Jersey “all rounder” jumps with genomics

• A new standout genomic Jersey hits the front
• Five of the top 10 Australian proven bulls are ABS sires
• Top Holstein proven bull is ABS’ Denovo 14744 GINETTA
• Long-time Holstein breed leader ABS JERONIMO P’s bloodlines feature in top high-ranking cows and bulls.

AUSTRALIA’S most exciting Jersey bull is big on milk, high on type and has positive components. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding why Kaarmona Jeronimo Brady (CSCBRADY) – the number one Australian Breeding Value (ABV) genomic Jersey sire at 445 BPI – is a game-changer for the breed in Australia.

His dam – Kaarmona Invincible Babe 323 EX-91(max) – is Australia’s former number one Jersey BPI genomic cow at 463 and a descendant from the live import brought into the country in the early 1990s to expand the nation’s genetic pool and improve Jersey milk flow. Eight of 10 CSCBRADY’s dams have also classified Excellent.

The fact that CSCBRADY’s breeder – Kaarmona – is the only dairy stud in Australian history with a Master Breeder award from two different breeds, is just icing on the cake.

ABS Australia Business Operations Manager Bruce Ronalds said CSCBRADY ticks many boxes for Jersey breeders. “He’s a Jersey bull with over 500 litres of milk and positive components – that’s pretty unique,” he said. “And he’s also got the unusual combination of high type and high production. He’s ranked number two for Australian Selection Index (ASI) in the Jersey breed and number one for Type.” A “pretty special bull for ABS.” Bruce said he’s a sire with something for everyone. “He’s ideal for anyone who wants to increase their herd’s genetic gain at a rapid rate,” he said. “Regardless, he will be one of our biggest sellers and we anticipate export demand for him, big time.”

Breeder Rohan Sprunt from Kaarmona Jerseys and Holsteins said CSCBRADY has a deep and productive pedigree. “His (CSCBRADY) mother and grandmother are such high milk cows and have high components, both were over 4 per cent protein cows,” he said. “They are both big frame cows too. Hopefully he can add frame to animals too because his genomic profile indicates he will transmit size, openness and front-end width into his daughters.”

Central Sires Co-operative (CSC) owns CSCBRADY and its Chair Peter Ness said the young Jersey sire was a standout. “When we purchased CSCBRADY in September he was 40-odd points (BPI) better than any other bull and usually when a new bull comes along, they might be five to 10 points above anything else, this one was a fair jump,” he said. “He’s a good all-round bull, with a high BPI.”

Also demonstrating his stability and wide-ranging appeal at the top of the Jersey list is Forest Glen Craze TRIPP at 367 BPI, after adding 118 daughters in 18 herds, to a total of 148 daughters, since the August ABV proof release. Bruce said TRIPP was one of the first cohorts of sires involved in the increased uptake of sexed genetics and this has resulted in a “big whack” of daughters coming through the system in one hit. “But this huge group of daughters also shows how highly fertile and reliable he is,” Bruce said. “He’s also got good Daughter Fertility at 102 and is a breed leader for Teat Length at 112.”

Leongatha North farmers Kylie and Mark Reid have used a lot of Sexcel® TRIPP in recent years as a tool to increase their genetic gain. “With TRIPP he’s got good fat, milk, protein, fertility, good teat length and chest width,” Kylie said. “We breed for fertility and milk. There’s no point having a cow with no fertility and milk, they are production animals, you want them to produce. If they look pretty, that’s a bonus.”

New Holstein talent

Up and coming Holstein Denovo 15492 HUGO is shaping up as a good “all-round” sire with reliability to back-up his impressive production, health and type figures. And with 52 milking daughters, he’s not only increased 66 BPI points to 519 BPI, he’s on his way to the proven ABV list. Ranked third on the Sustainability Index (SI) at 1065 and with 41kg of protein and 53kg of fat, HUGO has elite production. In addition, he’s 106 for Type, 107 for Udders and has good Mastitis Resistance and Daughter Fertility.

Bruce said HUGO daughters are proving their worth on the farm. “Those farmers milking them, they are now coming back and using him again,” he said. “They are all pretty impressed with his daughters, they’ve all reported good, sound udders, high milk flow, with high components; the latter combination is rare.”

ABS Australia continues its dominance of the Holstein ABV proven list, with five of the top 10 sires in the country.

Denovo 14744 GINETTA sits at the top of the Holstein ABV proven list at 536 BPI and now has 100 daughters in Australia. From the same US cow family as HUGO, GINETTA is comparable to many young genomic sires, valuable today in the industry and offers the reassurance of an Australian proven pedigree.

Long-time breed leader, ABS JERONIMO P remains in second place with a whopping 931 daughters and is the sire of many of the nation’s top young genomic bulls and top cows.

For ABS Australia’s Bruce Ronalds, stability in bull rankings means ABS Australia sires are consistent and “stand the test of time”. “This is great news for dairy farmers, they can choose ABS genetics with confidence,” he said. “And for many that used the bulls as genomic sires, these consistent proven results demonstrate the value in their breeding choices.”

Denovo 4798 ESTATE PP remains number one homozygous polled bull in Australia at 537 BPI. Guaranteeing 100 per cent polled progeny, he’s one of ABS Australia’s 30 homozygous polled (or double-P polled) Holstein bulls available in the country, offering three times as many than any genetics company.

For those looking for “elite type” Kings-Ransom S DREAMBIG – bred by the famous US Holstein stud Kings-Ransom – is now 112 for Udders, in the top 1 per cent for this trait in Australia. And better still, he matches his looks with production. “A lot of the elite type bulls are lucky to get over 100 ASI, but DREAMBIG is 158 ASI, 111 for Daughter Fertility and has 30 milking daughters,” Bruce said. “His US proof has contributed to a lot of his local information, but we are getting pretty good Australian data coming through now and it’s looking promising.”

Fresh Red set to wow

A new outcross Red bull has hit the Australian market and he offers everything a farmer wants – plus the reliability of 70 local, milking daughters across 14 herds. MAURSTAD is a double P sire – guaranteeing 100 per cent polled progeny – a breed-leader in Daughter Fertility at 107, A2 and -11 days Gestation Length.

ABS Australia’s Bruce Ronalds said MAURSTAD PP offers plenty of practical benefits. “A lot of farmers have been using him towards the backend of artificial insemination, because of his short gestation period, to tighten calving,” he said. “He’s also a little outcross to the Red breed here in Australia too, even though he has STAD in his name. MAURSTAD PP’s sire hasn’t been used in Australia at all and his maternal grand sire has had limited use locally.”

ABS Australia also continues to dominate the Good Bulls Guide Red Polled offering, with six of the only nine P or double-P sires on offer.