ROYALFLUSH Gives Dairy Farmers a Winning Hand Against JH1

Farming throws-up enough challenges – droughts, poor seasons, tight margins. The last thing milk producers need is a bull carrying the JH1 Haplotype – especially when it can be avoided. That’s according to Gippsland dairy farmer Estelle Boyd, breeder of one of the country’s next top Jersey bulls, RANLEIGH ROYAL FLUSH (ROYALFLUSH).

JH1 Haplotype is linked to infertility, and it’s estimated that up to 25 per cent of Australian Jersey herds carry the gene. ABS Australia tests all bulls for the JH1 Haplotype – a process introduced last year – and does not market any animals with DNA markers linked to this haplotype, which can cause early embryonic loss.

“Honestly, there are plenty of reasons cows don’t get in calf – we don’t need to go looking for more,” Estelle said. “Why bring in something that has more potential of being a problem? Knowing the bull is free from the JH1 Haplotype is not necessarily peace of mind. For me, it means (if there is an issue) we can go looking for other things because we’ve definitely ruled-out JH1 Haplotype – it’s been taken out of the system.”

ROYALFLUSH does not have the JH1 Haplotype- unlike his sire ROULETTE – giving farmers confidence to use him, the outcross sire, to maximise production and daughter fertility. Estelle farms with her family including son Brett and daughter-in-law Kelly, milking up to 220 at Yanakie and 350-360 at Foster. Their herd at Yanakie is ranked 13th on the DataGene Balanced Performance Index (BPI), while Foster sits 17th.

Royalflush is the family’s third bull into artificial insemination. The Boyd’s keep their breeding philosophy simple- select for production, type, Balanced Performance Index (BPI) and keep it commercial. In fact, Royalflush was a bull they’d retained to sell to local producers, something the Boyd’s do each year to support the local market. But after his high genomic test results – 401 BPI – it became clear he was destined for more than South Gippsland paddocks. Estelle said Royalflush is a cross of strength and frame, coming from a family line that’s produced consistent, solid cows. 

“His mother is by GISLEV and they are tall strong cows, the next generation back are DAVIDs (Sunset Canyon David-ET) and they are more finer cows with great udders,” she explained.

“Royalflush is a cross between them with the benefits of Roulette as well as the genetic diversity of Gislev, being an outcross.” The Boyds milk many daughters from high-ranking ABS Jersey bulls.

This year they’ve introduced a few Warrian TRASK daughters into their milking herd – a bull known for udder quality and mastitis resistance – as well as heterozygous polled (single P) and high survival bull Balnagith JANGO P.

Another Ranleigh bull – Ranleigh Skyward – has sired many of the Boyds young cows and heifers. 

Estelle said SKYWARD (CSCSKYWARD) delivered “consistent” progeny when it came to production, temperament and type.

With ROYALFLUSH – a well-bred bull from a no-nonsense herd – Estelle hopes he can deliver the same consistency for commercial herds right across the country.