journal - Jersey Australia

JERSEY
JOURNAL
September/October
Print Post Approved 325550-009
R ockleigh P ark V alerian V avoom
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#1 APR(g) Jersey sire @ 335 APR(g)
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l3rd dam Navara’s full sister
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Vol. 65 No. 5 - September-October 2012
JERSEY
COVER
Print Post Approved 325550-009
VAVOOM daughter owned by R&S Ballinger, Naringal, VIC.
Developing and Promoting
the Jersey Breed
Jersey Australia
Board Members
President:
Trevor Saunders
495 Araluen Rd, Yarragon VIC 3823
Telephone: (03) 5626 6373
[email protected]
Vice President:
Milton Johnston
118 Edinburgh Drive,
Taree, NSW 2430
Telephone: (02) 6552 5915
Secretary:
Scott Joynson
PO Box 292, Ascot Vale, VIC 3032
Telephone: (03) 9370 9105
[email protected]
Hon. Treasurer:
Peter Ness
PO Box 93, Mt Compass, SA 5210
Telephone: (08) 8556 8270
[email protected]
Andrew Younger
50 Zeerust School Rd, Zeerust Vic 3634
Ph: 03 5829 8352 Mob: 0409 572 484
Email: [email protected]
Geoff Heazlewood
PO Box 87 Latrobe TAS 7307
Telephone: (03) 6426 1169
Chris MacKenzie
859 Cooriemungle Rd
Timboon VIC 3268
Telephone: (03)559 87222
[email protected]
Troy Mauger
The Willows Willawa Rd
Jerilderie NSW 2716
Telephone: (03) 5885 9294
[email protected]
Rohan Sprunt
235 Kaarimba Hall Rd
Kaarimba VIC 3635
Telephone: (03) 5826 9506
[email protected]
Lisa Broad
388 Johnson Rd
Lockington VIC 3563
Telephone: (03) 5486 2624
[email protected]
Brian Wilson
204 Wallamore Road,
Tamworth NSW 2340
Telephone: (02) 6761 5783
[email protected]
AJBS Website:
www.jersey.com.au
JOURNAL
September/October
R ockleigh P ark V alerian V avoom
Rockleigh Park Valerian Vavoom
Valerian x VG-87 Manhatten x VG-88 FLOWERPOWER
Valerian x VG-87 Manhatten x VG-88 FLOWERPOWER
Photo by Ross Easterbrook.
Contact:
www.absglobal.com/aus
[email protected]
Ph: 02 6049 9200 l Fax: 02 6026 2387
Semen orders only, freecall 1800-ABS-BULL
#1 APR(g) Jersey sire @ 335 APR(g)
Pannoo Partners “Vanessa” family
3rd dam Navara’s full sister
l
l
l
JJcover_ABS_0812.indd 1
29/08/2012 9:33:36 AM
IN THIS ISSUE...
CONTENTS
ADVERTISERS INDEX
6 Behind the Scenes
7 August ABV Release
10 Supersensitive Jerseys need
ABS
Front Cover and 11
Agri-GeneIBC
Almervista Jerseys
32
Alta Genetics
9
Araluen Park Jerseys
29
Ardylbar Jerseys
23
Ascot Park Jerseys
26
Bushlea Jerseys
8
Central Gippsland JBC
20
Colac JBC
31
CRV15
CSC Co-Op
18-19
DeLaval5
Goulburn Murray JBC
17
Jimann Jerseys
28
Jugiong Jerseys
14
Nthn Districts JBC 4 and 21
PfizerIFC
SemexBC
Viking Genetics
22
WWS-GA33
Special Care with Embryo Transfer
16 New Board Member – Andrew Younger
24 Brisbane Royal Show Results
30 New office co-ordinator
ADVERTISING DEADLINES
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012
Advertising Bookings: OCTOBER 5th
If you are supplying press ready artwork from an outside
source the final deadline is OCTOBER 10, 2012
If you require your ad to be designed
- all copy must be received by OCTOBER 16, 2012
Editorial and Advertising to: SHARON CLARK
Clark Graffix - PO Box 1576, Shepparton VICTORIA 3632
T: 0437 066 077 | F: 03 5821 0165 | E: [email protected]
PO BOX 292, ASCOT VALE, VIC 3032
Telephone: (03) 9370 9105
Fax: (03) 9370 9116
Email: [email protected]
www.jersey.com.au
Pre-Press Editor & Graphic Design:
Sharon Clark - Clark Graffix
Printed by:
Shepparton Printing Service P/L
(03) 5821 4707
Email: [email protected]
NEW SOUTH WALES
State Secretary - Milton Johnston
Phone: (02) 6552 5915
Fax: (02) 6552 5915
[email protected]
QUEENSLAND
State Secretary - Diane Reeves
Phone: (07) 5485 4585
Work: (07) 3221 3182
Fax: (07) 5485 4575
Email: [email protected]
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
State Secretary - Amy McDonald
PO Box 13, Greenock SA 5360
Phone (08) 8562 8113
Fax (08) 8562 8520
Email: [email protected]
TASMANIA
State Secretary - Max McCormack
PO Box 1258, Devonport TAS 7310
Phone: (03) 6424 1250
Mobile: 0409 252 232
Email: [email protected]
VICTORIA
State Secretary - Andrew Younger
50 Zeerust School Rd, Zeerust Vic 3634
Ph: 03 5829 8352 Mob: 0409 572 484
Email: [email protected]
GENETIC RECOVERY OFFICERS
Chris MacKenzie (Western Districts)
Phone: (03) 5598 7222
Margaret Cockerell (Northern Vic)
Phone: 0407 641 132 (03) 5864 1133
Barry Monson
(03) 5625 3176 or 0429 343 903
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Susan Lutey
Feast Rd, Serpentine WA 6125
Phone: (08) 9525 2407
[email protected]
Opinions expressed in The Australian Jersey Journal are not necessarily those of Jersey Australia Inc or its Board of Management or
Compiling Editor, and no responsibility whatsoever is taken for their authenticity. While every effort will be made to publish advertisements
as ordered, no responsibility is taken for the failure of an advertisement to appear as ordered.
Jersey Journal – September/October 2012 3
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JJ JERSEY AUSTRALIA
J
by Scott Joynson
Behind the Scenes
ersey Breeders around Australia will no doubt have heard
via the media that on Friday 24th August ADHIS released
the first ever Jersey Genome proofs known as ABVg’s.
The maiden release was not without incident as ADHIS
picked up that the release data did not properly include the
influence of the 4300 cows tested as part of the Jernomics
Project. This discovery had analysts recalculate the release
data noting that the original figures were conservatively
biased and furthermore the discovery showed a similar
though smaller bias in the Holstein ABVg release.
The inclusion of the Jernomics Project data measured
against the correct base saw Jersey bulls increase across the
population by an average of +13 APR points.
The ADHIS Board and staff responded quickly to the
situation informing the Jersey Office, AB Companies and
other stakeholders that they had found the anomaly. With
consultation of all parties ADHIS made the decision to scrap
the original data in favour of a fresh re-release on Monday
27th August.
There has been some re-ranking of bulls not so much at the
very top of the lists but more so amongst bulls below this
elite group. It is also interesting that while ADHIS moved
toward a re-release that lifted the population, much of
the membership discussion on the topic seems to focus
critically on the fact that the genome technology can appear
to overly inflate young bulls without milking daughters.
It is Australia’s first release of Jersey Genome ABV’s and
there is still a lot to learn about the new industry breeding
tool and how best to use it. Moving forward with more data
and perhaps shared international data the early naysayers
will quieten down as reliabilities increase and future proof
releases come and go without incident. I know there is
perhaps another group of Jersey breeders out there, the
silent majority who wait and watch closely to see how the
genome predictions match the (milking daughter data
included) traditional ABV’s.
At the time of writing ADHIS prepares to post the genome
testing results out to all the herds who participated in the
Jernomic Project and I’m hoping that these will be out on
kitchen tables in the first week of September.
A further announcement to members is the deregistration
of the bull Paisley Milkalot, previously marketed by Alta
6 Jersey Journal – September/October 2012
Genetics and known by the NASIS Code: Milkalot. Upon
genomic testing the bull was found to have a percentage of
Holstein DNA which makes him ineligible for registration
on the Jersey Australia registrar.
The Jersey Australia Board have been in contact with
Alta Genetics who have written to all users of the now
deregistered PT Bull informing them of the situation. Alta
Genetics have removed the bull from sale and destroyed all
stocks of semen in storage.
In accordance with the Jersey Australia Board ruling
members are advised that registered female progeny of the
deregistered bull born prior to December 31st, 2011 will be
re-registered as GR2, females born beyond this date will be
considered GR3.
Female progeny as a result of embryos sired by the
deregistered bull collected prior to 31st March 2012 will be
registered as GR2 and beyond this date considered GR3. All
current and future male progeny of Paisley Milkalot will not
qualify for registration on the Jersey Australia registrar.
As a final note Jersey Australia has now confirmed with the
World Jersey Cattle Bureau that the 2013 Annual General
Meeting program will be conducted in Australia.
International visitors will arrive in Sydney on and travel to
Camden May 9th - May 11th. The second stage of the tour
will see visitors travel to Victoria visiting the three dairying
regions along with visits to research facilities and various
tourist destinations till the 22nd May where the official
WJCB tour ends.
A post tour is being planned for visitors to travel up to
Cairns so as to experience the Great Barrier Reef along with
the tourist attractions in the tropical North.
A full brochure and itinerary is being prepared and all
questions you may have about the event can be directed to
Robyn Barber [email protected] 03 9338 9259. Also
check the Jersey website regularly www.jersey.com.au as
updates and further details will be posted as they become
available.
This will be a great opportunity to return the hospitality
extended to our members who have taken part in the World
Jersey Cattle Bureau events abroad and not to be missed.
JJ INDUSTRY
T
August ABV Release: New Choices for Jerseys
he August release of Australian
Breeding Values (ABVs) provides
dairy farmers with the most up-todate information to make breeding
decisions for their herds.
It includes the first release of Jersey
ABV(g)s – breeding values based on
genomics – which will give Jersey
breeders new options for selecting
sires to use in their herds.
ABV(g)s enable dairy farmers to
achieve faster genetic gain by selecting
superior young sires with confidence.
Daniel
Abernethy,
from
the
Australian Dairy Herd Improvement
Scheme (ADHIS), said genomics was
the large scale use of DNA data to
predict the genetic merit of bulls and
cows.
Genomic testing – or genotyping
– can be done on an animal at any
age, allowing breeding values to be
estimated for young bulls, long before
they have daughters in production.
“An easy way to get started with
selecting young Jersey bulls is to refer
to the latest issue of the Good Bulls
Guide which includes the first list of the
top young Jersey bulls based on their
ABV(g)s,” he said.
Mr Abernethy said the reliabilities
of ABV(g)s for young bulls with no
daughter information was about 59%
for production traits and about 45% for
type traits.
“This is generally double the
reliability seen with parental average
alone, but it is still lower than the
reliability we see for proven bulls.
From August, Jersey breeders have new options with the first release of Jersey ABV(g)s – breeding values
based on genomics.
“A good approach is to use at least
two to three young genomic bulls from
the Good Bulls Guide as part of this
season’s bull team. This provides a
balance between the potential genetic
gain and risk,” Mr Abernethy said.
The introduction of genomic
technology in the Australian dairy
industry represents a significant
investment of government funds and
your dairy service levy. Partners in this
program include Dairy Australia, Dairy
Futures CRC, ADHIS, DPI-V, Holstein
Australia, Jersey Australia and Genetics
Australia.
CALL TO PRODUCERS OF CHEESE MADE WITH 100% JERSEY MILK
The 3rd World Jersey Cheese Awards
will be held in Jersey, Channel Islands on the 6th & 7th October 2012.
The second awards were held in 2010 with over 100 entries received from 10 countries and we hope to improve on that
this time. We had great feedback on the competition from medal winners at the 2010 awards and they reported that
interest in their products received a boost as a result.
Entry is free and can be made online - full details on how to enter and class schedules are on the web site –
www.jerseycheese.com - Closing date for entries 21st September 2012.
If you know of any producers of Jersey cheese please tell them about it and encourage them to enter.
Jersey Journal – September/October 2012 7
All About Udders!
AltA together with JerseylAnd sires - the Jersey Udder index (JUi) leAders
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(iatola / centurion / avery) +6.16 JUI
Type and producTion Leader
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ferTiLiTy and heaLTh
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(iatola / hallmark / lester ceaser) +5.84 JUI
baLanced producTion & heaLTh
pappy
(iatola / altaahlem / arco) +5.24 JUI
componenTs and heaLTh
paul
(rebel / hallmark / avery) +5.22 JUI
jpi Leader
galaxies
(jace / declo / alf ) +5.14 JUI
farmer favouriTe - 2nd crop success
cyrus
(country / hallmark / berretta) +4.81 JUI
#1 rear udders - high miLk
vanahlem
(altaahlem / flowerpower / taranak) +118 Mamm abv
#1 ausTraLian mammary abv (08/12)
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Unit 11, 85-91 Keilor Park Drive, Tullamarine, VIC, 3043
tel: (03) 9330 3444 fax: (03) 9330 3144
email: [email protected]
words: Michael Porteus
Giprat Belles Barbados
Photo: Frank Robinson
Supersensitive Jerseys
need special care
with embryo transfers
J
ersey breeders have been among Australia’s leading adopters of
embryo-transfers (ET) to increase returns from their champion
cows and speed up genetic gain in their herds.
Cattle fertility expert Dave Morris
of Bass Valley Embryo Service says
Jerseys can produce up to twice as
many calves as other breeds with ET
because Jerseys have supersensitive
follicles.
Dave says Jerseys are very sensitive
to the follicle stimulating hormones
(FSH) which are used to make cows
superovulate and make available more
of their eggs for fertilisation.
He says this can allow Jerseys to
produce up to 20 embryos in one flush,
and these can be implanted in recipient
cows which can enable a champion
Jersey produce 15 calves in a year.
10 Jersey Journal – September/October 2012
But Dave says care must be taken
with the FSH dose given to Jerseys,
which is often only about 50 to 60 per
cent of the dose required for a Holstein.
“That shows that Jerseys are
supersensitive,” Dave says. “It’s
all related to production. Because
Jerseys are slightly lower in total milk
production, there’s a little bit less
stress on them. So I’d say they might
give about 20 per cent more embryos
than higher-producing cows.”
There is also variation in each
Jersey’s response to FSH, and Dave
has to find each cow’s optimum dose
by monitoring how many embryos are
produced in each flush.
He also advises that Jersey breeders
monitor donor feeding: “Make sure
that’s it’s well balanced with not too
much protein – a donor Jersey needs a
high-energy, hight-fibre diet.”
Dave says he prefers not to flush
maiden heifer Jerseys, and would
rather work with young cows that
have had between one and four calves.
“A Jersey donor needs to have good
inherent fertility,” Dave says. “I like
to make sure that she has already
produced a calf every year herself that’s a good start.
“Jerseys just need that bit of extra
time to mature reproductively.”
After flushing, Dave uses two straws
of semen at about 12 hours and 24
hours after the donor cow has come on
heat.
“We like to spread the semen
because we don’t know how many
embryos the cow has released, and
over what period,” he says. “We like to
cover them over 12 to 24 hours to try to
fertilise as many embryos as possible.”
He also recommends against using
Jersey maiden heifers as embryo
recipients, because they don’t achieve
the highest conception rates.
However, Jersey embryos don’t have
to be implanted in Jerseys.
“Potentially, you can implant any
embryo into any cow – and some of the
best results have come from putting
Jersey embryos into Holstein heifers,”
Dave says.
But he wouldn’t recommend using
Holstein embryos in Jersey heifers:
“You’d get reasonable conception rates,
but the size of the calf is going to be the
problem at calving.”
(Continued on page 12)
l
Thinking Globally
24 daughters appraised in Canada, with 83% of them
scored VG or higher
Thinking Globally
Investing Locally
l
www.absglobal.com/aus l [email protected] l Ph: 02 6049 9200 l Fax: 02 6026 2387 l Semen orders only, freecall 1800-ABS-BULL
www.absglobal.com/aus l [email protected] l Ph: 02 6049 9200 l Fax: 02 6026 2387 l Semen orders only, freecall 1800-ABS-BULL
Investing Locally
145 daughters appraised in the US, average GP84.5
with 10.4% appraised EX and 93% appraised EX or VG
(Continued from page 10)
Dave says that a Jersey in-calf with a
donated embryo can be treated pretty
much like any other pregnant Jersey.
“I think an embryo is at its most
vulnerable for the first six weeks
after implantation,” he says. “With any
breed, I don’t like any unnecessary
handling or stress during those weeks.”
ET calves can slot into farmers’
normal calf-rearing programs, and
Dave says they grow up with no adverse
impact on their own fertility. He has
worked with multi-generational ET
Jersey families.
He does think Jersey sisters
produced from the same flush continue
to show a special link as they grow up.
The cows are not clones - their genetic
relationship is the same normal sisters
- but Dave says they do show a special
bond when they are together a herd.
Donor fertility essential
Dave cautions breeders against
deciding to flush a cow because they
can’t get her in-calf. He says they
have to investigate the reason for the
infertility.
“If it’s a physical injury or something
that has happened to her along the way,
that may be fair enough,” he says. “But
some animals have a genetic problem
in fertility. They are not good choices as
donors. All heifers resulting from that
sort of cow will have the same genetic
infertility as well.
“It’s essential to select a donor with
good fertility in her own right.”
“I like to physically check every
donor before I actually flush them. Quite
often I use an ultrasound machine so I
can assess the ovaries properly. It just
12 Jersey Journal – September/October 2012
gives an idea of the follicle numbers
in the ovaries, and makes sure they
haven’t got any ovarian cysts.
“I think having them on the correct
diet with correct trance elements can
guard against over-stimulation as well.
“With good donors, we can get
anything up to 20 embryos in one flush
out of a Jersey cow. You might end up
with 12 or 15 calves.
“Jerseys have the potential to be
very good donors, but you have got to
manage them properly to be able to
achieve those results consistently.”
Dave says some of his clients are
flushing second- and third-generation
ET cows. Quite a few calves born
through embryo transfer have gone
on to become breed champions or top
sires.
He says ET has helped Australian
breeders strengthen all the desirable
traits in their Jerseys, including milk
production and fertility.
“It’s just a way of increasing selection
pressure, ” he says. “It’s enabled us to
be able to select for all these different
traits more heavily, and get there a lot
quicker.
“If a cow has six or ten heifers
instead of one calf a year, you condense
six or ten years of breeding into one you have sped up the selection process
in all traits.”
Back to the basics of ET
ET first became commercial in
Australia after the mid 1970s, and
many Jersey breeders now sell embryos
collected from their own cows, or use
embryos purchased from Australia or
overseas.
Dave stresses the need for a
balanced approach to all fertility
issues. He recommends that farmers
work closely with vets to balance milk
production, nutrition and fertility.
He says it’s important for breeders
to go back to basics to fully understand
the advantages and limitations of
embryo transfers.
He says ET donor cows must have
normal fertility: “Ovulation involves
release of the egg from the follicle
into the oviduct. At this time, the egg
is undergoing changes to halve it’s
chromosome number in readiness for
fertilisation.
“Remarkably, the egg has been
resting dormant in the ovary since
its formation in early foetal life. Each
ovary has many thousands of eggs
waiting their turn to develop. Most of
these will never be used.
“After ovulation, the egg is directed
into the funnel shaped opening of
the oviduct. Fine hairs and muscular
contractions in the oviduct quickly
move the egg well down the oviduct to
the site of fertilization within 30 to 40
minutes.
“In an animal that has been mated,
the egg should encounter sperm cells
soon after its release. Passage of the
egg down the oviduct stimulates
sperm transport up the oviduct to the
site of fertilization, thereby ensuring a
prompt penetration of the egg.
“Eggs must be fertilised within eight
to 12 hours of their release, otherwise
they degenerate and are unable to be
fertilised. It is therefore important that
mating is done before ovulation occurs.
“Sperm cells also require maturation
inside the reproductive tract before the
are able to fertilise the egg. After four
to five hours, they are fully active. Many
semen cells surround the egg until one
penetrates the shell and the cell mass
causing fertilisation. Once this occurs,
no other sperm cell can enter the egg.
“After 15 to 20 hours, the first cell
division occurs and the egg is now
called an embryo. The embryo then
doubles it’s cell number every 24
hours. It remains in the oviduct for
about three days before entering the
uterus to continue development.
“By day nine or ten after fertilization,
the embryo hatches from its shell and
quickly grows throughout one and
then both horns of the uterus as the
pregnancy develops.”
Dave says cattle reproduction is a
complex sequence requiring the coordination of many steps to produce a
pregnancy.
A cow normally produces one live
calf per year, and normally only uses
only about ten of the hundreds of
thousands of eggs in her ovaries.
However,
cows
can
be
“superovulated”. A correct dose of FSH
at the right moment in their oestrus
cycle can induce the ovaries to release
many eggs at the same time.
The follicle stimulating hormone
does not have to come from a Jersey
or even from a cow. Dave says porcine
FSH from pigs is commonly used to
stimulate superovulation in dairy
cows.
After superovulation, many of a
cow’s eggs can be fertilised to produce
a number of embryos.
But Dave says these developing
embryos do not attach to the wall of
the cow’s uterus during the first few
weeks.
“Therefore
the
free-floating
embryos can be removed from the
uterus at day seven and transplanted
into a recipient cow,” he says.
“The implanted embryo is not
recognized as foreign by the recipient
and is not rejected, which enables us to
use any type of cow as a recipient.”
The development of an embryo in a
recipient’s uterus has no effect on the
genes in the embryo or the resulting
calf. They retain the genetics of the
donor cow and sire, and can pass these
on to subsequent generations.
Dave says that this means that
embryo collection and freezing
facilitates the storage and international
sharing of valuable Jersey genetics.
Embryo collection
Embryos are collected by inserting
a rubber foley catheter through the
cervix and into the uterine horn which
is then flushed with a saline flushing
medium.
“After manipulation of the uterus
with the hand in the rectum, the fluid is
drained from the uterus and collected
in a filter,” Dave says. “This process is
repeated a number of times in each
horn.
“The filtered flushing fluid is then
transferred to a flat searching dish and
examined for embryos.
“The embryos are then transferred
to a culture medium where they are
evaluated firstly to see if they have been
fertilized, and classified for their chance
of conception and rate of development
so they can be more closely matched
to the heat times of the recipients.”
Dave says graded embryos are
loaded into AI straws and held at
constant temperature until they are
implanted.
“The recipients are palpated to
determine on which ovary they have
ovulated,” he says.
“This is done by rectal examination
and manual palpation of the ovaries
to determine the presence of a corpus
luteum either on the left or the right
ovary. This indicates that the recipient
has had a normal cycle.
First Choice Power Belle Sup 92 - a Jersey conceived through
embryo transfer on a farm in Victoria.
“After an epidural anaesthetic, the
embryo is implanted into either the
right or left horn of the uterus using an
AI or ET gun.”
He says this process is not easy:
“It requires an ET vet of considerable
experience to manipulate the uterus
and place the embryo in the right
position within the uterine horn.”
Bass Valley Embryo services
averages six embryos per donor
flushed, although results can range
from zero to 50 embryos per donor.
Jerseys often
produce about 20
embryos.
“Donors should be in good
reproductive health and cycling
normally, and a minimum of 60 days
post calving,” Dave says.
He says conception rates from ET
vary with the quality of the embryos
and the recipient cows, and the effects
of nutrition and the season. But
conception rates are usually above 70
per cent.
He recommends that every property
set up a specific program of nutrition
and management to ensure optimum
results from ET.
Further research
Dave says that as ET has become
established, researchers have begun
looking at ways to make further gains
with techniques including semen
sexing, in-vitro fertilization, and
embryo cloning.
“These techniques are still being
examined, but may become commercial
possibilities in the not too distant
future,” he says.
First Choice Declo Belle – a Jersey conceived through embryo transfer.
Jersey Journal – September/October 2012 13
Celebrating our ...
On Farm Challenge SeniOr ChampiOnS
and congratulating the nDJBc on its 21st on Farm challenge in 2012
h Jugiong Daisymae 83 eX90
h Jugiong DayDream 349 eX92
h Jugiong ranunculus 4629 eX93
68m 6969 4.8 334 3.9 271 305 134
• Senior Champion 1992
Sire: Sproslea Hi Lindan
48m 8087 4.6 369 3.7 300 305 110
• Senior Champion 1999 & 2000
Sire: LESTER
72m 9288 4.6 425 3.5 326 305 126
• Senior Champion 2006
Sire: Jugiong 281 Star (Biestar)
h yarravale FernanDos Beth eX92 h Jugiong ilagay 142 suP92
h Jugiong ilagay 4712 eX93
108m 6024 6.4 383 4.3 259 305 125
• Senior Champion 1994
Sire: Sproslea Dan Fernando
60m 7007 5.6 395 3.7 259 305 102
• Senior Champion 2003
• Supreme Champion Great Sthn Challenge 2003
Sire: LESTER SAMBO
60m 10762 4.4 471 4.0 427 305 136
• Senior Champion 2007
Sire: ASTOUND
h monvale star mayJay eX92
h Jugiong PruDence 108 eX93
h Jugiong molly 5482 eX93
80m 10783 4.8 519 3.9 420 305 150
• Senior Champion 1998
Sire: BIESTAR
103m 8753 5.2 452 4.0 354 305 128
• Senior Champion 2005
Sire: PITINO
61m 9233 3.9 362 3.7 345 305 125
• Senior Champion 2011
Sire: ASTOUND
Owned with Rowantree Jerseys
Over the 20 years, 10 Senior
Champions have come from Jugiong.
We are very proud to be the only herd to have had more than
two senior champions in this time.
BOSGREGSTAR
Australia’s No.2 Genomic Jersey Sire
Australia’s Highest New Cow Family
Outstanding APR +112 Overall Type
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No.7 Genomic Jersey Sire
Super all round Type and
Super Overall +115 Type &
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Excellent Frames with
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Exciting Cow Family
Valerian, Elton &
Manhatten Free Pedigree
words: Michael Porteus
New board member
wants a Jersey premium
N
ew Jersey Australia board
member Andrew Younger
(pictured) says he wants to see a
more realistic value – a premium
– for registered Jerseys.
The secretary of Jersey Australia’s
Victorian branch who this year also
joined the national board says that there
is currently too much of a discrepancy
between the value of Holsteins and
Jerseys.
Andrew now runs about 210 Jerseys
and 20 cross breeds on his 230-acre
share farm 12km north of Shepparton.
He says reasons for the difference
between the value of registered Holsteins
and Jerseys include competition in the
supply of black and whites, and the larger
number of breeders.
“But part of the reason is also
that the commercial farmer has been
brainwashed with the production ability
of the Holsteins,” says Andrew. “They
16 Jersey Journal – September/October 2012
have not looked at the big improvements
that Jerseys have made in that area.”
Andrew can remember three decades
ago when Jerseys always won the bestudder awards at shows, but did not give
enough milk.
“The show ring dictated what was
bred, instead of production,” he says.
“But now its different - I’ve bought a
couple of jerseys that have done 10,000
litres. So the breed should be getting a
better economic value, and we also need
to get that bonus for a registered animal.”
Andrew says a good cow is not a bad
colour. Last year he surprised many
when he gave the three championship
awards to Holsteins when he judged at
the Camperdown show.
But he is always working for Jersey
breeders to get increased returns for
their cattle and their milk.
Andrew was born into a non-farming
family in at Launceston in Tasmania
in 1960. He had decided to be a dairy
farmer by 1964. By the 70s, he knew
he the breed he would run because of
the temperament of his uncle Bruce
Younger’s Jersey herd.
Andrew left Launceston to study at
Dookie Agricultural College, and says
he had to stay in Victoria to get viable
returns from a Jersey stud.
Andrew joined the board of the Jersey
Australia (Vic) branch five years ago and
is now its secretary. He joined the Jersey
Australia board this year, nominating
where there were unfilled vacancies. He
says there is plenty of worthwhile work
to do on both Jersey boards.
Andrew says breeds are a personal
preference. One reason he prefers Jerseys
is that he is a bachelor. He can manage
spring calving of more than 200 Jerseys
by himself, but would not be able to do
that with Holsteins. “You could be pulling
30 per cent of your calves,” he says.
However, he says there is a mountain
of issues where dairy breeds have to work
together, as they do on the all-breeds
show ethics committee. He says there
may be inter-breed synergies in dealing
with health issues, and establishing
protocols for work on genomics.
“When you are in the stud game, you
don’t just keep an eye on your own block,”
... every breed has a strength
and its weakness, but Jerseys
definitely have advantages when
it comes to environmental care,
carbon footprint, cheese yield
and profitability.
he says. “You’ve got friends that are
involved with different breeds, and there
are so many similar things. We all benefit
from seeing how the other operates, and
seeing how things can work together.”
He says every breed has strength
and its weakness, but Jerseys definitely
have advantages when it comes to
environmental care, carbon footprint,
cheese yield and profitability.
Andrew supplies Murray-Goulburn
Co-op, where farmers are paid on
components. Although he admits that
it would be difficult to organise, he is
disappointed that his Jerseys are not
rewarded for the extra value of their milk
when it is used in manufacturing.
Andrew says that changing milkpayment schemes to reflect this could
add up to $50,000 to the annual returns
to Jersey farms.
He has visited the Hilmar cheese
factory in California, where 12 Jersey
farmers set up their own plant so they
could be paid extra.
“You would think the cheese yield
would be relative to the components
in the milk,” Andrew explains, “but
it’s actually a synergy with the higher
components, and you can make more
cheese than you’d think.”
However, he’s not expecting a
cooperative dominated by Holsteins to
adopt a payment scheme which would
give a greater slice of the pie to Jerseys.
And he says all dairy farmers have
to work together to resist the costcutting trends which now return some
producers only 15 cents a litre for some
of their milk.
Goulburn Murray Jersey Breeders Club
President: Ron Baker (03) 5864 6246
Secretary: Margaret Cockerell (03) 5864 1133
NEW MEMBERS ALWAYS WELCOME
GM
GLENARRON JERSEYS
Ron, Glenyss & Grant Baker
14 Hutchins Lane, Katunga
(03) 58646246
[email protected]
YENOLAM JERSEYS
Neil, Wendy, Dick & Lyla
1119 Boals Rd
Numurkah 3636
Ph (03) 5864 1064
Fax (03) 5864 1025
[email protected]
FRESH START JERSEYS
Toni Adams & Mark Norman
Ph (03) 5865 5060
M 0427 229 505
BEULAH JERSEYS
Daryl & Lani Hoey
160 Christies Rd, Katunga
[email protected]
(03) 5864 6473
LOXLEiGH JERSEYS
Geoff Akers
Victoria Rd
Tallygaroopna 3634
(03) 5829 8478
[email protected]
HHH
gmjbc encourages
all our members to
buy at least some
semen through jmS so
that our club receives
a rebate to invest back
into Jersey activities at
a local level.
WARRAiN JERSEYS
John & Margaret Cockerell
1219 Rendells Rd
Numurkah 3636
(03) 5864 1133
[email protected]
GLENFERN JERSEYS
Peter & Bev Farrell
579 Healesville-Kooweerup Rd,
Healesville 3777
M 0409 503 352
[email protected]
JBC
YALCARA JERSEYS
Peter & Lyn Sprunt
926 Sandmount Road
Katunga 3640
(03) 5873 2583
[email protected]
KADDY JERSEYS
Andrew Younger
50 Zeerust School Rd
Zeerust 3634
(03) 5829 8352
[email protected]
www.jersey.com.au/
jweb/uploads/kaddy/
kaddy_intro.html
PiNNACLE PARK JERSEYS
Darryn Smith
226 Crera Rd
Invergordon 3636
M 0428 557 080
Another reason why
gmJbc is Australia’s
most progressive club.
HHH
New members welcome
WAiANiWA JERSEYS
Lindsay Hamilton
1045 Hawkers Rd
Nathalia 3636
(03) 5864 1380
KAARMONA JERSEYS
Graeme & Robyn,
Rohan & Claire Sprunt
228 & 235 Kaarimba Hall Rd
Kaarimba 3635.
(03) 5826 9506
[email protected]
HAZELVALE JERSEYS
Jason Hayes
M 0410 135 420
HOMELANDS JERSEYS
Phil Hentschke
& Warren Schutz
142 Youanmite Rd
Invergordon 3636
(03) 5865 5171
GENTEEL JERSEYS
Brad Adams
553B Mywee/Koonoomoo Rd
Strathmerton 3641
(03) 5874 5388
[email protected]
FROGLANDS JERSEYS
Ben Pedretti
51 Victoria Street
Tallygaroopna 3634
(03) 5829 8339
WE
WANT
YOUR BULLS
•
CSC is committed to the expansion of its young sire program in partnership
with ABS Australia.
•
We aim to Genomic test as many top quality young bulls as we can, to
expand our bull team to test up to 8 quality young bulls a year.
•
Genomics (both APR & TPI) will be used as an added tool to aid in bull
selection; emphasis shall remain on strength of cow family, classification
and cow performance.
•
CSC sets the payment standard and opportunities for Australian Jersey
Breeders.
OPTION
1
2
3
4
CSC SIRE AGREEMENT OPTIONS
PAYMENT/STRAW
BULL PAYMENT
PROVEN
$7700
$0.00
$4400
$0.55
$2200
$1.10
$0
$1.65
GENOMIC
$0.00
$0.275
$0.550
$0.825
All payments include GST
If you have a young sIre to offer, the choIce Is yours,
DON"T geT shOrT chaNgeD, be rewarDeD – chOOse csc.
Upon completion of a purchase agreement genomic data will be released
to breeders as soon as it becomes available to CSC.
For more information on the Central Sires Co-operative, contact:
Corey Couch – [email protected] • Ian Anderson – [email protected] • Lindsay Anderson – [email protected]
Anthea Day – [email protected] • Brendan Scott – [email protected] • Luke Wallace – [email protected]
Design: Sharon Clark