Polled Power Drives ABS Australia’s Holstein Success

ABS Global is pleased to strategically position itself with a diverse and well ranked offering of sires from this year’s August update, with key highlights listed below: 

• ABS Global has the top five Australian genomic polled bulls 

• Australia’s top-selling Holstein ELLIS-PP has moved-up the rankings 

• Locally bred, farmer favourite Jersey holds on to top position 

• New Norwegian Red set to wow Aussie breeders 

POLLED POWER DRIVES ABS GLOBAL’S HOLSTEIN SUCCESS 

Australia’s top-selling polled Holstein bull has surged up the national rankings, driven by standout performances from his daughters in herds across the country. 

This achievement comes as ABS Global claims the top five Holstein polled genomic bulls in the country – and six of the top 10 – in the latest Australian Breeding Values (ABV) release. 

Perfecting polled genetics, to ensure there’s no compromise when breeding animals that do not require disbudding, has been a long-term focus for ABS Global. With farm operation costs continuing to rise, farmers are benefiting from the savings associated with no dehorning when using these polled sires.  

ABS Global Australian Business Operations Manager Bruce Ronalds said strong local demand for bulls that “tick all the boxes” has shaped ABS’ strategic matings, delivering a new generation of high-performing polled sires. 

“We have four polled bulls over 500 Balanced Performance Index (BPI), so there’s no excuse for not having polled,” he said. 

“There’s no compromise on profit, production or health traits, while reducing the cost of disbudding.” 

Mr Ronalds said new sires Denovo 23176 HIGHFERT-PP-ET and Denovo 21598 HAYWARD-PP were the result of targeted breeding for the Australian market.  

“ABS identified a high-ranking genomic overseas cow, strategically mated her to the highest polled bull ESTATE PP and we got exactly what we needed – and most importantly – what the industry wanted,” he said. 

ELLIS-PP, at 485 BPI and 61 daughters across eight milking herds, was the original polled Holstein to deliver the complete breeding package.  

Farmers embraced him as a genomic sire years ago – and he has since become Australia’s biggest-selling polled Holstein. 

ELLIS-PP excelled in Daughter Fertility, Production and Health. Now, with an additional 34 BPI points and a lift to 115 in Daughter Fertility, the arrival of milking daughter data is confirming his genomic predictions and delivering profit on-farm. 

South Gippsland farmer Roy Opray is among those seeing the results, now milking nine ELLIS PP daughters in his herd. 

He’s been impressed with their nature – how quiet they are in his 230-240-cow herd – their udders, teat length and general structure. 

“When we picked ELLIS PP we were looking at Calving Ease, Temperament, Teat Length and – the main thing – that he was polled,” Roy said. 

“Having polled animals means it’s just one less job to do at a time of the year when it’s always busy.” 

An avid user of sexed and polled genetics – with a focus on breeding for Calving Ease and black animals – he’s used ELLIS-PP again and bulls including ESTATE-PP, DENOVO 19187 EMPORIA- P-ET, JERONIMO-P-ET and BOMAZ POMPEII-PP-ET. 

Roy reared 99 heifers this year and only 29 had horns – something he’s pleased about as it cuts his workload and costs. 

For those looking for the next new polled genetics, HIGHFERT PP at 539 BPI and HAYWARD PP at 522 BPI are full brothers sired by DENOVO 4798 ESTATE-PP-ET at 528 BPI, but unlike ESTATE-PP, HIGHFERT and HAYWARD are A2 carriers and offer elite daughter fertility.  

WARATAH OBERON- P – the Gippsland-bred son of ELLIS PP – has risen to number four on the ABV genomic ranking at 574 BPI, adding important gains in Survival, Daughter Fertility and Mastitis Resistance.  

High Daughter Fertility sire CHAD PP at BPI 518 rounds out the top performers and continues to add daughters to his Australian proof. 

In the proven space, farmer favourite ABS JERONIMO P still hold strong in the top 4 Australian proven sires at 457 BPI and has never dropped out of the top 5 since becoming proven in Aug 2021. Hoogerhorst Dg Oh RUBLES RED is still the number one Australian proven for type and is now number 6 Australian proven. 

JERSEYS SHINE FOR FERTILITY, HEALTH AND POLLED POWER 

Locally-bred and farmer favourite bull Kaarmona Jeronimo BRADY (CSCBRADY) continues his dominance of the Australian Breeding Values genomic Jersey rankings, maintaining his position at number one after 18 months. 

At 445 Balanced Performance Index (BPI) he hasn’t changed, despite many bulls around him shifting positions and even disappearing. 

ABS Global Australian Business Operations Manager Bruce Ronalds said BRADY’s consistency was a testament to the bull, cow families and his pedigree. 

“He’s a consistent bull and that suits the Australian market,” he said. “That’s why we – ABS in partnership with Central Sires Co-Op – chased him so hard, he’s positive for components, high survival, elite type and udders but when it all boils down, he continues to hold his place and that’s crucial.” 

Balnageith JANGO P (CSCJANGO P) has started adding daughters into Australian herds and at 386 BPI, he’s the number two polled genomic Jersey bull in the country. With 10 daughters across three herds, he’s demonstrating why farmers select him to breed for Survival, Production, Polled and A2. 

New, Western Victorian- bred bull Miami HEATHSTAR (CSCHEATHSTAR) at 333 BPI is becoming a favourite for farmers wanting to improve health traits and is a huge 107 for Daughter Fertility. 

Global Jersey bull Cal-Mart JAMMER is the new number 1 JPI proven sire and also has increased to 385 BPI after adding daughters locally and overseas. High for milk and components – unique for the Jersey breed – he also covers many bases at 108 Mastitis Resistance and 103 Daughter Fertility. Used heavily as a ‘sire of sons’ for overseas ABS markets, JAMMER provides some outcross for the Australian market as he doesn’t have any VALENTINO in his pedigree. 

TOP-RANKED RED BULL ARRIVES IN AUSTRALIA 

The highest ranked Red bull in Norway has just hit Australian shores, entering the Australian market at 218 Balanced Performance Index (BPI). 

NR LAUPEN PP was sourced for the local market by ABS Australia because of his high ranking on the Norway Total Merit breeding index at 52 TM. 

ABS Global Australian Business Operations Manager Bruce Ronalds explained he holds this position because of his positive health traits, good udders and elite production. 

“We selected him because of his ranking on the Total Merit index, but we also know there’s a lot of red breeders looking for homozygous polled – double P – bulls,” he said. 

“This August was his first genomic proof in Australia and with his milk and components he’s ranked fairly well here – like he did in Norway – but once his health traits come through Interbull, we suspect he will lift on BPI. In Australia, the BPI for Reds only considers production traits but we know how important health traits are.” 

ABS Global again has the top five Red bulls based on Fertility and the only three true polled – homozygous polled – Reds in the Good Bulls Guide. 

Farmer favourite and big production sire, SAUSVATN PP maintains his grip on the top-end of the ABV proven rankings at number 2 and 247 BPI with 128 daughters across 11 herds.