JERONIMO joy – Holstein smashes breeding records

Australia’s highest-ranking dairy bull and heifer were revealed on Monday in the latest Australian Breeding Values (ABV) release. ABS JERONIMO-P was the first sire to record a Balanced Performance Index (BPI) of more than 590, coming in at a record breaking 596, deeming him the most profitable dairy sire in the nation. The Holstein also notched a breed-leading 602 on Australia’s Health Weighted Index (HWI) – a breeding index that values vital traits such as fertility, mastitis resistance and feed saved.

A heifer sired by JERONIMO-P and owned by south west Victorian dairy farmers Andrew and Jacqui Delaney was also crowned Australia’s number one heifer, with a BPI$ of 544 – up 51 BPI points from the December ABV release. Australia’s top heifer is about 15 months old and is one of about 40 owned by the Delaney family that will be joined in the coming weeks to Bomaz EPISODE. JERONIMO-P has flooded the pointy-end of the heifer rankings, having sired 34 of the top 100. The Delaney’s own five heifers sired by JERONIMO-P in the top 100.

The rise of JERONIMO-P is a win for Australian dairy farmers, a vote of confidence in genotyping and proof selecting sires for local conditions delivering profit, according to ABS Australian Business Operations Manager Bruce Ronalds. “With 27 daughters milking in Australian herds, Jeronimo’s performance has eclipsed his genomic prediction,” he said. “If ABS hadn’t run every bull through the Australian genomic system, Jeronimo may never have been found. He’s the ideal sire for Australian conditions and his success demonstrates to farmers that there are bulls which deliver profit and health benefits for our unique milking systems.”

JERONIMO-P burst onto the Australian breeding scene three years ago as the first sire to hit the market with a BPI of more than 400. He’s remained at the top of the ABV genomic list since. In this recent ABV release, JERONIMO-P lifted 2 points to 104 for temperament, 64 points for ASI (production) and 3 points for mastitis resistance.

Terang dairy farmers Bryan and Jo Dickson have nine JERONIMO-P daughters milking in a herd of up to 1000 and these heifers contributed to the bull’s ABV ranking. In late March, the Dickson heifers had an average PI of 100, with the highest hitting 109. “They are going reasonably good considering he is a health sire, health doesn’t go into the production index,” Bryan said. “They also aren’t out of super good cows, just normal, standard cows. None of the heifers kick and they aren’t slow milkers either.”

Across in South Australia, JERONIMO-P heifers have met the expectations of Mt Gambier dairy farmer Shane Gardiner. Two of the five milking in Shane’s 250 cow herd have undergone their first herd test with the results proving to Shane the value of genomic technology. “I am definitely more confident that they are going to be profitable animals,” he said. “So far, from what I can see, they are performing the way I expected them to perform. It gives me confidence that they are going to do the job we bought them for in the first place.” In March, the heifers were calved six-to-seven weeks and while they were showing promising signs in the vat, Shane was also pleased with them in the dairy. “They are very quiet, he said. “It’s good because it’s a safety factor, for starters, and its enjoyable to milk quiet cows.”

Jeronimo’s Journey

• First sire to hit 400 BPI$ in April 2018
• Hit the ABV Future Stars List in December 2017 with a BPI$ of 397
• Ranked number 1 BPI genomic sire for three sire summary proof runs in 2018
• He’s remained at the top of the genetic list since his release in 2018
• Sired 34 per cent of top 100 genomic tested heifers 2021
• A descendant of the Coyne-Farms Ramos Jelly family in New York, USA

PROVEN WINNERS

Four of the top 10 proven Holstein sires revealed in the latest ABV release were from the ABS stable. Farmer favourite and short gestation sire De-Su 13530 SEVILLE was at number five with a BPI$ of 411 while dairy strength breed-leader Rosylane-LLC SPOCK was ranked seventh with a BPI$ of 392. ABS Australia Business Operations Manager Bruce Ronalds said dairy strength was something the local industry was calling for among the highest-ranking profit and health bulls. “This bull proof run demonstrates ABS is delivering what farmers want and sires that make money in the Australian system,” he said.

JERSEY POLLED OPTIONS

For the first time in a year, Australian Jersey breeders have access to a high ranking, true polled, outcross sire. VACUUM-PP was the number one true polled sire in Monday’s ABV release and with a BPI$ of 245, he’s the only PP genomic sire in the Good Bulls Guide. “The industry has been crying out for a quality polled sire, Mr Ronalds said. “The fact he’s true polled means 100 per cent of his progeny will be polled. There are only a limited number of Jersey PP bulls available now in Australia.” Sired by All Lynns Listowel DALTON P out of a VIABULL, Pine-Tree VACUUM-PP is a true outcross for many Australian Jersey breeders. His 103 daughter fertility and 107 mastitis resistance rankings are added bonuses. VACUUM-PP is also A2 and BB Kappa-Casein – the latter helps with cheese making.

Through ABS’ relationship with Central Sires Co-operative (CSC), ABS is proud to present Australian bred Brookbora BUSHFIELD P – the highest single P Jersey sire in the country. As one of the few sires to add chest width and body depth to the breed, he will tick a lot of boxes for breeders. With 109 for type, 110 for udders, 103 for daughter fertility and an A2 sire, he has plenty for commercial and registered breeders.

Bred by renowned northern Victorian breeders Robert and Sandra Bacon, the dam of BUSHFIELD P, Brookbora Valentino Sweet Elfa EX-90, won the four-year-old in-milk class at the Central Gippsland Jersey Fair in late March. Elfa then went on to unanimously win the Interbreed Intermediate Supreme Champion at the 2021 Royal Sydney Show in April. The bull is currently going through health testing and semen will be available in July, ready for spring joining.

DEEP RED SUCCESS

Stability is the key to ABS’ Red breed offering this ABV release, with long-time, farmer favourite sires improving. ONSTAD P and powerhouse ROEN continue to sit at the top of the ABV proven list, with the former sire now drawing his data from 25 milking daughters. Impressing in the dairy, ONSTAD P has 319 BPI$, 107 type, 105 mammary and 108 daughter fertility. ROEN is also the highest daughter fertility sire in the breed at 109 and boasts a breed-leading HWI of 342. This won’t be a surprise for Red breed enthusiasts, given he’s a health specialist.