ABS Global has been on the right track for dairy farmers for some time, as shown in this August’s sire summary.
The Americans might finally be taking a leaf out of Australia’s dairy breeding book.
And the latest Australian Breeding Value (ABV) release suggests ABS Global Australia has been on the right track for some time.
ABS Australia has seven of the top 14 Australian proven Holstein bulls, including sires first selected and marketed here on their genomic breeding values before going on to perform in Australian herds.
The results come as the US Holstein industry shifts its breeding focus towards moderate stature, strength and functional cows that last – the same direction ABS Australia has pursued locally.
ABS Business Operations Manager Bruce Ronalds said the US changes included the introduction of Holstein USA’s Holstein Conformation Composite, or HCC, moving away from rewarding taller cows and instead targeting moderate stature, strength and functional traits associated with productive and long life.
For ABS Australia, it sounds familiar.
“We’ve been in this space for the past 12 to 18 months in Australia,” Bruce said.
“We’ve been looking at productive life, fertility and longevity, and that’s all linked to a moderate cow rather than a tall cow.
“It’s about creating the ABS cow.”
That’s the cow that gets in calf, avoids mastitis, has a functional udder and feet and legs, produces well and comes back into the dairy year after year.
In other words, she’s the cow you hardly notice.
And there are plenty of those genetics sitting near the top of the ABV rankings this month.
Long-time ABS favourite 29HO20629 TTM ELLIS PP sits at number six with 612 BPI and continues to lead the homozygous polled proven bulls.
A game-changer when released as a genomic sire, ELLIS-PP is also set to become ABS Australia’s biggest-selling bull of all time.
Melinda and Peter Smith milk up to 570 cows with their daughter Mikahl and son-in-law Daniel at Koyuga, near Echuca.
As an organic operation, the family breeds cows that get the job done with as little intervention as possible.
“We look for a shorter stature with strength – cows capable of walking a long distance,” Melinda said.
“We focus on polled, A2, heat tolerance, health traits, short gestation and temperament.
“Almost an invisible cow, one that doesn’t have problems.”
Polled genetics have been a priority for the Smiths for the past seven-to-eight years and, with the herd now entirely polled, it remains non-negotiable when selecting bulls.
It was one of the reasons they chose ELLIS-PP.
“He’s polled, A2 and short gestation,” Melinda said.
They are now milking some ELLIS-PP daughters, but Melinda admits she doesn’t particularly notice them.
And that’s exactly how the family like their cows.
That same focus on trouble-free cows that combine production, health and longevity is reflected across ABS Australia’s latest proven and genomic results.
New to the Australian proven list is 29HO19629 Z-Happy WINTERFELL at number two with 753 BPI and an Australian Selection Index of 488.
He combines production with 108 Daughter Fertility, 105 Type and 104 Mastitis Resistance.
His son, 29HO20622 Denovo 18125 WOODROW, sits at number three on the Australian proven list at 669 BPI.
Ranking highly on the new US HCC index, new release 29HO22451 Denovo 23966 RHIZOME entered the Australian genomic market at 721 BPI with 334 ASI. With negative stature and strong health and longevity traits, he records 4.6 for Productive Life in the US – a figure with a direct link to profitability.
Bruce said RHIZOME’s score equated to about another four months of productive life compared with the average Holstein cow, based on approximately one month for each Productive Life point.
“You think at 40 litres per day, across an extra four months – that adds up,” Bruce said.
Genomic bull 29HO22688 Denovo 6258 GIANNI sits at 876 BPI and is among the breed leaders for many health and longevity traits, while new-release 29HO22735 Denovo 24431 REDWOOD enters the Australian genomic rankings at 845 BPI.
REDWOOD combines 81kg of Fat and Protein with 108 Survival, strong Cell Count improver and Daughter Fertility, while maintaining the moderate stature, strength and body ABS believes commercial dairy farmers want. He also great for the new HCC at +1.43
Jersey strength shines through
The latest ABV release also delivered for ABS Australia’s Jersey line-up, with proven sire 29JE4213 Forest Glen TRIPP sitting at number five while 29JE4561 ABS CF 8059 DAYTONA and 29JE4444 Cal-Mart DINO featuring prominently among the genomic bulls.
Australian-bred Murray Broook KIRKY (CSCKIRKY) continues to impress at 526 BPI, combining 110 Type and 111 Mammary System with the Strength, Teat Length and Daughter Fertility ABS is chasing in its Jersey program. A bull that is high producing and selling every units he creates
29JE4436 ABS Avj JUICED, a son of globally popular Cal-Mart JAMMER, is another young sire to watch, combining 104 Daughter Fertility and 106 Mastitis Resistance with added strength, stature and valuable outcross genetics for Australian herds.
Reds deliver solid results
In Australian Reds, 252NR12073 ALME remains ABS Australia’s highest-ranked sire at 499 BPI, combining solid production and survival with 105 Mammary System and breed-leading Mastitis Resistance at 111.
Looking to future Australian proven, STORFLOR son 252NR12222 NR SKOIEN is also closing in on a fully Australian proven proof, with 51 milking daughters across four herds. Early reports have impressed, backed by 104 Temperament and 103 Likeability – particularly strong results within the breed. Many farmers are saying they are such a pleasure to milk.