import bills
Trim semen
import bills
BREEDING young sires to produce world class genetics proven under UK conditions will help claw back some of the £20m spent on imported semen each year, according to the RABDFs display at the event.
David Hewitt, breed development executive at the Holstein Friesian Society, explained that the purpose of the display was to raise the profile of progeny testing.
"A decade ago, progeny testing wasnt meeting targets, but now producers are actively looking for genetically superior cows.
"Also, the lack of progeny testing in the past meant that there was a large influx of semen to help satisfy demand for high performance sires."
The display illustrated the steps required to produce and test elite bulls, sourcing male and female cattle from around the world with the aim of identifying genetics which will best suit UK conditions in eight years time.
Once sires and dams are identified and mated, it takes about five years and three months before the first proof on the sire from that mating is available. It takes a further three years before the second crop of daughters will have a significant effect on the population.
Ensuring that reliabilities are high to produce accurate proofs is vital. Achieving an accuracy of 85% or more in the first proof – the target – means 100 daughters in 80 herds are required.
Type data on daughters, via breed classification programmes, is collected, processed by Edinburgh University, then passed onto the Animal Data Centre, which also receives data from milk recording organisations to produce a proof.
According to Mr Hewitt, a sound progeny testing program depends on it being well constructed and administered. A strong testing program should mean that we can stop such a high proportion of money going out of the UK to pay for semen."
He estimated that importing semen costs UK producers up to £20m a year. Developed dairy nations produce 80-90% of their own semen requirements, while in the UK, that figure is about 20%, according to the RABDF, meaning the 80% shortfall is imported.
"A good progeny testing program – using top genetics and rigorous testing – will put our industry where it should be," he said.
He cited successes in the show ring – coupled with UK success in latest proof runs with MOETMartha Franchise- as evidence that the system was improving UK breeding. "Many of the cows winning in the ring today are UK-bred."
, while MOET Martha Franchises entry into the top four in the August proof run is a tremendous achievement."
compete.
PROGENYTESTING
• £20m/year spent on imported semen.
• UK produces 20% of requirements.
• Strong progeny testing vital to compete.