Three new number one bulls amongst non-Holstein breeds

Each of the main non-Holstein breeds has a new leader in the April genetic evaluations, published today (4 April) by AHDB.

Jerseys

The number one Jersey, JX River Valley Chief {6}, has edged the long-term breed leader into second place, with a Profitable Lifetime Index of £425. He steals a march on his stable mate, most notably for his Predicted Transmitting Ability for fat, at a breed record 36.9kg. Combined with 834kg milk and 26kg protein, Chief also achieves a favourable maintenance rating, at -14. The JX prefix to his name indicates he has at least one ancestor of another breed within six generations of his pedigree, in Chief’s case generation six.

Dropping to second place is River Valley Cece Chrome (PLI £420), who maintains his transmission of exceptionally high production, now with 565 UK daughters contributing to his PTAs. Chrome also features reductions in somatic cell count, at SCC -11.

Moving upwards and into third position is Primus Craze Starlord, whose high lifespan credentials (LS +128 days) help earn him a PLI of £405.

The next two Danish Jerseys have higher milk components than the top three North Americans, beginning with VJ Hoeholt Jern James, ranked fourth (PLI £403). With +0.23% fat and +0.15% protein, and impressive reductions in cell count (-18 SCC), this bull also transmits good daughter fertility, with a Fertility Index of 5.9.

Rounding off the top five is Danish VJ Aarre Lappe Lari (PLI £380), with a combination of good milk solids (0.14% fat and 0.12% protein), udder health (SCC -17), Fertility Index (7.3) and Maintenance.

Friesians

In the British Friesian rankings, Manorpark Google takes over the lead, with a PLI of £370. Google transmits high weights of milk solids (22.6kg fat and 19.1kg protein), and shorter gestations, at three days less than breed average.

Inch Persistent drops down one place, with a PLI of £364, maintaining high fat% (+0.17), good daughter lifespans (+134 days) and the highest Type Merit in the rankings (+2.27).

The third-ranking bull, Inch Hearty (PLI £285) boasts the highest daughter Fertility Index of the top five sires (5.9), while also transmitting good protein (+0.12%) and long lifespans, at 128 days longer than breed average.

Fourth place is taken by yet another from the same herd – Inch Benny Red. With a PLI of £268, this bull has a very favourable Maintenance index (-27), shorter gestations (-3) and strong calf survival (CS +5.3).

Rating even higher for Calf Survival is Catlane Cromwell, ranked fifth. He combines a CS of +5.8 with good udder health (-6 SCC), contributing to a PLI of £257.

Ayrshire

Amongst the Ayrshire breed, a big jump in £PLI sees VR Venom head the table for the first time, with a PLI of £485. Venom transmits outstanding daughter fertility (FI 16.1), as well as solid production (304kg milk) and a good (-10) index for SCC.

Venom’s good performance edges VR Vilano into second position, with an index featuring long lifespans (+95 days) and shorter gestations (-3). His PLI is £431.

Another big climber is third placed VR Viking Viljar Vario (PLI £399), who transmits great udder health (-17 SCC, -2 Mastitis) and good fertility (+10.4).

Early milking daughter information propels the UK-bred Troutbeck Progress into a close-run fourth place (PLI £398), his PTAs featuring extreme production (853kg milk, 35.3kg fat and 28.1kg protein) and high type (1.7 TM).

VR Viljar Vilperi rounds off the breed’s top five, his high milk components (+0.20% fat, +0.13% protein), great SCC (-19) and impressive daughter fertility (+15.7) contributing to his PLI of £378.

“It’s important that breeders don’t compare one breed with another on these breed-specific lists as they are all expressed against their own breed average, or genetic base,” says Marco Winters, head of animal genetics for AHDB.

For those using a mixture of breeds, he says it’s likely to be better to use an across-breed index, such as the Spring or Autumn Calving Index.

Other breeds

Other dairy breed indexes for Montbéliarde, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Shorthorn and Fleckvieh are published online