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Believing in what you will see
Dairy Fleckvieh do for you
Dr. John Popp, Big Bear Genetics Ltd.
North American Information, Distribution and Breed Center for Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics
Back in 2001, the Nyhof family believed in Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics – although they could not see the
animals on their farm then. Albert still says today „We were cautious with Fleckvieh at the start as we did
not see the progeny; once the calves were born we wish we would have used more semen“. Today the family breeds 90% of their cows with Fleckvieh semen. Not only that, but they are milking the first embryo
derived Bavarian Fleckvieh cow ‘Rubine’ in the barn. As neighbors and friends visit the farm now, they cannot help but be impressed with Rubine.
Different Breeds
The management at the Nyhof
farm is unique and they are constantly pursuing new ideas and
practices. Currently they milk 200
cows mostly under a tie stall
system, with the exception of 40
free stall Jersey cows. Four breeds
are prominent in the barn now –
Holstein, Jerseys, Brown Swiss
and Fleckvieh crossbreds. The
Nyhofs also have four Fleckvieh
cows two of which were reared
embryos from high quality matings of Fleckvieh from Germany.
Right now they have a lower production average of 20’000 lbs, 4.1
fat and 3.5 protein with a somatic
cell count of 170’000. They attribute the lower production to milking 40 Jerseys, but they make
their components stronger.
Young Calf Rearing
„Tickle Me“ (50 % Fleckvieh, 50 % Holstein) – 120 days in milk
SCC 16.000 4,3 % fat – 3,6 % protein
1st test milking: 30 kg
DHI projection: 8.600 kg
2nd test milking: 31 kg
3rd test milking: 30 kg
„Tickle Me“ is pastured and receives 1.7 kg of supplement split over two milkings.
Good Holstein Cows
The Nyhof dairy is unique tremenous cows, tremendous feeding
practices and outstanding management. Without arguing the
Nyhofs were and continue to be at
the top of the game in the Holstein
breed. Albert, Wilma, John and
Henry Nyhof and Gladwin Laing
can proudly show you many cows
in their barn that exceeded
200’000 lbs lifetime production. A
24000 lb production average was
achieved with ease. One of the
cows at the barn is third in Canada for production over 240000 lbs
and now 15 years old; this cow
was flushed to the fleckvieh bull
Manager. There are also daughters sired by Rudolph with 40000
lb 3rd lactations bred to fleckvieh
bulls Ruap and Hippo.
Many cows with 120 lbs of production…so why change?
As we walk through the barns with
Albert he can now confidently tell
us that calving Fleckvieh crossbreds is not a problem; they have
calved out over 200 Fleckvieh
crosses. Albert notes that even if
cows labor longer the calves are
always alive. „The calves are thrifty when they are born and have a
harder skull” Albert says. He
shows us recently born calves
from Hofberg, Manager, Enrico,
Ruap and other Fleckvieh sires. All
the calves get whole waste milk
twice daily at a gallon per feeding.
Calves get good quality hay and
calf ration to start with. They are
on milk for at least 3 months. The
Nyhofs make distinct points about
each sire and note how well the sires transfer their traits to the F1.
Ruap for example, makes long boFLECKVIEHWorld 2005
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Tremendous quality alfalfa hay
Relative feed value 187 – Crude protein 22%
Right and left – 4 Fleckvieh cross calves
Center top – 2 Holstein calves
died calves with excellent feet and
legs. Enrico is easy calving; he
puts a little more muscle on calves
and his offspring are outstanding
for type. It’s been another cold
winter in January with overnight
temperatures below -30 Celsius
for almost one month straight;
John Nyhof and Gladwin Laing
both note – „the calves are healthy
and they want to live; if they do
get sick, they recover where we
would often think to give up”. Calf
survival is also better with Fleckvieh crossbreds. John comments
that „of ten calves born nine will
be alive a year later if they are
Fleckvieh cross”.
with comfort mats and bedded
with finely chopped straw. The milk
production on every cow is recorded daily by milk recorder.
All data are submitted to Dairy
Herd Improvement (DHI). The Nyhofs now milk twice daily at 3:30
in the morning and 3:30 in the afternoon.
The first pure Fleckvieh and
crossbred F1
milking at the Farm
On the day of our visit, Rubine, a
pure Fleckvieh 1st calf heifer was
26 days into lactation. She has
been producing 80 to 85 lbs of
The Feeding Program
milk. The Nyhofs have since subRoughage is the key ingredient in mitted milk for her components; at
the feeding program. The Nyhofs that time they were 4.2% fat and
feed 62.5% silage and hay (alfalfa), 3.2% protein, with a somatic cell
2.5% straw, 35% grain (12% protein - half corn; half barley with the
supplement included).
count of 30’000. Eighty days later,
Rubine is still milking at the same
level and has been bred to the bull
Waterberg. Fleckvieh dairy cows
have a flat lactation curve and we
expect Rubine to maintain a
strong production level late into
her lactation. Not peaking as aggressively on the front end of the
lactation is what makes Fleckvieh
easier to manage during transition, but also throughout the lactation as they do not lose as much
body condition, while maintaining
good production levels. When the
race is over after 305 days of milking the Fleckvieh cows won’t finish last on total production, they
just distribute it differently.
At the time of writing, the first F1
cross is now 19 days into milking.
A Manager cross daughter „Tickle
Me“ out of a Holstein cow Lord Lil-
They are proud of the quality feed
they produce as John brings us a
hay sample that tested 187 relative feed value. This is a high forage
diet designed by the Nyhofs and
their nutritionist to produce 65 to
70 lbs of milk at 4.1% fat and 3.5%
protein. The cows are placed on
this ration throughout their lactation. Feed turnover is outstanding
and intake is maximized without a
doubt – 66 lbs of dry feed intake
per day – over 4% of the cows’ bodyweight daily. Definitely something to impress anyone that’s
dabbled in ruminant nutrition.
The cows are full, they are healthy,
they have excellent rumen function
and reward the Nyhofs with milk. 3 Cow in Canada. 15 years old > 240000 lbs lifetime production
The cow tie stalls are equipped
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Udder from „Rubine“
ly. She is now milking at 36 to 38
liters and Albert is confident in
seeing more from this heifer. He
once again expresses his confidence „Now we have the milk–
we are a fully confident that we
made the right decision. This is a
beautiful strong animal with a
milking speed of 4.5 liters/minute!”.
Moving more toward grass
based dairying –
reducing production costs
One system serves two purposes –
a stanchion type milking parlor is
used in the winter for the 40 free
stall cows where they are fed 17.5
lbs of supplementary feed split
over two milkings. In the summer
this system is used more extensively for the pastured dairy cattle. The
Nyhofs milk 140 pastured cows
along with 60 in the tie barn.
The cows on pasture receive 4 lbs
of supplement split over the two
milkings. Albert admits their pa-
John Nyhof and Rubine – nice temperament and good teat placement
stured dairy production is reduced
to 55 to 60 lbs/day, however the
cost to produce milk is substantially lower. „Overall, our production
balances with the winter months”
Albert says „Fleckvieh cattle are
aggressive graziers and their sound
feet and legs should go a long way
for them to go out and harvest the
feed for us – instead of us running
behind them”.
The Nyhofs have their pastures
seeded to perennial ryegrass, a diploid creeping rooted variety that
they obtained from Oregon. This
grass is extremely tolerant to grazing as they manage their cows to
be grazing the forage at 4 to 9 inches in height. The pastures are
split fertilized with 40 lbs of nitrogen on the first cycle, followed by
two further cycles of 30 lbs of nitrogen. John and Henry note that
this keeps pastures vigorous and
healthy and the nutrition for the
cows at optimum. The ryegrass also easily reseeds itself.
Happy about Fleckvieh!
Pictured left to right: - John and Albert Nyhof, Nyhof Farms
- Werner Popp – President, Big Bear Genetics Ltd.
Fertility and health
Is the investment in Fleckvieh semen worthwhile? The Nyhof family
and others that have used Fleckvieh point to its better fertility. Since using Fleckvieh, the Nyhofs tell
us that they are requiring 1.8 services/conception down from 2.6 services which they were previously
used to. As a result they also expect to reduce their intercalving
period down from 14 months. Many of the dairies in Germany are
running intercalving periods of 12
to 12.5 months – another goal to
pursue. These animals are definitely healthier, the Nyhofs note – veterinary costs are dropping. For
further information on Dairy Fleckvieh or to contact the Nyhofs directly please contact: John or Werner Popp; Big Bear Genetics Ltd.,
North American Information, Distribution and Breed Center for
Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics, Erikkson, Manitoba CA (204) 636-2387
or 2665; [email protected]
www.fleckvieh.de
Rubine – 26 days lactation 85 lbs
4.2 % Fat, 3.2 % Protein, Good foreudder
DHI projection 21365 lbs at 305 days
FLECKVIEHWorld 2005