Improving our herd, one generation at a time

Andrew Rutter shares how he uses genetic selection and genomics to breed the next generation of Holstein cattle at Clayhanger Hall Farm.

Our breeding philosophy has evolved with advancements in genetic selection and genomics. By focusing on functional traits over just appearance, we are improving our herd’s productivity and efficiency while ensuring their health and welfare.

In the UK, we can choose from about 50 different genetic traits when planning our breeding programmes. These traits include production, health and welfare, management, efficiency and linear traits that affect how the animal looks and performs. The independent and accurate collection of these traits in the UK – and the subsequent analysis by AHDB – is crucial, ensuring we can make reliable improvements in the next generation.

The impact of genetics

Genetics is a long-term process. The traits we select today will show up in the cows' milk production and performance in about three years, and these traits will stay in the genetic line forever. The Holstein breed is incredibly adaptable and productive, often exceeding our expectations. Modern Holsteins not only produce a lot of milk but also have improved management and welfare traits, making them more robust, easier to care for and more fertile.

When I was growing up, Holsteins were known for their milk production but needed a lot of care due to issues like lower fertility and calving difficulties. Over the years, through careful genetic selection, we have greatly improved these traits, evolving the breed from high-maintenance cows in the 1990s to the more resilient and efficient cows we have today.

Shifting focus: From appearance to function

Before we had health and welfare traits, we relied heavily on linear traits, which are associated with the cow’s appearance, assuming these traits would lead to better performance. However, our approach at the farm has changed a lot. We now prioritise breeding for traits like fertility, longevity, health, robustness and efficiency over just appearance. This ensures our cows are not only productive but also healthier and easier to manage.

When selecting sires, the old method was to use daughter-proven sires and choose females based on an average of their parents' qualities. Today, we use advanced genomic tools and data to make better decisions, focusing on long-term genetic gains. Each female is sampled at birth, and a month later, we get their genetic "GCSEs", which help us decide which ones to breed.

Our breeding protocol

At birth, we give each calf 4 litres of top-quality colostrum within 2 hours, which is the most important meal of their life. We also ensure a clean pen, iodine-dipped navel and a tiny ear punch for genomics testing. This helps us start our calves off right and gather essential genetic information early on.

All genetic information is collected and published independently by AHDB, which is a crucial part of our future. Genetics on a dairy farm is responsible for about 30–50% of improvement in margins. It is important to spend a significant amount of time thinking about these decisions to ensure the best outcomes for our herd.

Achievements and goals

We are proud to see some of our females rank in the top 0.05% of the breed over the last year on the £PLI (Profitable Lifetime Index), especially scoring well on feed advantage and EnviroCow traits, which are our main goals. For us, these functional traits make our cows truly valuable.

Recently, we had a beautiful calf born through embryo transfer. We keep a closed herd for health and biosecurity reasons, but ET allows us to try new families. This calf comes from a favourite line from my old job, the Steffi’s, known for their excellent traits and reliability in large commercial units.

The Holstein cow of today shows the power of science and careful breeding, combining high production with easy management. As we look to the future, we are committed to continuing to improve our herd, one generation at a time.

Andrew Rutter spent 20 years at Genus, where he managed the EU breeding programme. He returned to the family farm in 2018 as partner and herd manager, taking over breeding decisions at Clayden Holsteins, Crewe.