Helping heifers grow
Dairy farmers can easily track the performance of their replacement heifers and ensure they reach their genetic potential.
The co-op says 26 of the top 30 bulls of all breeds in New Zealand are LIC's; and the top 12 bulls across all breeds are LIC's.
"These are our farmers' bulls, developed by LIC on behalf of farmers for farmers," LIC's general manager biological systems Geoff Corbett says.
"We want to acknowledge the hard work of breeders... who have contributed to these results."
The bull acquisition team includes Simon Worth, Casey Inverarity and Taylor Connell (Holstein Friesian & KiwiCross), and Malcolm Ellis (Jersey & SGL).
RAS list-topping bulls still must measure up on other traits to make it into LIC's top bull teams, Premier Sires, Corbett says. Not all high-BW bulls that graduate through LIC are eventually marketed.
Top results from the latest RAS list (May 28) for LIC include:
Holstein Friesian
· 43 of the top 50 Holstein Friesian bulls are LIC's; and the top 10, and 19 of the top 20, Holstein Friesian bulls are LIC's.
· The No. 1 Holstein Friesian bull (also No. 1 across all breeds) is LIC's 112035 Carsons Mecca Pulse, the only current bull to beat the 300 BW barrier.
· Three full brothers are performing well: 111037 San Ray FM Beamer (3 on the Holstein Friesian list), 111036 Arkan FM Buster (5 on the same list) and Arkan FM Brilliant (10 on the Holstein Friesian list).
· Currently a few BW shy of the RAS list is 112080 Fire-Up, who has moved up 6 BW.
Jersey
· LIC's Jersey bulls continue to affirm the resurgence of this breed.
· 8 of the top 10 Jersey bulls are LIC's, including the top 6, and all 6 of those are new graduates.
· LIC's Chardonnay Frankie is the No. 1 Jersey bull in NZ.
Crossbred
· 21 of the top 25 crossbred bulls in NZ are LIC's.
· The top 9 out of 10, and 15 out of 16, crossbred bulls are LIC's.
· 511011 Priests Sierra remains at No. 1 on the crossbred list, moving up 3 BW to 289 BW. This also makes him the highest BW Mint-Edition son in the country.
