Dairy News April 30, 2013
10 // news
Elite breeders celebrate success
Gain in rain but pain still plain RECENT RAINFALL has been welcomed by
HIGH
PERFORMING
dairy cow and bull breeders gathered recently at LIC to celebrate 2012’s successes. This select band use science, breeding nous, experience and luck to produce some of the best pasture-based dairy progeny in the world. The progeny go on to produce bulls that are ‘cherry picked’ by LIC. Breeders’ Day, hosted last week at the co-op’s Newstead headquarters in Hamilton, attracted about 100 elite breeders scattered between Hikurangi, Far North, and Invercargill. All have contributed dairy bull calves to LIC, selected by the cooperative based on the animal’s ancestry records or their DNA profiles. Intergenerational progress (genetic gain) is the point. Independent research (Bill Montgomerie, New Zealand Animal Evaluation) shows genetic
gain in the national dairy herd, over a 10-year period, is responsible for about 60% of the production gains made on New Zealand dairy farms. Estimates put the economic contribution of LIC’s bulls to the dairy industry at $16 billion over the past 46 years, says Mike Wilson, LIC Premier Sires product manager. “That’s why top breeders of dairy bull calves are so important to LIC, and that’s why we acknowledge the work they do and celebrate the animals they’re producing for the industry.” Semen from Premier Sires bulls is used to AI at least 3.5 million dairy cows each year. About 75% of cows milked are sired by an LIC bull. Says Wilson, “To get a bull in a Premier Sires team is often the pinnacle of these people’s careers. So Breeders’ Day is about the achievements of each team and the individ-
Breeders gather for the LIC bull parade.
ual bulls in those teams, as well as the people behind them.” Breeding an elite bull was a long process, a process that only happened with the help and support of the invited breeders, not to mention LIC’s sire selection and farm teams, Wilson says. “Nearly all farmers are constantly trying to improve the quality of their animals through better breeding, and LIC has literally millions of bull calves to choose from
each year for eventual inclusion in one of its Premier Sires teams. Only about 120 bulls will make it each year.” On Breeders’ Day the farmers were lunched and watched a parade of bulls at the Newstead Bull Farm. Breeders also received a certificate and framed photograph of their bull, and were briefed about some of the latest developments in the artificial breeding industry. @dairy_news
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farmers but the problems of the dry summer will persist, says Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy. The dry conditions may have ended in many parts of the country but there are still major challenges ahead. It will take time to build up enough grass cover to provide feed for winter, he says. “There’s no doubt the rain over the last week has been a real boost, especially for those in areas that have missed out before like the central North Island. “However it’s important that farmers plan ahead for how they will manage their feed supply through the rest of the year. A large amount of supplementary feed has already been used over summer and will be in short supply later this year. “The impact of the drought makes the work of Rural Support Trusts important in providing support and advice. “For these reasons, it is unlikely I will be formally lifting the official drought status before it expires at the end of September. The rain may be falling but the effects on rural communities will be felt for some time,” says Guy.