bulls Dominate January Proofs | | |
Ten bulls in the top 40 ranked by £PLI in the January 2008 proof run gives Bullsemen.com double the offering of top quality sires of any other supplier and confirms the company’s meteoric rise from newcomers to leading player in UK cattle genetics in just 15 months.
The latest official figures incorporate Holstein UK’s new Type Merit system – with increased emphasis on longevity, udder health and profitability – and according to Bullsemen.com managing director Nick Kirby this is a significant factor in his company’s impressive showing.
“Our policy is to select and supply bulls that offer outstanding lifetime value for the modern commercial dairy farmer and this is now reflected in the new PLI system,” he said. “We also apply a stringent minimum standards approach in our sire selection, so producers choosing from the Bullsemen.com stud can be confident that there are no compromises and no negative traits are inherited alongside their priority areas of improvement.”
Two sires from Bullsemen.com especially illustrate the positive impact of the improved PLI system, and both have outstanding reliability in their proofs.
Laudan is being re-introduced, now with 15,560 daughters in 5,029 herds following a big addition of second crop daughters, and has a PLI of £179, up from £129, with a Type Merit of 2.2 (up from 1.58). His lifespan has climbed from +0.3 to +0.6; he is -12 for SCC; and he has outstanding daughter fertility at +2.3 (against a breed average of -3).
Bullsemen.com also has a new entry, Gibor, who has shown consistent improvement throughout his proofs, and now – with 7,131 daughters in 3,013 herds – he has taken a significant leap in PLI from £130 to £189. Again his progress is a reflection of how the new PLI benefits the commercial producer, with lifespan at +0.6, SCC at -21, and milk at +526kg. He is also outstandingly fertile at +3.5, again with very high reliability.
Other bulls from Bullsemen.com to show marked improvements include Jackpot and Jesfa, both shooting up to over +3 for Type Merit. V. Eaton, now with 9,553 daughters in 3,266 herds, is another to benefit from the positive changes to the Type Merit System, climbing to +2.37 from +1.85.
“The single most important message that dairy farmers should take from this proof run is that it is feasible to apply minimum standards to your breeding policy, and that there is no need to compromise,” concluded Nick Kirby. “There are 172 bulls available with a PLI of £130 or above, and I would then select bulls from within this pool that are at least +1 for Type Merit and +200kg for milk; thereafter, I would insist on bulls that are positive for legs and feet and also for udder composites. There are a lot of great bulls available at very fair prices that meet these minimum standards criteria, so herd improvement is more affordable than it’s ever been.”
Updated: 21/01/2008 | | | | |
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