Elite genetics captured early

The 2022 Discovery Project team comprises 28 heifers from 11 Holstein Friesian New Zealand (HFNZ) breeders: Southland’s Meander Holsteins (Robert and Anne Marie Bruin) had 11 heifers chosen for the 2022 team, while three heifers were chosen from Poplar Partnership (John and Karen McErlean), Payne Farms Ltd (Brad Payne) and MJ Dickson, among others.

A joint venture between Holstein Friesian NZ and LIC, the Discovery Project uses advanced breeding technologies such as genomic testing, embryo transfer (ET) and TVR (trans-vaginal recovery) to select the best heifers of potential bull-dam standard early on in their lives, allowing all breeders the opportunity to have their pedigree Holstein Friesian bulls recognised by the industry.

Each year, HFNZ members are invited to nominate their high-BW heifer calves for the Discovery Project. Just over 140 nominations were received for the 2022 team, and in March 2022 the Discovery Project Committee selected 73 heifers to be genomically tested. Of that group, 28 were selected to be part of the team, which will take part in this year’s TVR programme.

Any heifer calves born within the Discovery Project are free from any breeding restriction with LIC and can be nominated and screened in the hope they will be eligible to re-populate the programme.

The Discovery Project, which aims to contribute to the AI industry and the Holstein Friesian breed, has seen great success since its inception in 2004. Between 2013-2020, Discovery Project teams delivered a total of 73 sires into LIC’s Sire Proving Programme, with 17 of these sires going on to graduate into LIC teams.

This year, LIC has purchased six bulls from the 2020 Discovery Project team to join its Sire Proving Scheme for the 2022/23 season.

The Discovery Project has also shown success with contract mating, with a number of Discovery Project heifers from previous years’ teams still being contract mated today.

Two 2014 team members, Hillsview Mega Pea S3F and Tronnoco B Sulana-ET, have been consecutively contract mated from 2016-2022, as has MAH HDF Starstruck-ET S3F, from the 2015 team.

From the 2017 team, five cows have been contracted mated consecutively from 2018-2022: Tanglewood L Raine- ET S3F, MAH SB Snow White-ET S2F, Meander Beam Ash-ET S2F, Meander Inca Avril-ET S2F and Meander Lance Grace-ET.

HFNZ Discovery Project chair Wayne Taylor says genomic testing tools has allowed new genetics to be identified and captured earlier than ever before, and animals that would have been overlooked 10-15 years ago are now being selected based on their genomic merit, rather than BW alone.

“This demonstrates the opportunities within the Discovery Project to present exceptional cow families that have the potential to contribute a great deal to the Holstein Friesian breed,” Taylor says.