LAVA is Australia’s hottest new Jersey bull

A Jersey breeder’s favourite cow has delivered one of the nation’s most exciting outcross bulls. Ranleigh LAVA – bred by the Boyd family, Ranleigh Farms, in Gippsland – has no Valentino in his maternal line. And he’s kicking goals.

ABS Australia Sales Representative and Jersey Specialist, Alan Blum, said LAVA’s diverse pedigree meant he provides something for everyone. “LAVA offers Jersey breeders a unique combination with his outcross pedigree and no holes in his proof,” he said. “This makes him easy to use in any breeding program.”

Bred from Ranleigh Helen 4547, one of the oldest cows in the Boyds’ milking herd, who is classified EX-91 and has won the breed’s prestigious STP (Superior Type and Production) award for lifetime production.

LAVA is 353 Balanced Performance Index (BPI$) and 269 Health Weighted Index (HWI), +61 for Milk, 14kg for protein, 38kg for fat, 144 for Cell Count, 106 for Mastitis Resistance and 105 Likeability.

Alan said this balanced proof comes from the depth of the Helen cow family. “LAVA hasn’t just appeared by accident as the Helen cow family has developed into one of Ranleigh’s most prolific families with several lines of the cow family producing top-end genetics,” he said. “The Ranleigh Helen 4547 cow family traces back nine generations to the foundation family member Ranleigh Helen, sired by “HI” Sproslea HI Lindan. Some of the breed’s great cow families are represented through LAVA’s sire lines, such as Bushlea Fearnleaf Theone, Willow Dell Fancy Fabricate, Daraway Vanessa Doubled, Lightwood Amber Larfalot and D&E Violet Volcano.”

Estelle Boyd, who’s family bred LAVA, said Ranleigh Helen 4547 was her favourite cow across the family’s two herds totalling nearly 600 cows. “At 10 years-old she’s still going strong,” she said. “Nothing goes wrong with her.”

The Boyd family breeds for type, production, and good udders. Genomic testing has enabled them to shorten generation intervals and identify superior animals.

LAVA is the family’s second bull to enter artificial insemination. Estelle said the name LAVA was an obvious choice for the next generation sire. “When you think lava, you think volcano,” she said. “The sire of Helen 4547 is All Lynns Legal VOLCANO-ET. I was sure LAVA would have been used before for a bull name, but it wasn’t. That’s why he’s LAVA.”