IT’S ALL IN
THE HERD
Ambreed
WINTER
2016
Welcome to our new
‘It’s all in the herd’
newsletter.
At CRV Ambreed, we believe that every dairy
farmer has the right to achieve their highest
performing herd possible. We enable this through
our breeding philosophy that focuses on efficient
and easy to mange herds that farmers love to milk.
We understand that this will be a challenging year for
dairy farmers and I know that we have a great range
of options available to suit all situations and budgets.
I encourage you to explore all of your options this
year. I’m confident that we can give you a breeding
target that is both achievable and affordable.
2016 marks the first year CRV Ambreed has been
fully operational at the CRV Bellevue Production and
Logistics Centre. This brand new facility now houses
our bulls, our state of the art laboratory and our
storage and distribution facility.
IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome
01
02
Easy and Efficient: The added value of our genetics
02
Next crop of superstars hit the market
03
CRV Ambreed dominates the Jersey scene
04
CRV Ambreed genetics increase FE tolerance
05
New five star production and logistics centre fully operational
06
Top bulls’ daughters pump out the dollars
06
Crossbreds show strength
08
CRV global - our overseas genetics
08
More than a salesperson
09
NZMI Breeding Index explained
10
Introducing new staff
11
What could we learn from the interweb?
Our breeding team have put together a great
range of bull teams this year. We have some
exciting new graduates, coupled with our longterm high performing superstars. These are all
highlighted in this newsletter.
Our sales team have all been expertly trained this
year on our genetic offerings and are looking forward
to literally walking you through your herd and your
herd breeding goals. I invite you to visit our website
at www.crv4all.co.nz, find your local sales consultant
and book an on-farm breeding consultation.
Please enjoy our newsletter and I look forward to
seeing how CRV Ambreed can help you achieve
your herd improvement goals
Matt Macfie
Sales and Marketing Manager
www.crv4all.co.nz BETTER COWS | BETTER LIFE
EASY & EFFICIENT
THE ADDED VALUE OF OUR GENETICS
Today, New Zealand dairy farmers have
a strong view about the type of herd
they wish to breed. CRV Ambreed has
built its business around helping dairy
farmers to breed an efficient and easy
to manage herd.
Milk prices are fluctuating and dairy
farmers are looking carefully at their onfarm profitability. They want to breed a
herd that is longer lasting and will produce
more milk with less resources – an
efficient herd.
Added to that, managing a dairy herd is
becoming more complex. For example,
the average herd size is increasing,
environmental conditions are changing
and recruiting good staff can be a
challenge. This means farmers need
healthy animals with good shed traits – a
herd that’s easy to manage.
Whether it’s straws of semen, mating
advice on the right bull or breeding
strategy, or recognising the genetic
potential of your herd, CRV Ambreed is in
every sense your best partner to breed an
efficient and easy to manage herd.
NEXT CROP OF SUPERSTARS HIT THE MARKET
CRV Ambreed has 17 bulls that have
hit the big time and are set to become
house-hold names.
The new graduates add to CRV Ambreed’s
already strong genetic offering for dairy
farmers this year.
CRV Ambreed’s crossbreds are better
than ever and offer efficiency, fertility and
a breed make-up to suit all farmers’ needs.
After a rigorous four-year process, these
young superstars graduated this year as CRV
Ambreed proven sires, which means they are
considered to have the highest genetic merit.
“In the Friesian line-up we have a good
balance of bulls fitting into all farming
systems, from high efficiency bulls who
will do a great job in the lower output
category, to high production bulls that will
fit into higher input systems,” he said.
CRV Ambreed’s latest crop of superstars
are now enjoying a first-class, A-list
lifestyle at CRV Ambreed’s Production and
Logistics Centre.
Global Product Manager Peter van Elzakker
said they are sought after by dairy farmers
in New Zealand and overseas, and their
production and performance traits make
them an essential part of the success of
New Zealand’s dairy industry.
“The genetic merit of these elite sires
will ultimately ensure dairy farmers’ herds
will be easy to manage and efficient,” said
van Elzakker.
“Our Jerseys stand-out with an
exceptional line up of bulls that
will produce a good size cow
with exceptional protein and
production, great conformation
and superb udder traits.”
If they turn out to be the next Firenze,
one of CRV Ambreed’s legacy bulls, they
could each produce more than half a
million doses of semen for domestic and
international sale, have tens of thousands
of daughters, and have a long list of sons
enrolled on the animal evaluation database
for herd improvement in New Zealand.
CRV AMBREED’S NEW GRADUATES
Ambzed Powells FULTON S2F
Ambzed Powells FULTON S2F
Roma Murmur KINGPIN S3J
Rangeview MPG GLOWING S2F
Kaitaka Murmur LAZARUS ET
Royson Justice PHONIC S2F
Paterangi Murmur INGOT ET
Tralee BE REPLICA S2F
Lynbrook Olm KEIRAN-ET J11F3
Busy Brook ME REPO-ET S3F
Clarks MARSHALL F8J8
HSS Mint RIVINGTON
Mcbrides ZEN F9J7
Summerhays WJ SKYLARK S2F
DONINGTON F13J2
Ambzed Greenhalgh WYLD
Ngarangi Brody NEVADA
Ashvale OLM HIGHLITE ET
Roma Murmur KINGPIN S3J
02
Left: Ambzed Powells FULTON S2F and Roma Murmur KINGPIN
S3J are two of CRV Ambreed’s 2016 graduates. Fulton will
breed small statured cows with great capacity high NZMI and
high overall BW. He excels in efficiency due to a great protein to
liveweight ratio. Kingpin will be a very popular choice for Jersey
and Crossbred farmers this year for efficiency and production. He
will produce good sized, well-mannered, robust daughters with
plenty of milk and low somatic cell.
HOW DO WE SELECT A TOP SIRE?
•
CRV Ambreed’s sire analysts travel
around the country to find the very
best cows that will produce the next
‘super bull’.
•
About 1,500 bull calves are nominated
each year for consideration into CRV
Ambreed’s Progeny Test Programme.
•
The top 600 of the 1,500 bull calves go
through a genomic selection process
to assess their potential genetic gain
and identify any genetic defects.
•
The breeding team use their specialist
knowledge of cows and their families
to assess the potential of each bull calf.
•
120 bull calves are selected to be
part of CRV Ambreed’s Progeny Test
Programme.
•
•
The progeny test bull’s daughters are
tested on milk production, type and
suitability in different farming systems
and environments.
•
The very best bulls graduate to
provide the highest genetic gain for
dairy farmers.
The progeny test bulls’ semen
production is carefully managed
from CRV Ambreed’s Production and
Logistics Centre.
CRV AMBREED DOMINATES THE JERSEY SCENE
CRV Ambreed has a long history in
leading the rapid progression of the
Jersey breed producing bigger, stronger,
more productive Jersey cows that have
the conformation to last.
The unprecedented success of CRV
Ambreed’s Jersey bulls are the foundation
of New Zealand’s leading sires today.
“Years ago CRV Ambreed was
asked for more competitive,
robust, open framed Jersey
cattle with better udders to carry
the extra production and we’re
delivering on our promise.”
This year four elite Jersey bulls graduated,
complimenting an already superb team
siring easy-to-manage and efficient cows
with durability and superior reproductive
performance.
CRV Ambreed’s Breeding Team Manager
Aaron Parker says a competitive Jersey
cow needs to produce high levels of
fat and protein, supported by desirable
body and udder traits to ensure multiple
lactations are realised.
Bull selection includes protein and fat BVs,
a general robustness from capacity and
body condition score BVs, udder quality
and teat placement BVs, management
traits including farmer opinion, fertility and
somatic cells.
“Our breeding programme focuses on
strong individual components and the traits
that will suit different environments, farming
systems and dairy farmers’ individual
breeding goals,” Parker says.
Roma Murmur KINGPIN S3J daughter from Roma Farming
Company Ltd in Morrinsville
Roma Murmur KINGPIN S3J and Ashvale
OLM HIGHLITE ET are a testament to this
collaboration. Kingpin is in hot demand
with both Jersey and Crossbred farmers for
efficiency and production, producing wellmannered, robust daughters with plenty of
milk and low somatic cell.
Highlite is a standout sire for efficiency,
production and longevity, offering super
low somatic cells and exceptional body
condition score, with impressive capacity
and udder overall.
Parker says there is a temptation in the
industry to chase purely index, but farmers
need to watch out for false economy.
“A lower production bull could
generate over half of his BW
points from his small size alone.
In the end, its production that
pays the bills and life is so much
easier when you’re working with
a cow you love to milk,” he adds.
Moving forward, CRV Ambreed will be
leveraging global technology, resources
and capabilities to continue to advance the
Jersey breed.
Ashvale OLM HIGHLITE ET daughter from Ridgetop Farms Ltd
in Inglewood
IT’S ALL IN THE HERD WINTER 2016
03
CRV GENETICS INCREASE
FACIAL ECZEMA TOLERANCE
CRV Ambreed Research and
Development manager Phil Beatson says
New Zealand dairy farmers must act now
and use the right targeted genetics to
breed cattle that are more resilient to
facial eczema (FE) long-term.
“For every three in 100 cows with clinical
FE, it is estimated up to 70 per cent of the
herd may have subclinical symptoms. You
won’t necessarily see the disease in cows
with subclinical symptoms, but it will be
damaging the liver and negatively impacting
milk production,” he says.
Now is the time to consider genetic
options. By including FE tolerant bulls in
this year’s matings, dairy farmers can start
building greater protection against FE for
the future.
Rangeview MPG GLOWING S2F is one of the latest additions to
CRV Ambreed’s FE team.
As pioneers in the research and
development of FE tolerant genetics,
CRV Ambreed remains the only breeding
company with a FE genetics offering.
Friesian, Jersey and Crossbred FE Tolerant
sires are available. Talk to your local
consultant for more information.
The good news is that FE tolerant genetics
provide an environmentally friendly and safe
way to increase the herd’s tolerance to FE
challenges.
CRV Ambreed’s Phil Beatson says FE is already a huge economic
and animal welfare issue and breeding cattle that are more
resilient to FE is a must today.
CRV Ambreed’s FE tolerant sires will
typically breed off-spring that are 30% less
reactive to a FE challenge, compared to the
average bull. But targeted genetics must be
a part of the farming toolbox year-on-year to
reduce the occurrence of the disease.
“A genetically improved herd
will need less zinc and other
treatments than the typical animal,
which saves the farmer this
expense,” Beatson adds.
Higher humidity has increased the number of toxic spores in pastures this year, resulting in a spike in the number of cases in the North
Island and parts of the South Island.
CRV AMBREED’S FE TOLERANT SIRES
ARE BEING USED ACROSS NEW ZEALAND
TO FIGHT THE DISEASE
“I am absolutely wrapped with my calves
using CRV Ambreed’s facial eczema
genetics. It’s an essential part of my breeding
programme to breed out mastitis and reduce
the risk of facial eczema. The proof is in the
pudding.”
Gary Phillips – Taranaki
“When CRV Ambreed offered the product
years ago I supported it 100 per cent. We
now have over 1,700 heifers over two
generations from this programme showing
a degree of tolerance to facial eczema. FE
tolerant genetics allow New Zealand dairy
farmers to produce herds less susceptible
to FE in the long-term. I consider these
genetics to be an essential tool in the
dairy farming toolbox.”
Richard Sisam – Eastern Bay of Plenty.
Richard Sisam says his initial faith in FE tolerant genetics came from
his many years of success using FE tolerant genetics for sheep.
04
NEW FIVE STAR PRODUCTION AND LOGISTICS
CENTRE FULLY OPERATIONAL
CRV Ambreed’s move to a new state of the
art, purpose-built production, distribution
and logistics centre has marked an exciting
new era for the company.
CRV Ambreed’s entire operation is now
located at the CRV Bellevue Production and
Logistics Centre, located on the outskirts of
Cambridge.
The CRV Bellevue Production and Logistics
Centre is one of the best facilities of its kind
in the Southern hemisphere. It houses a
semen collection facility, a semen processing
laboratory, storage space for export and
domestic products, a warehouse with
farmer AI banks, and 38 hectares of grazing
paddocks.
The Centre has been developed to the
highest standards required to ensure CRV
Ambreed meets its domestic and export
compliance, biosecurity requirements and
animal welfare standards.
The most recent development has been two
new animal housing barns providing five-star
accommodation for CRV Ambreed’s bulls.
Farm Manager Dave Smith, says the goal is
to have the healthiest and most productive
animals possible, and the new animal
housing facility truly adds credibility and
delivery of this aim.
At our old site CRV Ambreed had the potential
to house five bulls in a situation like this. Now
120 bulls can be housed in each shelter at any
one time. About 40-50 production bulls will
be in the shelter at a time.
“Now our animals don’t have to be in the
paddock, cold, fighting the elements,
covered in mud. They’re also in a more
hygienic environment. The bulls love being in
there,” Smith says.
“In the summertime semen quality is effected
heavily by the heat. While the bull might be
producing huge samples of semen, the semen
has to be discarded because the quality has
been effected by heat. It’s five degrees less
inside the shelter during summer.”
ABOUT
THE
FACILITY
•
About 200 bulls are housed at
the CRV Bellevue Production
and Logistics Centre
•
110-150 young progeny
test bulls enter the Centre
each year
•
All bulls must complete and
pass health tests, disease
tests and have their IBR status
taken to qualify to be housed
at the Centre
•
Strict procedures are in place
to ensure biosecurity and that
every animal housed at the
facility meets compliance with
EU regulatory requirements
•
18 paddocks house mature bulls
Farm manager Dave Smith says up to 120 bulls can be housed in
CRV Ambreed’s new first-class animal housing facility.
THE BUSINESS OF SEMEN COLLECTION
Bull collections typically take place five
days a week, 50 weeks of year.
Bulls work on a roster system based on the
bull’s target or how many doses of semen
are required. Mature bulls can be rostered on
50 weeks of the year. Progeny test bulls will
not be mature enough for production until 12
months of age.
A top Holstein Friesian bull that’s healthy
and has good semen quality has the
capacity to produce 80,000-100,000 doses
of conventional semen each year. Jerseys
will produce a little bit less – 60,00080,000 doses.
Each time a bull comes into the collection
facility, they produce about 1,000 doses. So
they have the capability to produce about
2,000 doses a week if they are a good
producing bull.
The mature bulls like Maelstrom will continue
their production throughout the year until
they reach their target. Sometimes it only
takes three months for a bull to complete
their production targets.
“Over the last 10 years we have found that it
is most efficient to collect from each bull twice
a week. It’s an individual case for each bull,
but they are generally more productive, the
semen collected is better quality, it creates
better efficiencies, and they are happier and
healthier this way,” says Dave Smith.
May to October is CRV Ambreed’s busiest
time for collection, but certainly not the most
productive time as the focus is on collecting
from the young, progeny test bulls.
“We have the most utmost
respect for these bulls. We treat
them the best we can, but we
do acknowledge that they are
dangerous animals and we have
to have strict health and safety
procedures in place.”
IT’S ALL IN THE HERD WINTER 2016
05
TOP BULLS’ DAUGHTERS PUMP OUT THE DOLLARS
CRV Ambreed tops the charts with the
highest ranking Holstein Friesian bulls in
New Zealand for protein.
The team will create a higher value milk
product meaning greater return on the
farmer’s investment, with high spec, longer
lasting girls that can produce exceptional
quality milk.
At the top of the list for proven sires are HSS
R STRAVAGANZA S2F and new graduate
HSS Mint Rivington, both bred by Alister
Hall as part of the HSS Genetics Herd in
Invercargill. They have an exceptional
protein BV of 49kg.
Breeding Team Manager Aaron Parker
says anything over 40kg protein BV “gets
the team excited”, especially when they
carry the traits that make these production
machines last.
Sire
Prot (kg)
HSS R STRAVAGANZA S2F
49
HSS Mint RIVINGTON
49
Parkdale HRS FEDERAL S2F*
47
A daughter of a bull with 20kg protein BV
and 19kg of fat, for example, would have to
milk double that of an offspring from CRV
Ambreed’s bull team.
Marie Oman FRANKLIN
46
Ambzed Balls OAKLEY S1F
45
Aljo TEF MAELSTROM-ET S3F
42
“The key is having high production
but doing it efficiently so the animal is
profitable,” he says.
*Insire selected on a combination of parental and genomic data
April 2016. Data sourced from DairyNZ New Zealand Animal
Evaluation April 2016
CRV Ambreed’s top sires for protein all offer
41+kg BV.
CRV Ambreed’s elite InSires also show
promise with Parkdale HRS FEDERAL S2F, a
son of Stravaganza, currently sitting on 47kg
protein BV.
New graduate HSS Mint RIVINGTON’s offers super production with
49.2kg protein BV and 38.2kg fat BV.
CROSSBREDS SHOW STRENGTH
This year’s Crossbred portfolio is the best CRV Ambreed has ever had with some exciting new graduates to add to the team,
including DONINGTON F13J2, Lynbrook Olm KEIRAN-ET J11F3, Clarks MARSHALL F8J8 and Mcbrides ZEN F9J7.
DONINGTON F13J2 will be popular for dairy
farmers in the Crossbreed market to add
some size and robustness to the herd. He
is an A2A2 sire and offers a great protein to
liveweight ratio. His daughters are fertile, wellmannered and therefore last longer. As an
F13-sire he can be used by Friesian farmers
to bring down the size and still be left with a
Friesian (F14) cow.
Donington F13J2
Daughter: #10 K & G Black, Opotiki
Bred by Steve and Nina Ireland who have
contributed a number of high quality sires
to the dairy industry, Lynbrook Olm KEIRANET J11F3 is a high dual indexing A2A2
bull. He comes from super bull Okura Lika
MURMUR S3J and offers very good fertility,
exceptional efficiency, and positive udder
overall, body condition score, capacity and
conformation traits.
Lynbrook Olm Keiran-Et J11F3
06
Daughter: #247 B & M Davies, Putaruru
Clarks MARSHALL F8J8 is another top dual
indexing A2A2 sire. Marshall has a very
good protein to liveweight ratio so you get
more with less. His daughters have great
longevity, good somatic cell scores and
good udders. He is a great option for maiden
heifers this season.
Clarks Marshall F8J8
McBrides Zen F9J7
Daughter: #427 KW & FA Clark, Whakatane
ZEN F9J7 is our highest ranking Crossbred
graduate this year and is in the top five
nationally. He has superb protein to
liveweight ratio. His daughters are short
statured with very good udders and thanks
to his high body condition score, they are
robust. His high fertility, low cell count and
sky high longevity make him a great health
bull too. On top of all this, his daughters are
more resistant to facial eczema.
Daughter: #230 K & G Black, Opotiki
THE INSIRE TEAM
The proven team is complimented by
some tremendous new InSires (elite
young sire selected on a combination of
parental and genomic data), including
favourites BOOMA F12J4, Perivale WARO
F10J6 and Lynbrook LT VIKING J10F6.
Lynbrook LT Viking J10f6 (flipped)
Daughter: #344 S & N Ireland, Lynbrook Farms, Temuka
Lynbrook LT VIKING J10F6 tops the
New Zealand Merit Index in the Crossbred
InSires. His daughters will be capacious with
superior udders and high production.
BOOMA F12J4 is a Friesian cross that will
be a choice for maiden Friesian heifers. He
offers superior protein, excellent fertility and
great body condition score traits.
Perivale WARO F10J6 is a high dual
indexing InSire with exceptional fertility, top
body condition score and great protein to
liveweight ratio.
Booma F12j4
Perivale Waro F10j6
IT’S ALL IN THE HERD WINTER 2016
07
CRV GLOBAL - OUR OVERSEAS GENETICS
CRV Ambreed continues to have access to
the largest range of overseas sires available
of any genetics company in New Zealand.
If you want to achieve greater production,
greater genetic diversity and access unique
dairy breeds, CRV is your first port of call. Our
team’s global experience, combined with our
local knowledge of grazing systems, will help
you select the right genetics to support your
herd improvement goals. Added to that, you
won’t compromise on quality.
DUTCH PROOFS
SHOW CRV ON TOP
CRV has dominated once again with 30 CRV
sires appearing on the Dutch Proofs April
2016 Top 50 Sires list.
MEET DELTA GALORE
This outstanding young InSire bull from
Holland is highly regarded in his home
country and offers huge outcross potential
over New Zealand genetics.
He has extremely good udder health traits
and superb udder quality. There is no doubt
that he will sire high producing daughters
with udders that will more than cope with high
volumes of production.
A high persistency score also indicates
that Galore daughters will have a long flat
lactation curve that will ensure good levels of
production right to the end of their lactation.
Dam: Delta Gabriel, Mts E.J.H en A.J.E. Vernooij, Schalkwijk
BREEDS AVAILABLE
FROM CRV’S
GLOBAL PRODUCTS
PORTFOLIO:
•
Holstein Friesian (USA, Europe)
•
Jersey (USA, Australia,
Denmark)
•
Finnish Ayshire (Finland)
•
Swedish Red (Sweden)
•
Danish Red (Denmark)
•
MRI (Netherlands)
•
Montebeliard (Germany, Czech
Republic)
MORE THAN A SALESPERSON
When you see a branded vehicle turning
into your driveway one thought probably
runs through your head. Not another sales
rep!! Understandable as you may have had
several call in over the last week.
At CRV Ambreed we get it; time is money
and your time is in demand from many
directions.
We believe that when our clients see a CRV
Ambreed branded ute drive in, they value
the visit for what it is. The visit is part of our
long-term commitment to the future of your
farming business and your herd.
The consultant is calling in as part of an
08
ongoing relationship to ensure your herd is
taking you where you want to go.
We are also looking forward, not backwards,
so you get to where you and your herd
need to be in the next five, 10 or 15 years.
We take a look at your entire herd, as the
herd is what drives your business and
achieves your goals.
Your herd is your generator of income, an
asset that is self-replenishing and an asset
that needs to become more efficient and
more productive, healthier and more fertile.
A herd where the individuals need to be a
long-term part of the whole.
We are committed to providing you with
data that maps the progress of your herd
towards that end goal. Data that is relevant
and easy to access.
Your CRV Ambreed consultant is second to
none; you can trust that they are there to do
their best for you. You can trust they will stand
behind their advice and their results, as will
those behind them in the greater CRV family.
One of our clients told us last year “just help
me breed cows I will love to milk”. That is
what we do - it’s our job. Actually it’s more
than our job, it’s our passion.
That’s why we say “It’s all in the herd”.
THE NEW ZEALAND MERIT INDEX EXPLAINED
Breeding is a long-term but highly
valuable activity.
The results of good breeding decisions
made now by farmers are not seen for
more than three years when progeny
of this year’s matings enter the milking
herd. The progeny of high-ranking bulls
compared to average bulls are expected
to return at least $50 more profit
annually and are expected to live longer.
Additionally, gains made through good
breeding decisions are cumulative year
upon year.
For CRV Ambreed the outlook is even longer
term: five years from when a bull is conceived
until his receives a proof and then he is
released as a graduate as a five-year-old. His
main crop daughters are born when he is six
and start producing when he is eight.
This means that CRV Ambreed needs
to have firm ideas about the sort of
cow that is going to be required almost
a decade into the future. These ideas
form CRV Ambreed’s New Zealand Merit
Breeding Index (NZMI).
We see that cows will be farmed
in large herds so farmer traits
are important.
They need to be productive and we foresee
that the average cow will produce 450kg
milksolids on pasture-dominated diets. This
cow will be economically efficient through
using a higher proportion of her diet for
milk production and correspondingly lower
proportion for maintenance. Furthermore
replacements are required which is
economically and environmentally efficient
through a higher proportion of the farm’s feed
resource going to the milking herd and a
lower proportion to replacements.
this cow is environmentally efficient because
emissions per kg ms are lower than lower
producing cows.
The cow in a decade’s time needs to be
longer lasting: this means that fewer
HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN
- PREDICTED
10 YEAR RESPONSE
PREDICTED
10 YEAR RESPONSE
WHEN
WHEN SELECTING
SELECTING SOLELY
SOLELY ON
ON NZMI
NZMI OR
OR BW
BW
Long
LiveWt
Milk (lts)
Prot (kg)
Fat (kg)
Res Surv
Fertility
BCS
SCS
Calving Diff
NZMI
570
1.7
391
15.6
16.7
114
4.48
0.12
-0.21
-2.73
BW
698
-18.1
-33
6.1
15.5
122
9.21
0.20
-0.29
-5.38
TRAITS
NZMI
BW
Adaptability Milking
0.14
-0.04
Shed Temperament
0.14
-0.04
Milking Speed
0.18
0.15
Overall Opinion
0.22
0.03
Capacity
0.18
0.04
Rump Angle
0.01
0.04
Udder Overall
0.22
-0.28
-0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1
0
0.1
0.2
0.3 0.4
-0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1
0
0.1
0.2 0.3
0.4
JERSEY - PREDICTED 10 YEAR RESPONSE
WHEN SELECTING SOLELY ON NZMI OR BW
Long
LiveWt
Milk (lts)
Prot (kg)
Fat (kg)
Res Surv
Fertility
BCS
SCS
Calving Diff
NZMI
577
8.3
451
17.3
21.4
156
4.36
0.13
-0.20
-0.88
BW
701
-3.2
90
9.8
21.9
162
8.68
0.20
-0.25
-0.50
TRAITS
NZMI
BW
Adaptability Milking
0.22
0.07
Shed Temperament
0.22
0.07
Milking Speed
0.11
0.09
Overall Opinion
0.32
0.17
Capacity
0.31
0.27
-0.02
-0.03
0.38
-0.01
Rump Angle
Udder Overall
-0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1
0
0.1
0.2
0.3 0.4
-0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1
0
0.1
0.2 0.3
0.4
* Calculated by CRV B.V. Animal Evaluation Unit. Data sourced from 13/2/2016 NZAEL run
IT’S ALL IN THE HERD WINTER 2016
09
INTRODUCING NEW STAFF
We are delighted to introduce you to five new CRV Ambreed
team members who will be helping you to select the right genetic
solutions and herd services to meet your herd improvement goals.
WARWICK DOWSE
Regional Sales and Services Manager Western Waikato and Northland
Phone: 027 977 4915
Email: [email protected]
Warwick joins CRV Ambreed from his
previous role as General Manager of Jersey
NZ, where he was in charge of promoting
the efficiency of New Zealand Jersey cattle
HAZEL GRAINGER-ALLEN
Sales consultant - Taupo / Reporoa
Phone: 021 848 042
Email: [email protected]
Originating from the UK, Hazel and her
husband Colin had a background in sheep
and beef farming and began dairy farming
when they immigrated to New Zealand in
JAN-MAREE PYLE
Sales consultant - Central-Western
Southland
Phone: 021 848 089
Email: [email protected]
Jan-Maree Pyle is CRV Ambreed’s new
sales consultant for the Central-Western
Southland region. She lives in Winton
with her husband and four children and
CHRIS WILSON
Sales Consultant – Northern Southland
Phone: 027 240 8071
Email: [email protected]
Chris Wilson is CRV Ambreed’s new sales
consultant for the Southern Southland
region. He’s a born and bred Southlander
PHIL RAINS
Senior Sales Consultant for Mid and
North Canterbury
Phone: 027 416 3347
Email: [email protected]
CRV Ambreed recently appointed Phil Rains
to the position of Senior Sales Consultant
for Mid and North Canterbury. He has a
10
to the national dairy industry. He has also
worked as General Manager for distribution
company Tamworth Rural Limited and for
dairy hygiene products company Farmers
Industries Limited (FIL) in Australia. Warwick
leads a team of consultants dedicated to
helping Western Waikato and Northland dairy
farmers to select the right genetic solutions
and herd services to meet their herd
improvement goals.
the late 1990s. They’ve been through the
dairying ranks, from their first year in New
Zealand as farm assistants in Tokoroa, to
lower order and 50/50 sharemilking in Te
Puke, and eight years 50/50 sharemilking
in Ngakuru. Hazel has joined us as CRV
Ambreed’s new sales consultant for the
Taupo / Reporoa region.
has enjoyed a successful 16 year contract
milking in Southland. Four years ago
they went 50:50 share milking and that’s
when Jan-Maree discovered a passion for
breeding. She and her husband have also
secured contract matings resulting in two
bull calves. She brings a real enthusiasm
and knowledge of the dairy industry and
breeding to her new role.
hailing from Balfour in Northern Southland.
He has an extensive farming and rural
background that includes converting the
family sheep and beef farm to milk 1,000
cows, selling chemical for Deosan and
more recently selling farm machinery for
Powerfarming in Gore.
strong background in selling and servicing
the rural network in Canterbury. He was a
farm owner for 15 years before moving to a
seven-year sales role as a Technical Field
Officer for CRT (Farmlands). More recently
he has been working as Technical Sales
Manager for Farmguard. He is also a qualified
AI technician.
WHAT COULD WE LEARN FROM THE INTERWEB?
A chat site user asks: Can you milk a
male cow?
“Just curious, is there even such a thing
as a male cow. Aren’t they called bulls? If
there are male cows why do they have the
equipment for milking or do they not?”
Update: “I know it’s a weird question. On
the kids show ‘Barnyard’ the male ‘cows’
have the little milking things, don’t know
what they are called either, that’s probably
why I am not a zoologist.”
Then follows an obviously well informed
reply…
“Cows (female) have an udder with six
teats. The milk is meant for her calf but
we humans take the calf away and then
steal her milk. Male cows are called bulls
but only if we humans leave his manhood
intact. A castrated or de sexed bull is
called a steer. Well, they are in Australia.
As a whole they are cattle.”
And yet another…
“Cows are female. Bulls are males. If you
try to milk a bull it would probably get very
upset. The eyes of that bull would get as
large as dinner plates and then strike you
dead. You probably would be suspicious
since a bull would appear to only have
one utter (sic) versus a cow!”
Bulls can be ‘milked’ for their semen, which
is a controlled breeding method used
for specific gene-matching in the cattle
industry. Naturally semen is not used for
drinking purposes like the milk we get from
cows! It is flash-frozen and sold to cattle
breeders to be used for breeding highgrade bull stock to specific cows without
the hassle and expense of bringing the
entire bull to the ranch in question.
And then it gets scientific…
‘Cow’ refers to the female of the bovine
species commonly referred to as ‘cattle’
(though the word cow can refer to the female
of a number of other animal species as well).
The male of the species is referred to as a
‘bull’ or ‘steer’.
Only cows can be milked for the white
substance commonly sold under the
generic name of ‘milk’. There are other
female animals that are raised for their
milk, including goats and even horses.
And folks, the cow’s milking system is
spelled ‘udders’, not ‘utters’. Visit a diary
(sic) farm some time.
Yes folks, get it right. It’s udders not
utters. But what the heck is a DIARY
farm? Let those with no spelling
mistakes cast the first stone! So there
we have it; we are all now better
informed about the elusive male cow.
I Ambreeding
my perfect milking herd
To find out more go to crv4all.co.nz or call
0800 262 733 to arrange an on-farm consult
Production | Longevity | Health | Fertility | Efficiency
PA N 1 0 1 0
Murray Gibb
Taupiri SireMatch Customer
BETTER COWS | BETTER LIFE
Ambreed
IT’S ALL IN THE HERD WINTER 2016
11
Ambreed
BETTER COWS | BETTER LIFE
0800 262 733
www.crv4all.co.nz | [email protected]