Surveys more use than BLUP
Surveys more use than BLUP
DAIRY producers choosing a pedigree beef sire based on calving ease should use information from dairy cow calving surveys rather than relying on the breeds BLUP calving values.
Genus beef specialist Neil Wharton says there is little correlation between BLUP figures for calving ease and the degree of difficulty experienced when using the same bull to serve dairy cows.
"Beef bulls purchased by Genus undergo our calving survey, which evaluates ease of calving, calf quality, gestation length and calf colour. Dairy producers should use this information as it is most relevant to them."
More than 95% of Genuss Belgian Blue semen is used in dairy cows, as producers are looking for additional conformation in progeny, ease of calving and a short gestation length, he says.
According to the BLUP system, Twyning Ash Lingard – a Belgian Blue bull – appears to be a difficult calving bull with a calving value of BB-1C. But when evaluated on dairy cows he has a low calving difficulty of 2%.
"In the context of the breed, Lingard is in the bottom 10% with regard to calving ease, but on dairy cows he is in the top 1%," says Mr Wharton.
However, calving ease can also worsen, he adds. Ingenieux du Stordeur is rated on BLUP as BB3C for calving value, but has a high calving difficulty of 4.2% when used on dairy cows.
"With the average cost of a difficult calving estimated to be £320 by SAC, it is essential for dairy producers to choose a bull tested on dairy cows, where the information collected has been properly analysed through established genetic models."
Genus evaluates all its beef breeds on dairy cows. Results are published in its beef brochure. *