Thursday, 01 June 2017 12:55

Surprise award for bull testers

Written by 
From left: Ann Scott (LIC), Bryan and Suzanne Jackson and Murray King (LIC chairman). From left: Ann Scott (LIC), Bryan and Suzanne Jackson and Murray King (LIC chairman).

LIC Sire Proving Scheme (SPS) Farmers of the Year Bryan and Suzanne Jackson have been in the programme for 18 years.

Bryan told Dairy News he is proud to be among farmers helping shape the dairy industry of the future.

The Jacksons use unproven bulls in the herd on their farm at Kereone, Morrinsville.

“We don’t have a choice of bulls; we use different bulls every day for a five week AB programme.

“We score the daughters on various traits like temperament and adaptability to milking when they enter the herd two years later.”

SPS farmer feedback helps LIC assess the bull daughters for various production, health and fitness traits.

Bryan says one advantage of joining the SPS is having access to genetics well before other farmers. He has seen productivity rise in his 450-cow herd – from 300kgMS/cow 20 years ago to about 500kgMS/cow now.

He says he is “really stoked’ to have won the SPS farmer of the year award.

Suits a stable hand

According to LIC, the SPS suits farmers with stable herds who can commit for a minimum of four years.

An interest in breeding is essential, as are good organisation and record keeping skills. 

The data they collect gives each bull a ‘daughter proof’. Bulls with the best proofs are then marketed to the wider dairy industry. 

The ‘daughter proof’ also helps to validate and refine the accuracy of LIC’s genomic data used to breed and select bull calves coming into the scheme year on year. 

Information collected as part of the Sire Proving Scheme includes:

Insemination - non return rates

Calving - calf defects, calving assistance

Rearing - health issues, traits, general performance

Milking - herd test information, live weight data, traits other than production.

More like this

LIC ready for challenges ahead

Herd improvement company LIC says it's well-positioned for the challenges ahead and remains focused on its core purpose - delivering value for farmer shareholders.

Breeding heat-tolerant cows for Africa

LIC is embarking on a ground-breaking project aimed at breeding heat tolerant and disease resistant dairy cows for Sub-Saharan Africa, in collaboration with the global leader in precision breeding, Acceligen, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Scheme to pick high potential 'underdog' bulls

Holstein Friesian NZ, and herd improvement co-operative LIC have launched a joint sire proving scheme that aims to select and prove Holstein Friesian bulls for New Zealand dairy farmers.

Featured

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.

SIDE 2025's new schedule, venue

Annual farmer gathering, the South Island Dairy Event (SIDE), is set to make history as it heads to Timaru for the first time.

Taranaki piggery goes solar

Installing 400 solar panels at their Taranaki piggery and cropping operation will have significant environmental, financial and animal welfare benefits for the Stanley family.

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