Home-bred bulls feature heavily in UK proof run
Home-bred bulls feature heavily in UK proof run
By Jessica Buss
UK DAIRY breeding looks to be back on track with home-bred bulls prominent in the latest UK proof run and a Lucky appearance from Cogent five years after its launch.
While the Genus-bred Genus Townley leads the UK progeny tested sire ranking with his high production, Cogent competes well with three UK bred sires. Many more promising UK bred sires feature further down the ranking.
Townleys proof now shows £66 PLI and £75 PIN, after the recent predicted transmitting ability base change and revised figures for PIN calculations based on predicted milk and cattle prices (Livestock, Jan 21).
Genus James Simpson says he hopes Townley will be in the top five PIN bulls when international proofs are calculated this week.
Also UK-bred is Cogent Lucky, in joint third position on a PLI ranking at £61 and £53 PIN. But Cogent has extra cause for celebration, with Lucky also taking second position on the UK type merit ranking with a score of 2.75.
"We are lucky to have had this bull come through and to have three bulls in the top 10 just five years after Cogents launch," says the companys Wes Bluhm.
"Lucky has the type of conformation to handle high production. He produces cows that will last and be trouble free." On the old type merit system he would have scored over 3, adds Mr Bluhm. A Jabot son, Lucky also offers high fat and protein deviation at 0.13 and 0.07, respectively. His proof also shows 384kg of milk, 24.1kg of fat and 17.4kg of protein.
Cogent-owned Beechpike Wintec still ranks well, having appeared in the top 10 last November, and now with £58 PLI and £69 PIN. He offers 840kg of milk, 22kg (-0.12%) fat and 27.4kg (0.0%) protein.
Beechpike Energy, also from Welsh breeder Lyndon Edwards, joins him in eighth position with £58 PLI and £67 PIN as the third Cogent owned bull in the top 10.
Cogent is also pleased with Cogent Figaro, who moves up in to the top 20 with £51 PLI, £43 PIN and 2.38 type merit.
Genus also reports a promising high type sire in the top 30 PLI ranking, Moet Almira Grosvenor.
Mr Simpson says that with a type merit of 2.4 and a top udder score, Grosvenors semen will be exported to the US. His proof also shows £49 PLI and £43 PIN, but Mr Simpson believes this may improve in May with daughters progressing further into their first lactation. *
Top 10 UK proven bulls (Feb 2000)
£PIN £PLI Type merit Price £ Supplier
Genus Townley 72 66 0.25 12 Genus
Fatal 51 65 1.61 28 Supersires
Cleiber 53 61 0.49 18 Topline Sires
Zandenburger Royal 53 61 0.46* 18 Genus
Cogent Lucky 53 61 2.75 34 Cogent
Etazon Celsius 65 59 1.80 40 Genus
Beechpike Wintec 69 58 0.36 18 Cogent
Beechpike Energy 67 58 0.87 18 Cogent
All Nure Adam Goodtime 58 58 1.85* 21 Topline Sires
Bilsrow Ugela Mr Rolls 48 54 0.61 14 Avoncroft
*Converted foreign type merit.
Source: Animal Data Centre and HUKI.
Cogent members receive a 50% discount on the companys sires.
Fulfordhall Lucky Clover 32, a daughter of Cogent Lucky, who enters the UKs February proof run in joint third position with a PLI of £61 and PIN £53.