Olympian top again
Olympian top again
TOP herd on genetic merit in the latest NMR annual report is, for the second year running, the Spibys Olympian herd, West Sussex, with a herd PIN of £74.
Second place goes to the Genus MOET nucleus herd with a PIN of £71, and moving up the rankings from fifth to third place is Andrew Chadwicks herd from Cheshire with a PIN of £60 (see table).
The report, which includes all completed lactations for the year ending Sept 96, ranks the top herds and cows from each of the five dairy breeds both on genetic index and production, based on com-bined weight of fat and protein.
Top on production, out of over 1m qualifying lactations, and breaking the 12,000kg of milk barrier, is Richard Hancock, Shrews-bury, Shropshire, whose Meadow-ville herd boasts 865kg combined fat and protein and 12,338kg milk.
Second again this year is Charles Coakers Supreme herd, Kegworth, Leics, with 815kg CFP and 11,207kg of milk. Third place goes to the Jones Failand herd, Bristol, with 807kg CFP and 11,105kg of milk. Peter Dixon Smiths Lyons herd is in fourth place with 807kg CFP and 11,065kg milk.
Top of the Ayrshire genetic list is Buckenham Farms with £22 PIN; Jersey, AP Dixon, £34 PIN; Guernsey, AS and SE Blumenau, £21; and Shorthorn B W Howe with £23. Top Ayrshire herd on production is A Coutts, 578kg CFP; Jersey, VF Collinson, 606kg; Guernsey, Clifton Brown, 565kg; Shorthorn J S Milnes, 564kg. *
Cows such as Olympian Bell Irene, the equal highest indexing Ugela Bell daughter in the UK at £110 PIN, helped secure the Olympian herd top place on genetic index. A sixth generation VG or Ex cow, she gave 11,436kg at 3.79% fat and 3.54% protein in her second 305-day lactation. BLAD-free, she has sons with Genus, Avoncroft and Cogent.
Top five black-and-white herds ranked on PIN95
OwnerQ herdCalvingMilkFatProteinF&PPIN95
Q heiferindex(kg)(%)(%)(kg)(£)
Spiby Partners4547311,2773.773.32799+74
West Sussex179,7793.753.33693+79
MOET Nucleus Herd13151410,3213.623.27711+71
Northumberland919,8803.583.29679+79
J Chadwick & Sons12438510,6863.603.22729+60
Cheshire499,9383.533.19668+62
Padfield (Hayleys)18641311,2613.693.23780+54
Essex7810,4343.653.25720+56
J G Quicke & Partners3623967,6524.453.43640+54
Devon1156,9134.413.43542+62