Bull farm tour Bull-rush on Jersey List 2009 Forward and Spring Pak Bulls Low cost AB extension options
Issue 1: Spring 2009
LIC GENETICS
Running a progeny test programme is like driving an oil tanker. It’s important to get the direction right, because it takes time to change it. And once the momentum has been created there’s no stopping it! The outstanding crop of bulls graduating this spring have created a lot of excitement at LIC because they show that right decisions were made a long time ago. The 06-code bulls now dominating the RAS List and whose daughters have just started milking were produced from contract matings in 2004. The best of them are available now in the
Premier Sires Forward Pack and also in the Alpha Spring Pack, a full year earlier than would have once been the case. But it will be 2012 before you get to milk their daughters in big numbers, and some of them will still be milking in 2020! The biggest opportunity we have to speed up the rate of genetic gain is to shorten the generation interval. Genomics is the tool to do this, and it’s another option for you to consider. So while you’re checking out the 06-code bulls, don’t forget to take a peek at the 07s and 08s. They’re available now in Premier Sires DNA Proven and can also be nominated through Alpha.
The 08-code bulls will not be available with full-lactation progeny test evaluations until spring 2012. Some of you will already be milking their daughters by then. Welcome to the genomic era!
Peter Gatley General Manager Genetic
Contents 02 A clear focus on the basics 04 Promising signs of a good season 08 Bull-rush on Jersey List
Genetics team contacts Peter Gatley DDI 07 8560832 Email pgatley@lic.co.nz Mike Wilson DDI 07 8560925 Email mwilson@lic.co.nz
MikeMike Wilson Wilson Premier Premier SiresSires Product Product Manager Manager
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LIC GENETICS
GregGreg Hamill Hamill Alpha Alpha Product Product Manager Manager
Peter Peter Gatley Gatley Genetics Genetics General General Manager Manager
Ariane Ariane Bailey Bailey Assistant Assistant Alpha Alpha Product Product Manager Manager
10 2009 Premier Sires Forward Pack 12 2009 Alpha Spring Pak 16 Hughson’s triple-take (genetic gain, heat detection, herd testing)
Greg Hamill DDI 07 8560875 Email ghamill@lic.co.nz
20 Tough farmers tough it out
Ariane Bailey DDI 07 8560874 Email abailey@lic.co.nz
24 Know your odds
22 Changing of the Guard
26 Taking a closer look at the laboratory
SPRING 2009
1
LIC GENETICS
A clear focus on the basics the Neills are satisfied they have cycled, or have at least returned to good condition. Five years ago the Neills began using Kamar® Heatmount® Detectors as their main aid in heat detection. The Kamar detectors are applied 24 hours before the start-of-mating and a second round is applied at day 18. Any short returns are painted, and an animal is only mated when the Kamar detector has gone off completely. “The key with Kamars is to trust them,” Stuart says. “Put the cows up when the detector has gone off fully, and we find you get better results.” Stuart Neill with twin sons, Will and Reeve
Sitting in the heart of North Canterbury’s Culverden basin is Stuart and Elizabeth Neill’s fully-irrigated 650-cow dairy farm. The couple – along with their twin sons Reeve and Will and daughter Isabella – equity farm the 180ha property. In speaking with the Neills one quickly forms the impression that their number one focus is to run a simple, yet highly profitable, operation that does all the basics right. “The key to any business, including this one, is to make a cash-surplus and create a good return for shareholders,” says Stuart.
2
LIC GENETICS
To achieve this, the Neills focus on some key areas within any dairy farming operation: Pasture management, mating, and breeding. In addition, they place particular emphasis on the people that help them run their farm. “We strive to be a preferred employer,” says Stuart. “I enjoy training and developing people through the industry – we try to give people the skills and opportunity to go further.” The family’s approach toward managing mating and calving periods is simple but extremely effective. Two to three weeks after calving the cows are Metrachecked. About five weeks prior to mating tail paint is applied. All non-cycling and light cows are identified and placed on once-a-day (OAD) milking. The cows on OAD remain doing so until
Those results speak for themselves; the farm has moved from using 1.8 inseminations per cow to 1.1 inseminations per cow. “You get a significant improvement when you mate your cows at the right time,” Stuart says. Last season the farm managed an 89 percent submission rate after three weeks, and reached 95 percent a week later. The Neills currently mate for three weeks with Premier Sires DNA Proven KiwiCross, and follow this with four weeks of Alpha Proven Short Gestation straws. “KiwiCross is the right cow for our system,” Stuart says. “We want a cow that can adapt to the feed it is given. It must be a cow that cycles naturally, calves easily, and has minimal feet and leg issues.”
period, which in turn saves on labour and allows them to take advantage of spring surplus. “The proven short gestation Jersey semen is five days shorter,” Stuart says. “It allows us to achieve a mid-point of calving in 12 days (this is 10-15% better than the local average). This saves on labour during calf rearing and the start of milking – plus it puts more milk in the vat.” Stuart recognises that one of the main tools for on-farm improvement comes in striving to improve breeding. This is the key factor behind the Neills’ decision to move to DNA-Proven semen, which has a higher team BW than DaughterProven semen.
“KiwiCross is the right cow for our system. We want a cow that can adapt to the feed it is given. It must be a cow that cycles naturally, calves easily, and has minimal feet and leg issues,” Stuart says.
“While the additional price of DNA Proven makes me flinch a little, the benefits that extra BW and additional genetic-gain can bring outweighs the cost,” Stuart says. Running a large dairy farm in 2009 is an interesting proposition; by focusing on the basics the Neills are achieving excellent results. “Sharon Dunne, our local District Manager, has been excellent,” Stuart says. “Five years ago Sharon came with a plan to help us improve our mating management and calving pattern – proposing the use of Kamar® detectors and short gestation semen. “Sharon is a part of our business and we value highly the support we receive from her and LIC.”
The short gestation semen allows the Neills to achieve a tighter calving
SPRING 2009
3
LIC GENETICS
“steady as she goes and business as usual” across the farms, Dave says. “This AB (artificial breeding) season we’ll be focusing on the job at hand; maintenance during the spring season is minimal as there is simply no time. Aside from the collections, farm staff are focused on shifting stock to make sure feed levels are used efficiently, and that all surplus pasture is made into silage. All bulls must remain in optimum health for semen collection.” Bull teams and their trainers The Newstead property spans 260 hectares and winters about 700 bulls. LIC’s two Manawatu farms cover about 420 hectares between them, wintering approximately 850 bulls.
David Hale, LIC Farms Manager
Promising signs of a good season The LIC Bull Farm team know they’ve prepared a good wicket and everything is in its rightful place.
Then, a record-breaking 3.2 million straws of semen were processed within the last three months of the year.
The sheds are tidy, the grass is green, and the boys are in prime condition for the onset.
But, just as the 2009 artificial breeding (AB) season gets in to full swing, signs renewed growth in the dairy sector are emerging and there is due cause for optimism.
Certainly recent statistics are impressive and it should be a great season ahead. Admittedly, the excellent start to spring has been tempered by the tough economic conditions of 2009. It remains to be seen whether semen production will reach the giddying heights of 2008.
4
LIC GENETICS
LIC farms manager Dave Hale is at least one industry worker who appears relaxed and confident: “Quite frankly, from my perspective, this is the first time in about four years that we’re not facing any major challenges,” he says.
Advances in DNA technology are beginning to have a big impact on the AB industry, with required bull numbers on-farm progressively falling. Dave predicts that DNAproven bulls will continue to take on a more prominent role in AB. “Numbers on-farm could drop to as few as 500,” he says.
Between 2004 and 2008 LIC’s farm operations underwent several structural changes.
To novice handlers, managing bulls in such large numbers could produce the kind of headaches induced by a Brett Lee bouncer.
“We spent much of our time converting the Newstead farm to deal with the DNA-proven bulls,” Dave recalls.
Even Dave admits that the odd bull “would no sooner look at you than kill you.”
“We were also very focused on converting our Awahuri Farm (128ha) specifically to cater for new regulations imposed on our export markets in the UK and Ireland. It all took a lot of effort, time, and investment. “And to top it off the drought was thrown in to the mix.” The spring and early summer months of 2009 will be more about
“Once they’ve got the lead rope on they’re generally fine, although they can never be entirely trusted. “Our bulls know the drill and are trained extremely well from a young age. Whether they’re in the SPS (Sire Proving Scheme), DNA, or Daughter Proven teams, the bulls become very familiar with their handlers and a kind of mutual trust and respect is built up between farm staff and the bulls.”
“They’re intelligent animals and a bit like dairy cows in a sense. Their life is a very structured one – they eat grass and produce semen.” In saying this, every bull has a unique personality or character trait, Dave says. “That’s where staff knowledge and experience comes in. “We know their attitudes and their behaviours, and most of the time we know what it takes to get a particular bull to perform; they all have their own little quirks. Progeny testing supervisor Noel Mayston produces a wry smile when asked about some of the more unusual quirks. “One example is a Friesian that we’ve nick-named ‘No-nose’,” Noel says. “He’s lost his nose ring somewhere along the lines, and because he’s such a friendly fellow we haven’t bothered to replace it. “It’s a mystery how he’s lost his nose ring, because the gristle around the snout is tougher than the leather of an old cricket ball. “He’s also an extremely hairy bull so we’ve got to shave him a bit, even in summer, because he keeps his winter coat. You can do anything with him and he’ll just follow you around with the halter on and he seems to love it. “He’s got a good temperament and a good personality. He’s very quiet and good-natured.” Nurturing the progeny Many bulls on the farm are part of 20-strong Sire Proving Scheme mobs. Most will begin delivering semen by the time of their first birthday, although some can be as
young as 9 months. DNA technology means the best of the SPS bulls can be hand-picked for inclusion in the Premier Sires/ Alpha Nominated DNA-Proven teams, meaning their productive life can begin as a two or three-year-old. “By the time DNA Proven bulls turn five, profiles of their daughter proofs are known,” Dave says. “It is then that the very best bulls are selected for inclusion in the Daughter-Proven teams.” Staff members are mindful that every youngster has the potential to be a champion, and needs to be given the opportunity to shine. Noel cites a recent example: “We’ve got a crossy (cross-bred) here who’s gone from zero to hero. “He’s just turned two, but he was right on the cusp of never seeing in the New Year of 2009. “We were trying to do his progeny test-straws last year, and he was a non-server (semen was unable to be collected from him) until the eleventh hour. It’s a pretty unusual occurrence to have a bull refuse to serve, but from time to time we’ll get one. “Anyway, this guy never showed any interest from the start of collections in May 2008. “Every day, for five months on end, it was a case of ‘not working’, ‘not working’. “He’d come in to the collection barn and simply lie down and go to sleep. Despite what was going on around him he showed no interest in anything whatsoever. “This went on until just about the start of liquid (collecting season in October). We thought, crikey, we’re
SPRING 2009
5
LIC GENETICS
not going to get this guy. “Until then we’d tried all sorts – we massaged him, we introduced him to different decoys, different smells, different environments. He was a sitter to be culled. “But suddenly his brain just flicked, and he started producing at the last minute. It’s been a god-send for not only him, but for LIC and our customers too. “He’s now the number one ranked bull in the KiwiCrossTM DNA team. His first semen for the year was dispatched in the middle of September. “It’s a remarkable come back from what looked like the abyss. We’re absolutely chuffed for him.” The bull Noel is referring to is 508154, Priests Solaris ET. On the 17 October Animal Evaluation Run he was still ranked number one in the team, with an impressive 300BW. Farmers who have migrated to DNA Proven semen will already be making he most of what Solaris has to offer.
The nuts and bolts With the AB season now on, the focus of farm staff recently shifted up a gear, from the production of frozen semen to the delivery of fresh semen. “This is the business end of the season for us,” Dave says. “In terms of production we might not reach last year’s levels, but it’s reassuring to know that our systems can handle the kind of increased demand we experienced last season.” LIC’s bull line-up is world class and this – combined with experienced staff and a process of continuous improvement – ensures the best possible systems are in place. “We’ve got a roster that will see all semen processed and dispatched, seven days a week up until Christmas,” Dave says. “The middle of October to the middle of November will be the peak of our season.”
Every second day a bull is expected to return to the barn collection area, where he will be encouraged to perform at least once, but no more than twice.
At the peak of the season farm staff are at work by 4am each day. The first collections are in the laboratory by 6am and collections will continue until the cut-off point at 11am.
On any given day, the average collect from a bull will produce about 700 frozen straws of semen.
A cut-off point is necessary to allow time enough for the semen to go through quality control processes in the laboratory. There, semen will be batched up in to straws, before making same-day flights to distribution points throughout New Zealand.
However, when used in its fresh liquid form, the average collect increases by a factor of 10, meaning an incredible 7000 straws of semen is possible from just one ejaculate. The downside to fresh semen, however, is that it must be used within four days. After this it is rendered un-usable. Last year, nearly 4600 collections were made from September to December. Two bull collection barns operate at Newstead, one specifically for Daughter Proven, and the other especially designed for the younger (SPS and DNA-proven) bulls.
Keeping all eyes on the ball Aside from getting bulls to constantly perform, Dave says staff will remain vigilant on the condition of the animals over the next few months. Bulls were treated and protected against bloat in late August, and the recent grass growth means feeding must be kept in check.
“Overweight bulls tend to become stubborn, unfriendly, or fat and happy - but extremely lazy,” Dave says. Most health issues are seasonal, and LIC farm staff are well briefed about the risks associated with, for example, bloat, rye grass staggers, and pink eye. “Pink eye is hugely contagious but generally only ever affects the young weaner bulls, which arrive during December and January each year. “Pink eye (similar to human conjunctivitis) can be a real problem for us. Young weaner bulls arrive here at LIC from all over the country and some bulls can already be carrying the bug before being
transported. If they arrive with pink eye this can easily infect all the other young bulls. If not spotted and treated early it can cause permanent blindness.” Keeping the main players fit and healthy in the competitive arena of AB is one of the key reasons behind the success of LIC’s bull farm. Other reasons include quality staff, quality feed, and quality control. It’s a matter of keeping an eye out for the bulls in pursuit of the ultimate goal – improving the herd performance of LIC’s dairy customers. That’s got to be good for New Zealand.
Too much weight results in low libido and semen volumes, as well as increasing the risk of arthritis.
...the bulls become very familiar with their handlers and a kind of mutual trust and respect is built up between farm staff and the bulls.” 6
LIC GENETICS
SPRING 2009
7
LIC GENETICS
Bull-rush on Jersey List produced two Q Impuls sons. She also has a yearling grandson, sired by Kirks RI Charisma (currently on 261 BW and being used for contract mating). Renee scored eight out of nine for both udder overall and dairy conformation, and has transmitted that conformation through to Regal. Regal has a stunning udder overall BV (0.76), feeding through from udder support, fore udder, and rear udder BVs of 0.29, 0.70, and 0.69 respectively.
By John Redshaw Bull Acquisition Manager
306083 Lynbrook OM Talent ET S3J
306117 Kerstens TGM Regal ET S2J
A cluster of 2008 DNA Proven Premier Sires have charged on to the latest Ranking of Active Sires (RAS) list, released on October 10. And it’s fair to say their debuts are ‘storming’ ones: They occupy the first, third, fourth, and fifth spots on the Jersey RAS list.
Finally, Greenpark OM Target sits fifth on the Jersey RAS List with 244 BW and a reliability of 77%. He boasts a fertility BV of 6.9%, a capacity BV of 0.9, and his udder overall BV sits at 0.78.
All four LIC-owned sires have made the anticipated step-up thanks to their daughter-proof information now being available: Since 2008, this group of bulls have combined to contribute more than 47,000 inseminations in herds throughout the country.
Target’s sire is Manhatten, and his Pasco dam was in the 2005 JerseyJET herd. He has a Bourkes Nimrod maternal half-brother, Greenpark BN Tango (220 BW), who was also on the 2008 DNA Proven Premier Sires team and has been renamed for the 2009 team.
As this publication goes to press, thousands of dairy farmers are therefore glowing in the satisfaction of having heifer calf replacements from these sires on the ground. Data from the daughters’ production has confirmed the promise that earlier genetic information had indicated. These two factors, combined with qualified assessments on traits-other-thanproduction (TOP), have pushed the
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Regal is transmitting larger size with stature and liveweight BVs of –0.36 and -31kg respectively. He also has a high protein BV, at 20kgs.
LIC GENETICS
306047 Williams TGM Henry sires’ reliabilities past the 75-point threshold (required to make the RAS list). Lynbrook OM Talent ET S3J, at the top of the Jersey RAS list, moved from 217BW based on ancestry to 234BW when his genomic information was added. His spectacular rise continues: When data from production (55 daughters) and TOP (28 daughters) was added, his BW leaped another 33 points to now sit at 267/76. Talent is sired by Okura Manhatten ET SJ3, whose father was Danish outcross bull Fyn Lemvig.
306041 Greenpark OM Target Talent’s excellent classification dam Lynbrook RI Trick ET SJ3 has five progeny-tested sons and 13 herdtested daughters, which contribute to her 194/77BW. Trick’s dam is Lynbrook Adonis Tess SJ3, the daughter of USA bull Comfort Pal Adonis-ET, and grandam of the top Jersey protein bulls Lynbrook Trademark S3J and Lynbrook Tradesman S3J. Like his cousins, Talent also excels on protein with a BV of 19.8kg. Williams Jerseys continue their 17year winning streak with yet another
Premier Sire. Williams TGM Henry now occupies third place on the RAS list with 253/77 BW. His data is based on 48 production daughters and 26 TOP daughters. Henry is sired by a Parkwood Casper son, Tawa Grove Maunga ET SJ3 over a VG4 classification Williams Ace of Hearts daughter. Henry is the third generation in his dam’s pathway to result from Williams’ yearling matings. To drive the generation interval down further, Ace of Hearts was used as a Premier Sires Forward Pack mating.
Henry has an outstanding udder overall BV at 0.71. Udder support, fore udder, and rear udder have BVs sitting at 0.25, 0.73 and 0.56 respectively. Henry transmits extremely good somatic cell BV (–0.49), and farmer traits are well above average. Like Henry, Kerstens TGM Regal ET S2J is also on 253/77 BW and is also a Maunga son, this time by a Royals Green Elmo dam, Kerstens RGE Renee S3J. Renee performed well in the 2004 GeneRATE nucleus herd and, in addition to Regal,
Talent, Henry, Regal, and Target are available through Alpha Nominated Spring Pak and Forward Pack in the 2009 Daughter Proven Premier Sires team. AE date: 10/10/09
SPRING 2009
9
2009 Premier Sires Forward Pack Every AB season in October, an elite group of young bulls are introduced into Premiers Sires as LIC’s Forward Pack. These bulls are the cream of the current crop, selected to make a real difference to a Premier Sires team either by boosting BW or by increasing individual traits of importance.
With the continued strength of our Friesian teams, no Friesian bulls have been considered for Forward Pack selection; this is because the major premise of Forward Pack is to add real BW value.
From the middle of September, four-year-old bulls start to get their initial lactation proof. It is an interesting process in which groups of bulls are monitored, as their daughters come into milk over four Animal Evaluation updates. Our decision is made on 17 October. It is at this stage that the elite bulls have about 40-80 daughters, and, combined with their genomic information, their reliabilities can top 80%.
We have limited our Daughter selection to four bulls maximum. This keeps a firm eye on team reliability, while injecting significant BW into both the Jersey and KiwiCross teams; adding 23 BW and 18 BW respectively to the team weighted average.
This season our 2006 bulls (with initial lactation proofs from 17 October) have shown outstanding results – particularly the Jersey and KiwiCross breeds. Currently these bulls dominate the RAS list. Jersey bulls such as Talent, Regal, Henry and Target (all used in the 2008 Premier Sires DNA Proven team) now occupy four of the top five RAS list rankings, and are all included in the Forward Pack this season. Our 2008 DNA Proven KiwiCross bulls have also stormed to the top of the RAS list rankings, with Showman, Reviver, Athlete and Piako taking four of the top five spots and making the Premier Sires Forward Pack for 2009.
DNA Proven Forward Pack Bulls
Daughter Proven Forward Pack Bulls
Jersey
Jersey 306107 Shepherds ML Starlight ET BW/Rel
255/79%
BW/Rel
306047 Williams Tgm Henry
Forward Pack bulls have always been tailored for Premier Sires users, and this year is no different, with selections being especially made to boost both the Daughter and DNA Proven teams.
BW/Rel
BW/Rel
266/77%
306117 Kerstens Tgm Regal ET S2j
249/78%
BW/Rel
306017 Shalendy Dl Charming S2j
The release of Forward Pack will mean our DNA teams will also receive a lift in both BW and individual bull reliability. The KiwiCross team has moved up 3 BW points and the Jersey team has climbed 7 BW points. The emphasis for Forward Pack is to give Premier Sires users access to the best genetics available. LIC strives to consistently deliver the most genetic gain possible on farm, and we feel confident the results will speak for themselves.
306083 Lynbrook Om Talent ET S3j
252/78%
306041 Greenpark Om Target
243/73%
BW/Rel
244/78%
306120 Kellas Ml Kappakay ET BW/Rel
KiwiCrossTM
KiwiCrossTM
We have had a wealth of excellent bulls to choose from this season, and the choices available have enabled all Premier Sires users to benefit significantly. A vast amount of the credit for this goes to our world-class selection team and the science behind them, DNA Proven.
232/80%
506059 Arkans Athlete ET
BW/Rel
266/77%
506123 Shalendy Amorous ET BW/Rel
246/79%
506104 Nevron Showman
BW/Rel
277/76%
506135 Sanfords Piako ET
BW/Rel
251/78%
506086 Somerset Sterling
17/10/09
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LIC GENETICS
BW/Rel
255/77% SPRING 2009
11
2009 ALPHA SPRING PAK AB season can be the beginning of something special for dairy farm herds, and the emergence of genomics heralds a new era in farm performance and profitability. On the back of this development, Alpha has selected a spectacular team of Spring Pak bulls for the season: This will help farmers fast-track genetic gains with the very latest genetics available. It’s hugely exciting to watch the 06 bulls come to fruition, as their daughters produce for the first time. Profiled over the next few pages, not only have these sires managed to secure a place on the RAS List, but their additional daughter information means they’re totally dominating in terms of BW. In addition, their reliability scores (having past the 75-point threshold) continue to strengthen as more information is added.
$16.74
266/77%
Somatic Cell -0.04
TOP TRAITS
BV
Overall opinion
.25
- 0.5
0
0.5
desirable
Sire
Mitchells Likabull SJ3
Dam
William Germon Midnight
Dairy conformation
.14
desirable
MGS
Ambzed US Germon ET
39 daughters TOP inspected
New Zealand Genetics 53%
306117 Kerstens TGM Regal ET S2J Jersey
BW/Rel
252/78%
.14
capacious
Sire
Okura Manhatten ET SJ3
.11
strong
Dam
Lynbrook RI Trick ET SJ3
Dairy conformation
.18
desirable
MGS
Rivers Imperial SJ3
New Zealand Genetics 49%
Protein 20 kg 4.2 %
Milkfat 39 kg 5.7 %
Total Longevity 264 days
Somatic Cell 0.19
17/10/09
Milk -55 l
TOP TRAITS
BV
Overall opinion
.53
- 0.5
Liveweight -32 kg
0
0.5
Fertility -0.8 %
1
desirable
M & R Kersten
Capacity
.13
capacious
Sire
Tawa Grove Maunga ET SJ3
Udder overall
.76
strong
Dam
Kerstens RGE Renee S3J
Dairy conformation
.38
desirable
MGS
Royals Green Elmo
29 daughters TOP inspected
New Zealand Genetics 87%
306047 Williams TGM Henry Jersey
BW/Rel
249/78%
PRODUCTION BVs 52 daughters 30 herds
desirable
Capacity
LIC GENETICS
1
capacious
1
Udder overall
28 daughters TOP inspected
0.5
strong
Fertility 0.8 %
SG & NJ Ireland
Breeder
12
Total Longevity 192 days
Liveweight -82 kg
0
.14
17/10/09
Milk 109 l
- 0.5
-.08 .05
Breeder
* If Alpha loyalty discount applies.
Milkfat 14 kg 4.9 %
BV
Fertility 6.2 %
PRODUCTION BVs 45 daughters 28 herds
*+GST
Protein 20 kg 4.0 %
Somatic Cell 0.20
Liveweight -73 kg
Capacity
CLASSIC PAK FROM
PRODUCTION BVs 59 daughters 37 herds
Total Longevity 276 days
Milk -121 l
Udder overall
Boost your genetic gain by adding a Spring Pak to your existing order. Phone your local District Manager for more information.
BW/Rel
Milkfat 20 kg 5.3 %
RJ Shepherd
Breeder
If you were confident enough to use DNA proven last year, you’re likely to be one of the fortunate farmers to already have daughters-on-the-ground from these thrilling new sires.
306083 Lynbrook OM Talent ET S3J Jersey
Protein 15 kg 4.1 %
Overall opinion
Given our past success with Spring Pak bulls – for example, Dauntless, Northsea and Applause – confidence should be high as this year’s crop of fresh genetics offers reliabilities that are up about 10% on previous seasons.
255/79% 17/10/09
TOP TRAITS
Never before have we been able to offer a team of Spring Pak bulls with this level of reliability.
+GST
BW/Rel PRODUCTION BVs 64 daughters 36 herds
Currently LIC is the only company to forward genomic data to the Animal Evaluation Unit. There is already a vast amount already collected on these sires and their ancestors, but the genomic information serves to enhance reliability beyond the 60-70%-point mark.
INDIVIDUALLY NOMINATED
$25.00
306107 Shepherds ML Starlight ET Jersey
Protein 10 kg 4.3 %
Milkfat 35 kg 6.1 %
Total Longevity 362 days
Somatic Cell -0.49
17/10/09
Milk -383 l
TOP TRAITS
BV
Overall opinion
.34
- 0.5
Liveweight -49 kg
0
0.5
Fertility 2.0 %
1
desirable
Williams Jerseys Ltd
Capacity
.20
capacious
Sire
Tawa Grove Maunga SJ3
Udder overall
.71
strong
Dam
Williams Ace Ambition
Dairy conformation
.34
desirable
MGS
Williams Ace of Hearts
Breeder
26 daughters TOP inspected
New Zealand Genetics 88%
SPRING 2009
13
306041 Greenpark OM Target Jersey
BW/Rel
244/78%
PRODUCTION BVs 53 daughters 21 herds
Breeder
K & A Kristensen
Protein 19 kg 4.0 %
Milkfat 26 kg 5.2 %
Total Longevity 273 days
Somatic Cell -0.11
BW/Rel
TM
Milk 81 l
Liveweight -36 kg
Fertility 6.9 %
TOP TRAITS
BV
Overall opinion
.26
desirable
Capacity
.91
capacious
- 0.5
0
0.5
1
Breeder
Protein 28 kg 3.7 %
Milkfat 36 kg 4.8 %
Total Longevity 323 days
Somatic Cell -0.45 BV
.20
capacious
.16
desirable
.78
strong
Sire
Okura Manhatten ET SJ3
.66
desirable
Dam
SRA Arkan Skelton Dahlia
Dairy conformation
MGS
Glenariff Pasco
MGS
SRC Hibi Secret Skelton
Total Longevity 251 days
Somatic Cell -0.01
TOP TRAITS
BV
Overall opinion Capacity
0
0.5
Sire
Mitchells Likabull SJ3
Udder overall
Dam
Kellas Lads Kaylee
Dairy conformation
MGS
West Lea Kays Lad
1
Protein 26 kg 4.0 %
Milkfat 28 kg 5.0 %
Total Longevity 337 days
Somatic Cell 0.03
17/10/09
Milk 246 l
Liveweight -10 kg
Fertility 3.4 %
TOP TRAITS
BV
Overall opinion
.10
desirable
Capacity
.26
capacious
- 0.5
0
0.5
1
J & B Sanford
.30
strong
Sire
Scotts Northsea
Udder overall
.20
strong
.36
desirable
Dam
Sanford’s Gem
Dairy conformation
.18
desirable
MGS
Judds Admiral
New Zealand Genetics 63%
277/76%
PRODUCTION BVs 47 daughters 23 herds
Somatic Cell 0.00
PRODUCTION BVs 47 daughters 28 herds
Breeder
BW/Rel
Total Longevity 324 days
251/78%
capacious
TM
Milkfat 28 kg 4.7 %
BW/Rel
desirable
31 daughters TOP inspected
Protein 35 kg 3.9 %
New Zealand Genetics 45%
TM
Fertility 1.4 %
.54
B & V Kerr
506104 Nevron Showman KiwiCross
- 0.5
Liveweight -60 kg
0
Breeder
506135 Sanfords Piako ET KiwiCross
41 daughters TOP inspected
17/10/09
Milk -35 l
desirable strong
Udder overall
Milkfat 22 kg 5.2 %
1
.09
Dairy conformation
Protein 15 kg 4.0 %
0.5
.30
Greenpark Pascos Tanya
PRODUCTION BVs 70 daughters 32 herds
0
Fertility -0.2 %
Capacity
Okura Manhatten ET SJ3
232/80%
- 0.5
Liveweight -22 kg
S & K Anderson
Dam
BW/Rel
Milk 634 l
Overall opinion
Sire
New Zealand Genetics 59%
17/10/09
TOP TRAITS
Udder overall
45 daughters TOP inspected
266/77%
PRODUCTION BVs 63 daughters 35 herds
17/10/09
306120 Kellas ML Kappakay ET Jersey
506123 Shalendy Amorous ET KiwiCross
TOP TRAITS
BV
Overall opinion
.36
- 0.5
Liveweight -4 kg
0
0.5
New Zealand Genetics 62%
BW/Rel
TM
246/79%
PRODUCTION BVs 61 daughters 32 herds
17/10/09
Milk 582 l
21 daughters TOP inspected
Fertility -1.0 %
1
desirable
Protein 32 kg 3.6 %
Milkfat 31 kg 4.5 %
Total Longevity 200 days
Somatic Cell -0.37
17/10/09
Milk 837 l
TOP TRAITS
BV
Overall opinion
.42
- 0.5
Liveweight -6 kg
0
0.5
Fertility 1.4 %
1
desirable
N & S Adams
Capacity
.40
capacious
Breeder
LI & WS Marshall
Capacity
.37
capacious
Sire
Okura Manhatten ET SJ3
Udder overall
.81
strong
Sire
Hazel Eminence Dano-ET
Udder overall
.50
strong
Dam
Contract Girl
Dairy conformation
.55
desirable
Dam
Shalendy Arms Alllie S1J
Dairy conformation
.44
desirable
MGS
Amadeus JC12
Breeder
MGS
14
506059 Arkans Athlete ET KiwiCross
Hibi Fatal Euon-ET
LIC GENETICS
19 daughters TOP inspected
New Zealand Genetics 35%
36 daughters TOP inspected
New Zealand Genetics 63%
SPRING 2009
15
LIC GENETICS
Hughson’s triple-take
Animal Health and Herd Testing
(genetic gain, heat detection, herd testing) Peter Hughson always had dairying in his blood. After leaving school he worked for 12 months on a Tokoroa dairy farm, and in 1967 he completed a diploma in dairying. Wanting to purchase a farm of his own, he turned to truck driving as a way of getting the capital needed to purchase such an investment. Encouraged by a mentor, he and wife June purchased their first farm in 1977 and have never looked back. Here, we take a look at Peter and June’s proactive approach to mating management and what they believe have been the key factors to their success.
and the AB season. He says this is the time when important strategic decisions need implementing.
specifically for the purpose of tailing off.
Premier Sires
Peter likes to take a more natural approach to mating management. He doesn’t use CIDR’s, nor does he synchronise his yearlings (which are brought back to the main farm for mating). In addition, Peter and June prefer not to induce cows, and carry-overs are not kept: “It’s just not worth it,” Peter says.
Stepping back to take in a wider view
“It’s easy for staff for one thing,” Peter says. “And because LIC chooses the best bulls for us, we find the Premier Sires team to be very stress free.”
In 1993 Peter and June purchased their current Reporoa property. Today the farm milks 670 cows, with the herd’s breed mix increasingly crossbred. Because the terrain is steep in some areas, Peter prefers Jersey as the more dominant breed, rather than the larger Holstein Friesian. After more than 30 years of milking, the couple have finally retired from their 40-a-side Herringbone shed, and now employ a contract milker to look after the day-to-day farm operations. However, Peter still takes a keen interest in the farm’s mating management plans, and loves to get involved when it comes to mating
16
LIC GENETICS
Part of good strategy includes taking a proactive approach to dairying. This certainly works when the couple’s empty rates are examined: These consistently hover about the six percent mark, well below the industry norm. Achieving low empty rates is put down to a combination of factors, but Peter singles out the use of Premier Sire semen as a key factor in his success. The Hughsons have used Premier Sires since their first year as budding dairy farmers, and are convinced of the benefits of the best genetics on the market.
From their 640-cow milking herd, the Hughsons mate about 420 high-BW cows to Premier Sires. These cows tend to be younger, genetically superior cows (last year Peter and June put their yearlings up to DNA Proven in a bid to capitalise on the benefits of using higher-BW bulls, sooner). The remaining 220 cows are fertilised by natural mating. Bulls are placed in with the herd right through to January. Each year Peter raises a number of Jersey bulls on-farm,
No CIDR’s. No Carry Overs.
Peter herd-tests four times a year. This gives him the information he needs to make mating and culling decisions, and gives him a sound idea of what action plans are required with regard to cow health (for example, dry cow therapy).
Peter is therefore a big fan of herd testing, and lays claim to having achieved the ‘low somatic cell accreditation’ from Fonterra for the past two consecutive years: “We’re now going for a three-peat” (the couple’s herd cell count was little more than 100,000 in 2007 and 2008). While Peter and June’s dairying practices may be viewed as slightly unconventional, the couple make no apology for their minimalist approach to intervention.
Peter says it’s a matter of weighing up the costs and benefits. He is prepared to question the marginal benefits of induction, CIDRs, carryovers, and synchro jobs, especially when their associated costs are taken in to careful consideration. But Peter and June won’t compromise on some things. The couple recognise that genetic gain, accurate heat detection, and their herd’s overall health remain at the heart of their business. “It’s a matter of priorities,” Peter says.
After years of hard work refining and growing his herd numbers, Peter and June now have the luxury of culling heavily on production, giving them greater genetic gain, faster. Yes to KAMARS Despite his reluctance to intervene on some aspects of nature, Peter is sold on the idea and value of KAMAR® Heatmount® Detectors. “I would never go back to tail paint. I just love KAMAR detectors because it means one less job for my staff.” While he admits using this method of heat detection means setting aside an entire morning to stick the KAMAR detectors on, Peter reckons it’s well worth the time invested: “It’ll save on a lot more time throughout the mating season, plus it gives us a very accurate idea of what’s going on in the paddock.”
“I would never go back to tail paint. I just love KAMARS because it means one less job for my staff.” SPRING 2009
17
Could save you more than $2000 this year
If you thought putting bulls out to tail off your mating season was the low cost option ... think again. Extending your AB programme could save you thousands of dollars. Extending your AB season not only creates more valuable, high-quality replacements for your herd, it will also save you cash. Basically you pay less and you get more. If it sounds too good to be true - check out the example below: Herd Size 350
3 week submission rate 85%
Non return rate 71%
After three weeks of AB, 211 of the 350 cows will be in calf. This leaves 139 to be served by either extending your AB programme or by using the bull.
Scenario 1 - The Bull
Breaks no fences Requires no management Costs you nothing in feed Tested as BVD free
Cost of Bull (estimated)
$1200
Less Cull Price (estimated)
$700
Total Cost
$500*
Feed cost per bull
You will need around one bull per 30 cows with two spare to allow the bulls a rest. This means that to serve the 139 cows in our example you will need seven bulls. This gives you a total cost of $4508.42.
* The lease cost will be similar
Sub Total 1
Cost ($)
The average bull will eat 14kgDM per day. This equates to 686kgDM in the seven week period the bulls will need to be on farm. 1kgDM = $0.21. This means the total feed cost per bull for a seven week period will be $144.06. When you add the feed cost and the purchase cost you get a per bull cost of $644.06.
Bull
Sub Total 2
Total
$1200
Less Cull Price
$700
$500
Feed Cost
$144.06
Cost per bull (x7)
$644.06 $4508.42 Total Cost $4508.42
Scenario 2 - Extending AB By using Premier Sires Daughter Proven semen in weeks 4-6, and Alpha nominated unproven Short Gestation Length semen to tighten the calving interval in weeks 7-10, you develop the following cost profile: These figures are based on a 95% submission rate and 71% non return rate in weeks 4-6; and a 100% submission rate and 71% non return rate in weeks 7-9. In total this leaves 13 animals to serve in week 10 — of which five will be put up for AB.
Total Bull Cost $4508.42
Time (Weeks)
Total AB Cost $2410.50
Empty
Inseminations
Cost
4-6
139
132
$1978
7-9
45
45
$387
10
13
5
$45
Total Cost
$2410.5
Total Saving $2097.92
And don’t forget with the AB scenario, not only have you saved $2097.92, you have 94 extra cows in calf with the very best genetics available.
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DISTRICT MANAGER, OR PHONE LIC ON 0800 651 156
LIC GENETICS
Tough farmers tough it out penalised for high SCC (somatic cell counts). “To remain productive a farmer must know which cows have high SCC, as managing mastitis in the herd is a must. Herd testing takes the guesswork out of things, it gives me reliable data to make informed culling and drying-off decisions. On average I would cull 10% of my herd annually, based on herd testing information.
“Tough times don’t last, but tough farmers do,” and John Bicknell should know. John comes from a family of dairy farmers and has himself been dairying for 35-years, 25 of those in the Bay of Plenty. John says if dairy farmers focus on keeping their records up to date and accurate, and ensure their breeding programme gives continued genetic gain, their businesses will remain robust, profitable, and sustainable — whether the pay-out is $4 or $7. John and wife Desley are now in their sixth season on their current farm, 180 ha (159 ha effective) in Galatea, near Murupara, Rotorua, and average 120,000 kg/MS per season. Their milking herd of 410 predominantly KiwiCross cows are on OAD (once a day) and with a BW (breeding worth) of 125 and PW (production worth) of 155, the cows rank in the top 5% of the national herd.
20
LIC GENETICS
John says there are two major farm management practices he considers essential for his farming operation to remain profitable - regular herd testing and an AB (artificial breeding) programme using high BW, high reliability bulls. “I am not a gambler,” says John. I’m in farming for the long haul.” Herd testing a core farm practice “Herd testing is as important as applying fertiliser,” says John. “I herd test four times a year, every year and always have - I couldn’t farm effectively without it as many of my farm management decisions are based on the results it provides. “I make culling and replacement decisions based on my herd test results. We rear 90 calves each year for replacements and I only want to rear the best. If I didn’t have the information herd testing provided I would be basing my decisions purely on ancestral information and not on reliable production data. “It is important in these tighter economic times, particularly following two droughts and a shocking winter, to avoid being
Value in BW "LIC has one of the largest and most rigorous progeny test schemes in the world. In the past I’ve been an SPS (sire proving scheme) farmer and know how the system works. The stringent TOP scoring and record keeping, combined with the animal evaluation BW system, ensures the LIC Sires are the best, most up-todate BW bulls available. Any less desirable TOP traits are identified and weeded out during SPS. “The only people who criticise LIC’s sire proving are competitors – now that tells you something.
John says if he had not herd tested he wouldn’t have the herd he has today.
“If I’m biased towards LIC it’s because I understand BW – I know it translates to production and profit.
“You cannot look at a cow and know she’s a good one, you may be able to tell if a cow is a dud by looking at her, but you can’t tell a good one on sight.”
"I’ve always invested in improvement and only spend money on quality inputs that provide quality outputs.
Management essentials “Keeping all my herd test information accurate and using Premier Sires for AB is the reason my herd’s ranked in the top 5% in the country.
“My farming business has always been, and still is, based on quality semen and quality records, resulting in quality milk. “This philosophy, I believe, applies to sharemilkers who want to own their own farms. “A sharemilker’s asset is his/her herd; cows are their asset which is why AB and herd testing is even more important for them. “Higher BW cows are a better asset – banks realise cows are a sharemilker’s asset and herd testing and AB aren’t discretionary expenses; they’re critical to maximizing the value of their asset. Cost cutting John says it’s not easy for good farmers to cut costs. “Efficient farmers are operating cost effectively so there’s little fat in the system for trimming.
cheaper to do AB than run bulls. If they really are going to cut costs then I suggest they put the best part of the herd and the best cows to AB, as breed replacements are always needed. “My only other piece of advice would be to those farmers using supplementary feed. “Some spending on supplementary feed has got out of hand. Until recently, 99% of New Zealand dairy farmers used to be just grass, giving them an ability to handle the ups and downs. “I think one of the biggest on farm savings can be made with good pasture management – negating the need to buy in supplement. Get it right using pasture and don’t waste the grass in the paddock. “Income may be down, but if it’s costing you less to produce, you can remain ahead on the bottom line.”
“But if they sit down and do their sums they’ll soon see that it’s
“Not herd testing would be like driving with blinkers on, or worse driving blind.” The Bicknells put their entire herd to AB over eight weeks, with no tailend bull and, despite such a short mating period, achieve an average 6% empty rate (last season 5.8%). “Last season I put my whole herd to LIC’s DNA Proven KiwiCross team and plan to do the same this year. “Only using AB is just easier. I don’t have to worry about the hassle of bulls and the cost and damage they cause. Plus their calves have no value, and safety is a big concern of mine. The potential dangers to staff, when working bulls, are too great.”
SPRING 2009
21
LIC GENETICS
Changing of the Guard additional genomic selection knowledge we have. At this point LIC are the only company to have provided the Animal Evaluation Unit (AEU) with genotypes, which allows the adjusted evaluation to be calculated.
By Simon Worth Bull Acquisition Manager
Some might say it’s been a while between drinks. Well, sip up – the KiwiCross™ team is now being bolstered with some special new graduates; testament to the fact we’re now witnessing genetic progress at a rapid speed. Only recently have we contract mated and tapped into the many elite crossbred cows. At the same time, we’ve ‘cherry picked’ the best of the Holstein Friesian and Jersey populations - which has led to hugely exciting combinations for the KiwiCross™ programme.
Going forward, it will be notable that LIC bulls are much closer to their ‘true genetic merit’ at an earlier stage. There are many benefits from the inclusion of genomic information – one being that these new bulls hit New Zealand’s official ranking of sires list (RAS list) much earlier. For many farmers, this will serve to boost confidence in their decisionmaking, particularly when it comes to taking advantage of the Forward and Spring Pack bulls. Since his emergence in 2004 as a Forward Pack sire, Northsea has been the flagship of the KiwiCross programme. Just one KiwiCross bull, Adams Rockhard, sits above Northsea as a bull that has returned to service.
The 06 code bulls (those sampled in Sire Proving herds in 2006) are now beginning to show their wares and, although early days, some of these bulls are well over the 50-daughter mark.
22
LIC GENETICS
With the emergence of the 2006 graduates Northsea and Rockhard have given way to some hugely exciting genetics: Nevron Showman – a Manhatten son from ‘Contract Girl’ and a daughter of ‘Hibi Fatal Euon-ET’ means a tremendous out-cross for most herds using KiwiCross™ bulls. Bred by Neville and Sharon Adams of Tokoroa, Contract Girl is a fancy five-year-old who has consistently impressed; all four of her lactations have resulted in lactation worth (LWs) of more than 300. Her Admiral dam, at 11 years of age, has been just as impressive with LWs also averaging in the 300s (it currently sits with a breeding worth (BW) of 247 and production worth (PW) of 325). Behind her is a daughter of Sheik Atlas, who lasted 11 lactations and has a BW of 171 – outstanding for a cow born 20 years ago!
In fact Showman excels all the way through his proof. He promises super production from cows that display good capacity and outstanding udders – the latter reflected in an udder overall score of 0.81. Such is the power of Genomic Selection that LIC are in the process of genomic screening 28 Showman sons: This a result of his use as a contract sire, and wider use within the DNA Proven team last year. We are also witnessing the first of the Northsea sons to emerge with a daughter proof. Northsea is a true legend and deserves his throne as the only KiwiCross™ bull to enter the prestigious LIC Hall of Fame. It’s remarkable that he still serves in the Premier Sires team, as his sons now look to join him. One of the Northsea sons is Sanfords Piako. Judds Admiral plays a leading role in this pedigree, being the maternal sire for both Northsea and Piako – therefore protection will need to be considered with potential mates. Now at 253 BW, Piako is another bull in the top ranks, based on production breeding values (BVs) of 26kg for protein and 28 kg for fat.
Prior to genomic selection young bulls would sit on a proof based on parent average (half sire and dam) – giving them a reliability of about 35%. Now, rather than a starting point of 35% reliability, it is more like 55-60% reliability, given the
That is, until now!
The addition of Manhatten over this family has resulted in an exceptional graduate for the KiwiCross™ team. Analysing the new graduates, Showman easily takes the top spot for protein at 36kg.
Those who took advantage of the DNA Proven team last year may already have calves on the ground from Piako.
506104 Nevron Showman
LIC now has 13 Piako sons being evaluated through the genomic selection process.
506135 Sansfords Piako Arkans Athlete is not the first bull bred by Stewart and Kathyrn Anderson to enter the ranks at LIC. Athlete is another of the Manhatten sons to feature, this time from a super daughter of Skelton. His dam Dahlia was a very good uddered cow with an outstanding best record of 809kg milk solids in 305 days. Her President dam lasted an impressive 11 lactations. Athlete’s proof, which is based on 57 daughters, sees him sitting at an impressive 267 BW – well deserved given his protein and fat levels stand at 28kg and 35kg respectively. Of note is Athlete’s outstanding somatic cell BV of –0.45. His traits-other-than-production (TOP) proof, based on 41 daughters inspected, has him rated positive in all udder traits with a final dairy conformation score also on the right side. Expect to see more of this sire in the future as LIC is currently screening 10 of his sons. Already proven as a sire of sons, Dano leaves another this year in Shalendy Amorous, bred by Lindsay and Wendy Marshall of Te Puke.
Amorous comes from an impressive family. His Amadeus dam, Allie, is a super capacious cow with a good udder and has production ability ranking her above the 400’s for LW. Her dam, by Percys Ace, still remains in the herd and ranks at 243 BW. The next two dams, by legends Admiral and President, combine their lactation numbers to 19. Based on 45 daughters, Amorous is shining through with a proof super-strong in protein at 32kg (second only to Showman for the KiwiCross™ bulls). He has positive fertility and a tremendous somatic cell BV of –0.37. His type proof is demonstrating a bull with extreme balance, given excellent breeding values for capacity and udder traits (which results in a final udder overall BV of 0.50). Already two Amorous sons have calves on the ground in Sire Proving herds. This will be the year we witness the KiwiCross™ team become an even more solid and well-balanced team. The old guard has certainly done us proud, and will continue to do so, but with genetic progress slowing for nobody, we warmly welcome the graduates of 2009.
SPRING 2009
23
LIC GENETICS
Know your odds
Using a team of bulls:
Bull 3: First proof sire with genomic data; reliability = 89% (220/89)
Four main sources of information are used to calculate BW and reliability: 1) Ancestry records; 2) progeny records;
A good way to reduce risk is to utilise a team of bulls. The reliability of a ‘team of bulls’ is higher than the reliability of individuals in the team. A fitting analogy is ‘not to put all your eggs into one basket’. This is apt advice: Spread the risk by using a number of sires.
Bull 4: Well proven sire with more than 500 daughters; reliability = 98% (220/98) The graph below illustrates how much the BW of these bulls could change, as more information is included in their evaluations.
The reliability of the team depends on the number of bulls in the team; how evenly these bulls are represented in the team; and the reliabilities of the evaluations among individual sires.
3) overseas information and; 4) genotypes.
A banker comes knocking with a managed fund investment proposition. It’s estimated to make you a seven percent return, and the odds of this happening ware 90%. Which is the more reliable proposition? Can similar principles be applied to your breeding decisions? Breeding Worth (BW) has existed since 1996 and is an accepted industry tool for choosing bulls for the (AB) mating season. But good BW scores may only tell half the story: Reliability is a key figure that should never be overlooked. Reliability, which ranges between 0 and 99, is directly linked to a bull’s BW. It is a measure of how much information has contributed to the trait evaluation of the bull. The more information included in the evaluation, the higher the reliability. Therefore, reliability is a good yardstick for confidence levels: Is the BW you’re placing so much faith in really a fair indication of the bull’s ‘true merit’?
24
LIC GENETICS
Bull 3
Bull 4
Take the following six bulls in the team below. The weighted average BW of the team is $285, and the team’s reliability is 93%. This is as good as any (individual) proven sire.
When a bull’s BW is based only on ancestry information, this reflects a relatively low reliability – typically about 35% (ie. the BW is quite likely to change as more information is obtained).
Bull 2: Unproven with genomic data; reliability = 60% (220/60)
360
340
320
300
280
260
240
220
200
180
The range of ‘true’ BW for each of the four separate bulls is shown in Table 1 below. Bull
Published BW
Reliability
In 95% of cases, ‘true’ value will be in this range:
1
220
35%
123 to 317
2
220
60%
144 to 296
3
220
89%
180 to 260
4
220
98%
203 to 237
When the BW is based on the Herd Test results of thousands of the bull’s daughters, together with the bull’s ancestry and genomic information, the reliability score could be expected to top 90%.
Bull 1: Unproven, well recorded ancestry; reliability = 35% (220/35)
160
Breeding Worth ($)
Ancestry information plus genomic information generally boosts the reliability score to about 50%-60%.
Consider the following four AI bull examples. The bulls all boast the same BW (220), but their reliability scores differ significantly.
140
The higher the reliability, the less likely BW will change significantly in the future as more information is added. Conversely, the lower the reliability, the more likely BW will change significantly in the future, as more information is gathered and analysed.
120
In addition, the reliability attached to a BW score provides an estimate of the extent to which the BW may change in the future, once further information is obtained.
100
A real estate agent comes knocking with a property proposition. It could make you a 15 to 20% return, but the odds of the market going up are just 50%.
Bull 2
If a vast amount of information about a bull is available to the Animal Evaluation Unit, and the data comes from a wide array of sources, it will follow that the bull’s reliability figure is high.
80
By Rachel Wood Animal Evaluation Manager
Bull 1
Risk Maximising genetic gain, and hence profit, can be achieved by using the highest BW bulls available. But the key is to examine reliability: High BW but low reliability generally means the bulls are younger, unproven sires (and therefore higher risk). The key is to find a balance between BW (and ultimately, genetic gain) and risk. How much BW are you willing to sacrifice to obtain a more reliable product at a lower level of risk? As reliability increases, risk decreases.
Bull
BW ($)
Reliability of individual proof
Number of straws
A
320
45%
70
B
288
45%
55
C
275
60%
45
D
270
89%
50
E
268
55%
40
F
265
95%
40
The team concept reduces risk because, on average, the BW of half the bulls in the team will increase and the BW of half the bulls in the team will decrease, as more information contributes to their proofs. But the overall ‘true’ average BW of the team will be in the range of $254-316 (in 95% of cases). This is because of the increased reliability associated with using a team of bulls. On the other hand, if just one bull was used for mating, based on its high BW (but relatively poor reliability) there is an inherent risk. This is because there are greater odds that this bull’s BW will fall, as more information becomes available (the range of the bull’s ‘true BW’ will be far wider than that of the team). A herd that has been inseminated by that bull will pay the full consequence of a drop-off in the bull’s future BW. It pays to know your odds when choosing the best BW bull for you. Any investment – be it in property, shares, or business – requires careful consideration of risk versus return: Should breeding decisions be treated any differently?
SPRING 2009
25
LIC GENETICS
To the extreme left, men in green overalls can be seen in an adjacent barn. There, farm staff guide about a dozen bulls, each weighing up to 1200kg. Including the decoy steers, it’s a crowded house in there but a sense of calm somehow remains. This is where the collection of fresh semen from the bulls happens in a way that is unique to New Zealand. Scott provides some context: “These guys (farm workers) are like animal psychologists, they know these bulls inside out. When it comes to getting bulls to perform, each animal is different. Some will like privacy, others will jump right up! “Leading and collecting is a real art - it requires genuine skill and experience, and our farm staff are the best in the business. “The AVs (artificial vaginas) they’re using are all pre-heated to 45°C. That means from the moment the semen leaves the bull, our product is insulated from the air temperature. It ensures sperm cells are kept at optimal survival rate temperatures.”
Taking a closer look at the laboratory Increasingly discerning and better-informed, global consumers sit at the end of our food chain, and are justifiably the most important link in it.
By Simon O’Rourke Publications Manager
26
LIC GENETICS
But a key player at the start of the food chain is the LIC lab. New LIC employee Simon O’Rourke checks out what goes on there, and investigates why farmers place so much of their faith and confidence in it.
Blink and you’ll miss it The journey begins Stark, white and clinical is one way of describing the LIC laboratory at Newstead. But a closer look will reveal a kind of intricacy and attention to detail that would rival an All Black coaching clinic during World Cup year. Tour guide Scott Ballinger, LIC’s Laboratory Operations Manager, greets me in a foyer where the main laboratory is separated from the outside world by large plate-glass windows – it’s like looking in to a fishbowl.
Suddenly, after a short flurry of activity, I see the semen captured. Within the next 24 to 72 hours that semen could be fertilising the egg of a cow at a Southland-based dairy shed. Given the quality control that goes on here, the logistics are mind-boggling. The collector immediately walks from the main collecting area to an office. There, a container is detached from the AV and is immediately labelled by the collector. The label consists of a code, Scott says, which indicates the
performance of the animal, its handler, and its collector. “The information helps us to monitor ongoing performance and make improvements where necessary,” Scott says. Action stations The collector passes the coded container through a small window, which appears to be the only physical connection point between the farm shed and laboratory. A scientist waits, perched on a chair in the far corner. Once the container is handed to her, the window is sealed shut and the lab worker gets down to business. First, the container’s label is examined to cross check the bull code. The lab technician then carefully measures and weighs the test tube’s contents. A record of the bull code, the collector, the leader, the service number, the service behaviour, and the decoy (steer) gets entered in to the database, along with the date and time. Next, the small sample is put beneath a microscope. Scott explains lab staff will scrutinise sperm cells from every ejaculate: “Anything that is no good is discarded – we want the best.” Sorting the swift swimmers from the slow A ‘no good’ ejaculate means fewer than 80 percent of the cells are alive. It may also mean the cells are weak swimmers, and, on a scale of one to 10, they’re moving at a rate deemed to be less than a seven. Making the grade is just the first step in a series. But even if semen quality doesn’t measure up, scientists may still be interested in what’s going on with the cells:
“We know what our high-value bulls are capable of producing,” Scott says. “For example, if one of the sires provides consistently good product, and we suddenly see a trend where we’re biffing his semen, we’re going to want to know what’s going on.” To find out more, an intense investigation called a morphology report is called for, where individual sperm cells are checked out in great detail: “We’ll stain the cells to pick up the physical characteristics of the sperm,” Scott explains. “We’ll do a count. We’ll look for normal cells and we’ll look for variations. That might mean identifying cells with differences in head shapes – they might be mis-shapen, tapered, or have other abnormalities. “Then we’ll look at their tails; whether their flipper is bowed, kinked, or is returned. All these things tell us why the cells may not perform. The membrane is also checked – it could be dented or nicked.” The information helps scientists explain why a bull’s sperm is behaving like it is. Most of the time the condition will be temporary, but occasionally the problem will be more permanent. Bean-counting LIC semen Once the semen passes its first test, it gets placed in to a machine called a Coulter Counter – a $50,000 piece of high-tech equipment that resembles a coffee machine. “What’s happening here is that the true concentration of the semen is being measured,” Scott says. “It’s important because this is more than a rough estimate, it will nail numbers down to within five percent of the true concentration.”
SPRING 2009
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LIC GENETICS
So what? “We need to know what’s there to be able to dilute semen down to a final volume. We need to know exactly how many sperm cells are in our straws; this helps maintain and improve non-return rates on the farm.” Diluting the product is a sensitive balancing act. “We strive to spread the best genetics available to as many herds as possible throughout New Zealand,” Scott explains. “So we’ve got to dilute the semen as much as we can (to produce as many straws as possible), without compromising non-return rates. You simply can’t do this without having an accurate concentration at the very beginning.” “So if your concentration varies by 40 percent at the start, you’re pushing the boundaries on the dose rate, which results in some serious quality issues.”
Once dilution rates are known, batches of the semen can be made up. Each batch is constantly analysed over its lifetime: The difference in lifetime depends on whether the straws will be used fresh (within three days), or whether it is frozen. Frozen in space and time Freezing in liquid nitrogen means the semen is lowered to a temperature of -196°C (the coolest natural temperature ever recorded on Earth is -89°C at Vostok Station, Antartica). This process preserves semen almost indefinitely – LIC still has stock dating back to the 1960’s. Watching laboratory workers hover over large tanks of bubbling liquid nitrogen is like watching Neil Armstrong bounding along the moonscape: Everything appears as if it’s happening in slow motion – the ‘potion’ (fog) inside the tank leisurely spills over the sides, as the technician carefully and methodically stacks straws inside.
Meanwhile, a system inside the room constantly analyses the compounds floating around the air space: An alarm system monitors oxygen levels – if these get depleted a warning system is triggered and staff are drilled to evacuate the building immediately. Ramping up for the serious season, with expertise and experience In early October the laboratory gears up for its busiest time of the year, known as the ‘liquid season’. Scott says the fresh semen is able to last in the field thanks to a “secret herbs ‘n spices” recipe. This recipe is known as long-last-liquid, or the ‘extender’. Scott says the extender was pioneered by “the godfather of semen research and development”, Pat Shannon. “We still draw on his expertise. We’ve also got a team of researchers, led by Zhengzhong Xu, who holds a doctorate in reproduction. The team are very capable scientists – they are brilliant in their field.
They are constantly striving to improve the extender (long last liquid). We review the use of our extender every year to make sure we’re continually improving.”
If a new plastic is recommended, the research team will follow a set procedure that must be adhered to whenever a change is proposed. This means testing the material or process a full year in advance of its implementation. Any change in lab product or process must go before a team of technical experts for approval. “A lot of our quality starts with all of the consumables (test tubes, straws, beads) we utilise,” Scott says. “We purchase, we test, we purchase, we test again.” Quality control processes mean dairy farmers are able to easily identify what breed their fresh semen has come from. Long-last-liquid is colour-coded: Red for fresians; green for jerseys; and yellow for cross-breds.
“We’ll put our batch straw samples in an incubator and stress test them at elevated temperatures to determine their longevity.
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facts
More than half the trials carried out during the past year have been to find the best possible plastic for the straws.
Scott says when semen is dispatched in to the field, samples from every batch are kept back at the lab for daily testing.
Scott explains lab staff will scrutinise sperm cells from every ejaculate: “Anything that is no good is discarded – we want the best.”
The
“If quality drops significantly it indicates the straws could be compromised, and if necessary, we’ll withdraw them from the field. AB Technicians will be instructed to use their back up frozen supplies instead.”
• A millilitre of fresh bull se men contains 500 million an between d 1.5 billion liv ing sperm ce lls. • Microscop es magnify se men samples factor of 500, by a so individual sperm cells ar to be seen. e able • Once colle cted, analysed , processed, an transported, fr d esh semen m ust be insemin in to cows with ated in 72 hours. • Last AB se ason about 3 million straws semen were p of fresh roduced by th e LIC team (fr September to om December). • Including fr ozen semen, more than 6 m straws were p illion rocessed in to tal during 2008 . • The peak period of the AB season in lasted 10 day 2008 s, when an av erage of 100, straws were m 000 ade up a day. Th e b ig gest day saw 123,413 straws pump ed out.
Delivering quality semen relies heavily on quality control, Scott says. He believes the lab’s competitive edge boils down to technicians and scientists who are meticulous in what they do.
certain their know-how, along with the expertise of our scientists, sets us apart when it comes to delivering a quality product.”
“Processes are extremely important and there’s a lot of detail to take care of. But above all, we make sure we’ve got good people on-board. Staff longevity is valued here. More than half our seasonal workers will come back year after year. I’m
SPRING 2009
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