Thursday, 14 July 2022 12:55

Top bull joins Hall of Fame

Written by  Staff Reporters
KiwiCross artificial breeding bull, Priests Sierra, has been inducted into LIC’s Hall of Fame for his significant contribution to New Zealand’s dairy industry. KiwiCross artificial breeding bull, Priests Sierra, has been inducted into LIC’s Hall of Fame for his significant contribution to New Zealand’s dairy industry.

A 12-year-old bull with over 150,000 daughters has been inducted into an elite animal ‘Hall of Fame’ for his outstanding contribution to dairy herd improvement in New Zealand.

Well known to farmers for fathering dairy cows with high production and good fertility, Priests Sierra is the latest artificial breeding bull to enter farmer-owned co-operative LIC’s prestigious Hall of Fame, which dates back to the 1950s.

The respected accolade is reserved exclusively for bulls that have had, and will continue to have, a profound influence across the New Zealand dairy industry, and are in a class of their own.

LIC livestock selection manager Simon Worth says Sierra has had a significant impact in helping to improve the production efficiency of New Zealand’s national dairy herd.

“Breeding the best cows faster is key to helping farmers solve the challenge of being profitable and sustainable and it’s elite bulls like Sierra that are helping farmers do exactly that.”

Known for his high genetic merit (Breeding Worth), Priests Sierra was part of LIC’s Premier Sires artificial breeding bull team for eight years – a record jointly held with just one other bull.

Worth says securing a place in one of the co-op’s renowned Premier Sires bull teams is no easy feat and rightly so, as the bulls that make up these teams are responsible for siring up to 75% of New Zealand’s national dairy herd.

simon worth 2 FBTW

The Bassett’s young cows wait to be shifted onto a winter kale crop.

“There’s a lot of boxes a bull needs to tick to earn a spot in one of our teams and they can be quickly superseded by the next generation of elite young bulls from our breeding programme, so for Sierra to have a place on the team for eight years on the trot is extremely impressive.”

Worth says Priests Sierra, who was bred by Waikato farmer Rowan Priest, has been a favourite through the breeding programme, with eight of his sons also making the cut to join LIC’s Premier Sires bull team.

“The offspring Sierra generates tick many boxes for farmers including more dollars in the bank and a lower environmental footprint.

“It is fantastic to see so many of his daughters, sons and grandsons continuing his legacy and contributing to the next generation too.”

His induction into the Hall of Fame was announced to some of the country’s top bull breeders who gathered in Hamilton for LIC’s Breeders’ Day event.

Farmers from across New Zealand were invited to attend the annual event to celebrate their contribution to the dairy industry by breeding a bull worthy of joining one of LIC’s Premier Sires bull teams the year before.

More like this

Strong uptake of good wintering practices

DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.

Winter grazing warning

Every time people from overseas see photographs of cows up to their hocks in mud it's bad for New Zealand.

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

Boost for hort exports

The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.

National

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of…

Machinery & Products

BA Pumps expand

Cambridge based BA Pumps & Sprayers, specialists in New Zealand-made spraying equipment, has acquired Tokoroa Engineering’s product range, including the…

Entries open for innovation award

Fieldays and its renowned Innovation Awards are celebrating their 57th year, marking a longstanding tradition in the agricultural calendar, with…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter