Australian & Imported Families Contribute To Genetic Gain

The August Top 20 List of Genomic tested females highlights the work of Holstein Australia members in developing outstanding females at the pinnacle of genetic progress for the breed.

The August release represents significant changes from the April release with eleven new entrants plus the retention of nine from April. Importantly changes within the top female list are influenced by the movements in the bull proofs, especially so at this very high level, thus accounting for a number of re-rankings.

What is interesting and relevant for all Holstein breeders is the impact of cow families and the influence of the appendix system ensuring the capture of the best genetics within the breed.

Overall highlights from the top 20 list include-

• Continued improvement for health traits including fertility, SCC and survival
• Very high components
• Diversity of sire lines
• A combination of milking females and younger heifers represented
• Domestic and international cow families represented across the list

New to the top is Wilara Perseus Jo, bred and owned by the Henry family, with Ivyhurst Wrangler Mystery equal top - congratulations to the Sebire family on breeding and developing this quiet achiever. These top females have one and three lactations respectively adding further reliability to their numbers.

With only 32 BPI points separating the top 20 females the strength of the breed can be seen from the list below. Download this list, including health traits, production and type here.

It is worth noting that Wilara Perseus Jo, bred up through the appendix system, is already having an impact beyond her own numbers being the dam of a new release sire for 2021 with a BPI 517.

Owner Trevor Henry says: “The value in breeding up through the appendix systems is clear. It allows people to breed and gain access starting with commercial cows through the generations to achieve purebred status.

“Wilara Perseus Jo, she’s the third generation in a row to put a bull into AI, and I don’t think that happens very often. The family has been on the farm since 1960. Herd recording and the use of AI; this is what the result has been for us.

“I’m very proud of that and that the Australian families and local sires can sit at the top of our genomics list.”

The impact of the Appendix scheme cannot be underestimated with 40% of the list the result of breeders utilising the scheme to ultimately create the high ranking females topping the list.

Australian developed families represented in the list include the “Ollies” from the Whites, Perseus Jo from the Henry’s, the Tiffany family from the Jones and Dallas family from the Lillico’s. Additionally we see emerging families from the Ryan’s and Sebire’s adding further depth to the list.

Mitchell Jones, Cyprus Grove, says: “It’s the best family we have in terms of type, production and overall fertility, and you can breed a lot of families for type which will breed 90 point animals and VG heifers, but the Tiffany family breeds well and produces well - you can have both show winners as well as a high BPI.

“Cypress Grove V4 Jernimy Tiffany has been calved 4 weeks and has Zazzle and Aristocrat progeny already on the ground, and is looking really sound. We bought her mother at IDW about 6 years ago based on the look of the heifer at 6 months of age and bloodlines.

“Pedigree was important. The Gordon’s have done really well with the Tiffany family - her grandmother was Cow of the Year 2019 – and she’s a direct doorman Tiffany. They’re not always around so we took the opportunity while we could.

“It’s pleasing to be so high up the list although it’s not what we breed for – it’s a bonus that we can stack up against the other cows and families so well.”

The role of imported families continues their important contribution with representative’s Vala Almamater Nadine, a maternal sister to Vala Nacash Nady, Hindlee Almamater Antzy and Vala Bandares Boliana.

This group of high ranking females compliments the group who ranked in the top 20 in April and continue to rank in the top 20 in August including the Parrish family’s Illawambra River Sleepy and Lawson Dallas, Holloway family Gundowring Trickin 7202, Sprunt family Kaarmona Maroon Olympia and Winaview Nacash Perfector bred by the Winter family.

The increasing importance of genomics to Holstein breeders is highlighted by Numeralla’s Liam Ryan who had seven animals on the new heifers list as well as Numeralla Delta1427 6160 on the top list.

“We’ve done genomic testing the last 3 years where we tested all the heifers born and we’ve had lots of excess heifers,” says Liam. “We use the results to identify which ones we want to keep and which we want to sell. The first time we did it, we had some really high ones and hopefully there will be interest in them down the track – we want to identify the families, so we have the opportunity later on. The information has been great to make breeding decisions – more consistent decisions.

“I’ve always been interested in genomics and when Data Gene did the 10k cow program we were part of that. We were optimistic we had some good cows in the herd, and we’d know who to breed from and who to target. We’ve seen our herd average go from about 180 to 250 BPI.

“It’s been great to see the progression there too – until we did the genomic testing we weren’t really aware how high Numeralla Delta1427 6160 was at number 5, and her dam at number 40. We just flushed Numeralla Delta due to the result – now they are getting consistent results, we thought it would be a good idea to flush her.

“Dad’s done AI breeding for a long time which is a big factor to the quality of cows we already had. It’s confirmation of the great work dad was doing and what we’ve been doing ever since.”

The publication of the top 20 list of genomic tested females every 4 months provides a snapshot of the genetic merit and progress of the Holstein breed and August 2021 is no exception.

Take the time to investigate the pedigrees to discover the depth of breeding and the generational work involved to emerge as a genetic leader for the Holstein breed. Each female and breeder have their own story.