Summer Journal 2023

EDITOR: Rachel White

CONTRIBUTORS:

Georgia Greenan

Dr. Patrick Kelly

Donal Carey

Cover Image:

Some of the cows that will be on display at this years National Open Day at Peter Ging’s Ballyclider Herd. L-R: BALLYCLIDER SUSAN 52 VG86, BALLYCLIDER CHRIS 318 EX93 3E, BALLYCLIDER DARKIE 88 VG88, BALLYCLIDER BEGONIA 83 EX91

IRISH HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN ASSOCIATION. Tel.: 023 8833443 Fax: 023 8834740 Email: enquiries@ihfa.ie www.ihfa.ie. IHFA acknowledges ICBF for providing data. Latest data as supplied at date of compilation.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Thank you to the Maria Kelly, Georgia Greenan, Jane Steel and all the breeders who have provided images or permission to use their photographs.

DISCLAIMER: The Holstein Friesian Journal is the official publication of the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA). Content is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the Editor. Opinions and views expressed or implied are not necessarily those of the Irish Holstein Friesian Association. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the material published no responsibility will be assumed for the validity or accuracy of any statement, errors or omissions or the content of any advertisement.

Printed by Tralee Printing Works, Monavalley Industrial Estate, Tralee, Co. Kerry, www.traleeprinting.com

Photo by Jane Steel

CE FOREWORD

A new chapter for IHFA

This issue of the journal is full of new beginnings. With the launch of the national genotyping program we are beginning the journey to a fully genotyped Herdbook. This will be a world first and a huge step forward for the IHFA. You can read more about his inside and I encourage everyone to sign up to this program straight away.

Universal genotyping brings the opportunity to increase the value of our stock for sale for both dairy and beef markets. IHFA herds are a premier source of dairy beef and male dairy calves as buyers have confidence in the breed make up of the calves. Genotyping adds Commercial Beef Value to this and increases confidence.

This spring saw, for the first time, a demand for Irish pedigree dairy cattle from outside the UK and Ireland. North African and Eastern European countries are now looking to Ireland to source dairy females. This gives us great scope to sell our surplus females and accelerate genetic gain.

The summer program is kicking off in some style in clubs around the country. There are

already more than thirty events listed on our website. The Pure Friesian and National Open days at Gearoid Maher and Peter Ging farms promise to be the pinnacle of these events but it’s the number of events around the country that shows how much IHFA clubs do to promote the breed in the local areas and have great social interaction as part of that.

I look forward to a great summer and a year of great progress for IHFA

Sincerely

Laurence Feeney Chief Executive

Would you like to represent Ireland at the Young Breeders School in Belgium or at the Holstein Young Breeders Weekend Rally in England?

EYBS in Belgium runs from 30/08/2023 - 03/09/2023. During the week you will learn every aspect of show preparation from washing, bedding, clipping and feeding to putting your hard work to the test in your individual competition categories at the end of the week. EYBS is open to all ages.

HYB Weekend Rally runs from 11/08/23 - 13/08/23. Throughout the weekend you will be part of the Irish Team Competing in a National Reasoned Stock Judging and Linear Assessment and on the Sunday you take part in a Field-to-Foto Competition, with your teams Clipping, Washing and Showing skills being showcased. You must be Over 16 to apply for HYB Weekend Rally.

RAMMSTEIN RED

Ballyclider herd hosts the 2023 IHFA OPEN DAY - Tuesday11th july

Peter Ging & family, Ballyclider, Portlaoise, Co. Laois

On Tuesday, July 11th the herd will host the IHFA National Open Day which is a fantastic honour for Peter, his family and the local Laois Offaly club. As current Chairman and lifelong supporter of Rathdowney Show Peter is well versed in the preparations and planning events of this scale require.

Herd Origins:

The Ballyclider herd was first pedigree registered in 1980 as the herd progressed from humble beginnings of 16 cows in the 1970’s. With careful breeding and management this grew to around 40 cows at the onset of the EU milk quote era. This restricted expansion of the herd somewhat and numbers remained relatively stable until quotas

were removed. The herd now stands at 190 cows and the Ging’s rear approx. 150 calves on farm every year.

Peter relies heavily on his family, wife Mary and children, for support on the farm. The Ging family featured heavily in YMA circles in the early 2000’s as life on the farm fostered a great passion for the black and white breed, and they still take part in the summer show circuit whenever they can. Ballyclider Darkie 31 EX94 5E won Champion cow at the 2019 Clonaslee & District Show (Pictured overleaf). She represents the 7th generation of VG/EX cows in her line and has 89,467 kgs milk, 5,962 kgs milk solids lifetime yield in seven lactations The reputation Ballyclider holds for producing quality dairy animals is widely known, Peter credits this for the

strongbase of repeat customers that purchase surplus calved heifers and breeding bulls annually.

Herd Production Figures: The herds 305 d averages were as follows: 8,841 milk kgs with 3.91% fat and 3.37% protein, resulting in 345kg fat and 298kg protein for a combined 644kg solids for 2022. The Ballyclider herd is split calving with approximately 65% of animals calving in the spring and the remaining 35% winter calving. Peter maintains excellent production figures through the winter on conserved forages such as grass silge, maize silage and wholecrop while supplementing with nuts in the parlour. All crops are grown on the farm. The land in Portlaoise lends itself to a long grazing period when weather is favourable, although they may be later

Photograph by Jane Steel

getting out to graze in the spring than some other areas. Animals are typically out grazing from early march until early November. The herd SCC averaged 117 for 2022. Over 1.5 million litres were supplied to their co-op Tirlan last year.

Genetics at Ballyclider:

In the current herd 35 cows have classified EX and 121 VG, this is a just reward for the time and effort Peter has invested into breeding quality cows from strong cow families throughout his farming life. The herd consists of many cows from the Chris, Una, Darkie and Cocarde families. Breeding always focuses on good classification, feet & legs as well as efficient milk production. Of course the cows only represent 50% of the breeding equation and Peter is very selective in the bulls he utilises for breeding. Current sire selection requires all bulls used to be at least +400kgs for milk and +40kg solids. Recently Peter would have used bulls such as King Royal, King Doc, Pharoh and Lustre P. Many influential bulls would have been used over the years also such as Bartonhoo Prosperity, Barold Rock Seal, Ugela Bell, Bert and Convincer.

IHFA and pedigree breeding

Peter has been a lifelong member of the IHFA and was a founding member of the Laois Offaly club which has long boasted a significant membership number and regularly competes in national competitions. Peter won the national herds competition in 1997 and 2000 for the 50-80 cow or medium herd size section. Peter’s contributions to the IHFA resulted in him being elected IHFA President for 2015, which was the 50th Anniversary year of the IHFA. Peter served as IHFA Chairman previously and has regularly judged shows and herd competitions.

The Open Day is generously sponsored by Tirlan and FBD. The herds competition is sponsored by Greenvale.

The Ging family and the IHFA look forward to welcoming you all to this years Open Day. With a record number of trade stands, the annual National herds Competition results, National Stockjudging Competition and much more there is something for all the family to enjoy!

Pictures: 1 - Ballyclider Darkie 31 EX94 5E. 2 - Peter & wife Mary receiving a token of appreciation from the Kerry club as herds competition judge. 3 - Peter, Catriona, Peter Jr. and Anne Marie Ging receiving prizes at the 1997 Laoise Offaly Awards Night

NATIONAL HERDS COMPETITION 2023

The Judging of the National Herds Competition will take place this year commencing on the week 4th June. The judge is John Cousar, of the Howcommom Herd, Scotland. John is a member of the Holstein UK National Judges panel.

CHANGES TO THE HERDS COMPETITION FORMULA

There is a change in the format of the points this year with the board approving the introduction of sustainability traits, SCC, Calving Interval, Average herd parity and Milk value. EBI is split out to overall EBI, EBI fertility, EBI production and EBI health. The new percentages are below and the weightings overall: 34% Production + 60% Conformation +Sustainability 6%.

Production Calculation (34%)

11% Protein Kgs

4% Protein Percentage

5% Fat Kgs

2% Fat Percentage

2% Milk Volume

4% Milk Value

6% EBI (Overall -2%, Production -1.5%, Fertility-1.5%, Health-1%)

Conformation Calculation (60%)

15% Classification

45% Judge

Sustainability (6%)

2% Somatic Cell Count (SCC)

2% Calving Interval

2% Average Herd Parity

• All production herd figures used in the calculation will be based on qualifying lactations on 31st December 2022.

• Cow numbers for categories will be decided on the last official milk recording in May/ June this year.

• Classification will be based on the year previous.

• All unclassified animals will be given a nominal score of 74 points.

Key

pure friesian open day 2023

Gearoid & Sarah Maher & family KILLURAGH herd host Irish Pure Friesian Club Open Day 2023 on Thursday June 29th.

The Killuragh Pure Friesian herd of Gearoid & Sarah Maher is situated near Cappamore in east Limerick. The Maher family are delighted to be chosen by the Irish Pure Friesian Club to host this year’s Open Day. Gearoid and Sarah have two daughters Sally Kate and Lily. The Open Day is sponsored by Dairygold, FBD and the NDC.

A fourth-generation dairy farmer, Gearoid took over the farm in 2011 aged 26. In the years prior the farm had been leased out due to his father being in ill health. Graduating with an honors degree in Agricultural Science Gearoid had always planned to return home to the family farm and re-commence dairy farming. The task ahead was challenging as the infrastructure on farm was outdated and not fit for purpose and the quality of the grassland swards was poor. Heavy invest-

ment was required to modernise the farm. However, through determination, grit and a positive mindset Gearoid progressed forward. A new herd of cows was assembled, he re-established the Killuragh prefix with IHFA and thus started a new chapter for the herd, building for a better and progressive future.

Gearoid comments:

“The land here is a very heavy clay type soil. Our average grazing season would range from 200 to 240 days. I knew I couldn’t change the land so I focused on the cow. The cow was going to be the engine of the farm. I considered all the different breeds but I felt that due to the type of land and the length of farm road I had, that a pure Friesian cow would suit the farm. My stocking was always going to be limited so I felt that my cull cow has a huge value to me as do my bull calves. There was also an element of tradition in my decision as my father and his father before him all bred pedigree Friesian cows. So, I purchased 40 pedigree pure

Friesian cows, the majority from the Dunum herd and some from the Gortfadda herd. This was the foundation of my farm and these cows were the establishment of my pedigree herd. Some of these cows are the mainstay of the herd to this day - which now stands at 107 cows.”

“Being a new entrant, the advice out there was to focus on EBI and only breed a cow from a number on a page. I thought this was mad. A suckler farmer would never buy a bull from just looking at a book! I decided to look at what the Dams and Grand Dams were producing and from there I focused on breeding for milk and protein because every other trait is a given. I joined the Irish Pure Friesian club. I was nervous enough joining the club because here you had experts breeding cows for generations and I was very new to the scene. However the club members and officers were very welcoming. Whether you are milking 20 cows or 500 cows or you had good or bad land,

everybody in the club is just passionate about breeding excellent cows. Today my herd is producing 6,600kgs @ 4.08 % fat and 3.56% Protein. This has been achieved from marginal land and all from cows that are minus for milk! I also have heifers bred from the club’s bulls producing an average of 5,600kgs. My calving interval is close to 365 days and the empty rate is generally 4 to 5% with a submission rate to first service consistently over 90% and 70 % conception rate to first service. Currently there are three EX cows 23 VG cows. There eight cows of 8th lactation and older in the herd, demonstrating fertility, health and longevity attributes.”

“In 2016 I was placed third in the senior cow in milk class at the Emerald Expo with Dunum Blossom she also won Reserve champion at Cappamore show. I also won the most kgs of protein in the Friesian club competition with Dunum Sneachta. This just highlights the calibre of stock that is available for sale. My farm has turned full circle from an almost derelict holding to a profitable enterprise in just one decade. My cows and cow type are the pillar to my success. The pure Friesian is probably the most underrated breed in the country but to me the pure Friesian cow is a high producing, highly fertile, low maintenance cow”.

A Farming Ambassador

The quality of the herd is such that Gearoid was a national finalist in the Kerrygold and National Dairy Council Quality Milk awards 2022. Gearoid is active and involved as a farming ambassador across many public platforms. He is an ambassador for the Farming with Nature organization and hosted an open day on the farm last year. The public could see how Gearoid farms in harmony with nature with management strategies adopted to positively impact on nature and the environment. He is also a farming ambassador for the National Dairy Council having recently featured as a discussion panellist on the NDC stand at the Bloom festival.

Fundraiser for Temple Street Hospital

Gearoid and Sarah are very grateful to Temple Street Hospital whose expert care of their eldest daughter Sally Kate when she was sick as a young baby is greatly appreciated. A fundraiser for the Temple Street charity is to take place as part of the open day with all donations going to this very worthy cause. Donate online using the QR code!

The Maher family and the Pure Friesian Club look forward to welcoming you to Cappamore on the 29th of June.

Pictures: 1 - Gearoid speaking at bloom with fellow IHFA member Jim Mulhall (far right). 2 - 11th lactation cow bought from Martin Crowe when Gearoid reestablished the herd. 3 - 1st lactation heifer that calved at exactly 2 years of age with EBI €173

Pictured on left: Gearoid Maher with wife Sarah, daughters Sally-Kate and baby Lily, and farm employee Sophie Roche, at the launch of the Pure Friesian Open Day

European holstein & red holstein conference

The IHFA hosted a hugely successful European Holstein & Red Holstein conference (EHRC) in April in the Castleknock Hotel, Dublin.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue opened the conference and highlighted how “Holstein genetics are constantly improving to producing world class milk with lower emissions”.

Over 100 delegates were in attendance from France, Poland, Italy, Czech Republic, Sweden, Holland, Estonia, Latvia, the UK and Denmark amongst others. The conference proceedings were topical and interesting, focusing on “Farming with Nature - Future Proof the Cow”. Presentations from Irish researchers Dr. Donagh Berry, Dr Finbar Mulligan and Dr. Siobhan Ring were complimented by talks by progressive UK farmer John Torrance and Vikings

Genetics breeding specialist Lars Nielsen to name but a few. Engaging discussions followed both inside and outside the conference room.

Visiting delegates were treated to a display of Irish dancing at the Gala Dinner that evening –including a cameo from our own Shane McHugh and set dancing the visitors were delighted to partake in. Accompanying visitors saw the sights of Kildare and Dublin at the National Stud & Japanese Gardens, Guinness Storehouse and Kildare Village, expertly accompanied by Eileen Hannan

Of course, such an event would not be complete without a farm visit and the group were generously hosted by Tom Kelly of the Monamore Herd in Drogheda. Tom spoke of the

importance of these events to share knowledge as the group toured the prize-winning, highly productive herd. The availability of labour, nitrates restrictions and sustainable production were common concerns for all in attendance and visitors were impressed by the efficient grass utilisation achieved by Irish herds. After some heavy April showers everyone was delighted to dry off at Taylors Three Rock with more Irish music, dancing and a few whiskeys!

IHFA CE Laurence Feeney spoke about the unique opportunity the EHRC was: “It’s an honour and a delight to share the great Irish dairy story with our European visitors. Unsuprisingly they have been hugely impressed with our systems and our culture here. We are very proud to be able to elevate our breed on this international stage - while creating and strengthening friendships and learning all the time”.

A final farm tour was organised

to UCD Lyons systems herd, where Prof. Alan Fahey and student/systems herd manager Niall Walsh spoke about the research being undertaken with the herd along with their breeding objectives. A few delegates even made it to Virginia for the Emerald Expo where they were delighted to see such a fantastic show of animals - it was remarked that these cows would hold their own in any ring around Europe.

The conference was generously sponsored by FBD Insurance, the department of Agriculture, Dairymaster and Ornua. A special mention must also go to our conference organising partners Abbey Events and particularly Ms. Grainne McQuaid who kept the entire proceedings running like clockwork.

Picture: International guests welcomed to the Monamore Herd by Tom Kelly

CELL COUNT SOLUTIONS

A FREE IN-LACTATION CONSULT FOR DAIRY FARMERS

3 Would you like to reduce your SCC and improve milk quality?

3 Is mastitis costing you money or creating problems for you or your milkers?

3 Would you like an opportunity to create a herd-specific plan with your vet?

3 Do you know you can avail of a free veterinary visit?

The Cell Count Solutions service is a free consult delivered by a trained veterinary practitioner, chosen by you, and is an opportunity for you to begin the process of mastitis problemsolving. It is also a first step in creating a multi-disciplinary team for your farm, to support you along the road of investigating and resolving mastitis issues. The consult will look at all relevant areas, including the cow, the milking routine, the environment, records etc. so that you can develop a farm-specific plan.

To register for the service, scan the QR Code

2023 show season off to a flying start

The Emerald Expo Overall Senior Champion title was won by Jones Crushtime Patricia, exhibited by Jones and Knowlesmere Holsteins. Pictured L-R: Judge, Hefyn Wilson congratulating Gary Jones on his success. Gary Jones with two very proud sons, Rory and Ted Jones with Jones Crushtime Patricia.

HANDLER CHAMPIONSHIP Sponsored by VOLAC

Champion Rachel Corley

Reserve Becky Hynes

Hon Mention Abbie Duffy

JUNIOR CHAMPION & RESERVE PERPETUAL TROPHY Sponsored by BREFFNI ORIEL HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN CLUB

Champion Hallow Solomon Arengatang ex by Philip Jones

Reserve Emerald Lambda Ashlyn ex by Daniel & Emer Curtin

Hon Mention Slatabogie Willows Avina Red ex by Alan & Leanne Paul

COLOUR BREED CHAMPION & RESERVE Sponsored by JERSEY CATTLE ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND

Champion Kilgarriffe Marcella ex by Graeme & Avril Taylor

Reserve Cloonboygher Paisley ex by Graeme & Avril Taylor

Hon Mention Kingdom Barca Lisa ex by Daniel & Emer Curtin

INTERMEDIATE CHAMPION & RESERVE Sponsored by TIRLÁN

Champion Jones Crushtime Patricia ex by Jones & Knowlesmere Holsteins

Reserve Dalevalley Maze Apple Red Et VG 87 ex by Roy Cromie & John Curtin

Hon Mention Slatabogie Unstopabull Chipper Red ex by Alan & Leanne Paul

THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Sponsored by FBD

Champion Jones Crushtime Patricia ex by Jones & Knowlesmere Holsteins

Reserve Hallow Sol Twizzle ex by Philip Jones

Honorable Mention Baldonnel Sol Ebony VG 88 ex by John Dowling

BEST UDDER OF SHOW Sponsored by T.P. O’ REILLY

Jones Crushtime Patricia ex by Jones & Knowlesmere Holsteins

EXHIBITOR BRED CHAMPION Sponsored by IHFA

Jones Crushtime Patricia ex by Jones & Knowlesmere Holsteins

PREMIER BREEDER Sponsored by TIRLÁN Alan & Leanne Paul

PREMIER EXHIBITOR Sponsored by IFA Alan & Leanne Paul

IHFA FOCUS FARMS update

What can the dairy industry learn from IHFA farms?

We introduced you to our 2023 Focus Farms in the Spring Journal. In the months since we have caught up with some of our focus farms again as calving for spring herds finished up, breeding began and farmers all over the country dealt with challenging weather conditions. Read on for more information on our focus farms breeding plans and how they fared through one of the wettest springs on record. You may notice Gearoid Maher not featured in this article – and that is because Gearoid and his family are hosting this year’s Pure Friesian Open Day and have been profiled elsewhere in the journal, make sure to check it out!

Farrell Scully, Choshull Herd, Ballymote, Co Sligo

Breeding for 2023 has gotten off to a good start for Farrell with cows showing strong heats. Farrell is content with using conventional semen rather than sexed as he has sufficient female calves to maintain his herd size and has repeat customers for his bull calves. He also utilises some easy calving beef straws on cows that he is certain he doesn’t want replacements from or that have not taken to the first AI. Farrell raises all the heifer calves on farm until October usually when he sells them on directly to other farms. Focusing on high EBI bulls for the herd Farrell is using Ballinroe Xaar, Cappauniac Aramax, Olcastletown Casper and Barrackhill Reuben amongst others this year. “I’m happy to use bulls from any of the AI companies once they match our system here. We are looking for good EBI, reliable bulls that are easy calving and ultimately give us a solid, robust cow that is trouble free for her productive life”. This is a tried and tested system for Farrell and is indicative of the sound farming systems he has put in place over the years that has allowed the herd grow from 10 cows in his fathers time to the 60-strong herd we see today. Sligo and around Ballymote where the Scully’s farm might not be the first area you think of for dairy farming, some of the land is marginal and the stones walls throughout the farm hark back to traditional small family farm holdings. Nonetheless Farrell, aided by his wife Anita, brother Michael and a part time college student, are running a superb spring calving herd with relatively low inputs of concentrates (around 6kg per animal per day in the spring and 2kg in the summer) and no additional forages for an average herd production of 6,100litres and a huge 489kgs solids. Farrell’s EBI average are higher than the national averages for all lactation groups and his calf crop continue to improve year on year – the 2022 calf crop stood at €236 and the 2023 calves soared past that value to €284. Farrell has seen the value of the EBI in both the milk tank and in the value of his stock and it has really helped him with making breeding decisions.

Picture: The Chosull Herd grazing in Co Sligo

Kevin Flynn, Reary Herd, Clonaslee, Co Laois

There is one word Kevin Flynn always comes back to when speaking about his herd and breeding goals – uniformity. Aiming for uniformity in his herd has been a focus for Kevin for a number of years, and he believes its crucial in being able to have uniformity in management. In this vein Kevin has cut down on the number of bulls he uses, while he appreciates this can be a risk if you are using all genomic bulls perhaps, he has had no problems with his current set up, and relies mostly on proven bulls. Most importantly he always ensures the bulls used come from good pedigree lines (EX classified mothers ideally) with high production figures – especially components, and he looks for good chest and rump width for his ideal build of cow. Kevin uses a mix of imported and Irish bulls when they fit his criteria and is happy to use bulls year on year when they have proven to produce the stock he wants. On our visit we saw a number of Yamaska, Perseus and Praser daughters in the herd – the Praser’s Kevin feels grow into good cows, improving considerably in their second lactations, and the Yamaska’s have thus far proven really functional cows. Castleblagh Ruthless was probably the best Irish bull Kevin ever used in the herd and fit Kevin’s bull criteria blueprint – two generations of EX cows behind him and strong solids and fertility. Kevin has found calving heifers at 2 years the best for longevity and development of the animal herself. He has no problem getting these animals in calf year on year and they work hard in the herd without problems. Of course we couldn’t speak about the Reary herd without mentioning the Norah family. Originally bought from the Cabra Herd in Thurles in 1970 there have been over 670 Norah’s registered in the herd since, and another 170 Poppy’s registered which branched from the Nora’s a number of years ago. It’s an impressive feat for any herd to have such a proficient family and as Kevin says himself they have been excellent heifer producers always. The Norah’s consistently classify highly and encapsulate Kevin’s ideal type of cow – moderate stature with great chest and rump capacity, nice slope to rump, robust with a solid udder and excellent feet and legs. While the Reary herd don’t have far to walk on the milking block Kevin knows the importance of good “wheels” on a cow to ensure they last.

Robert Shannon, Ballydehob Herd, Ballinascarthy, Co. Cork

Robert has always taken great care in the bulls used for breeding on his farm and the use of AI and particularly sexed semen has been a great aid in progressing the herd. Robert would always look for a bull that is positive in fat and protein percentages and positive for milk, or minorly negative at least. Type is still incredibly important in his mind and always selects for good udders, feet and legs. “Type isn’t only about how the cow looks – these are functional traits that determine whether a cow will last in the herd or not for multiple lactations”. Robert’s son and daughter take a keen interest in the selection of bulls for the herd also and Sarah was able to tell us some of the bulls they had selected for this year; Ballintosig Ring O, Renegade, Nortonhill R2 D2, Boghill Glamour Hailstone, Sandy-Valley I Batman, Peak Altalawson, 3star Oh Marcello, Westcoast Midmarch and Sandy-Valley R Conway . As Robert uses a lot of imported bulls he stresses the importance of checking their statistics in their home country as well as their converted EBI statistics as sometimes they can come across poorly. Robert would make sure

Picture: Top - Reary Norah 412 is a Yamaska daughter that scored 86 points as a 3rd calver and is only going to improve from there. Bottom - Ballydehob HTime Mary EX 92 2E. A 4th calver with an average 370 days calving interval is Roberts ideal cow

anything he uses is not low on health and to maintain his ideal frame and build of cow he would focus on good udders with moderate to short teats, a wide chest and he would avoid anything too high in the pins. Robert is just as diligent with the stock bulls he sells on to other farmers – every bull is fertility tested before it is sold. Robert has used Pasture base for the last number of years to help with grass measurement and management on the grazing platform. Robert has a high percentage of clover in approximately ¼ of the farm which has reduced his overall fertiliser requirements.

Patrick Pentony, Gallrua Herd, Drogheda, Co Louth

The wet spring made for difficut grazing in Co.Louth – we visited the Gallrua herd the last week of May and that was the first week so far this year the cows had been out at grass full time. The farm has always been wet with difficult soils and so Patrick is well versed in selectively grazing at the beginning of the season to preserve ground conditions, while still meeting the herds nutritional demands. The herds calving pattern is also designed to not overburden the land with demand for grass in the spring –50 cows calve in the spring time and 30 more in the autumn, usually out at grass. This also helps Patrick mange his calf rearing as the batches of calves are more spread out throughout the year. Patrick is a fantastic example of how grading up can lead to a stellar pedigree herd – he began milk recording in 1990 and engaged the IHFA services to grade up the herd over time. The Margaret family which are numerous in the herd today trace back to the original herd. Patrick purchased a number of pedigree stock from the Moneymore (Seamus Kelly) and Honeylands (Maurice Kellett) herds to compliment the grade up of the original herd in the 1990’s. Both prominent herds in the North Eastern club it was only a matter of time before Patrick also became involved in the club and it is something that he has really enjoyed and benefitted from over the years. Patrick enjoys the social aspect of the club, visiting other herds and taking part in field evenings and the herds competition. He has been very successful in the herds competitions over the years which brings a great sense of achievement, pride and satisfaction for Patrick. When asked about the benefits of pedigree registration, Patrick highlights how much information it provides “The level of detail available on pedigree animals was the deciding factor for me when taking the decision to invest in pedigree stock in the early 90’s. It gave me the best chance at making the right choices for my herd and definitely helped me to get to where I am today. We classify twice a year, this is such a valuable impartial service. The classifiers have a wealth of knowledge and can help identify both the strong and weaker aspects of your herd to work on. I have learnt a lot from them and always enjoy the interaction and discussion we have on classification day – I see a strong correlation between classification and the quality and functionality of my stock”.

Patrick does his own AI and would select bulls around + 200 kgs milk that are positive on components and with good fertility and health numbers. He would also place emphasis on linear traits – chest width, pin position and teat position in particular. Patrick is a firm believer in the importance of dam Classification if using young bulls, ideally dams should be VG or higher he feels, otherwise you don’t know what you are getting regarding standards. This breeding season Patrick has used a mix of Chilton, Motion, Napavalley and Wimbledon. He also takes part in the Gene Ireland scheme where he receives 35 straws off their top bulls. The breeding policy is always evolving on the farm, of late emphasis on stature and angularity has diminished. Patricks attention to detail in his breeding has produced a robust, uniform herd with good overall fertility and health.

Keep your eyes peeled for more from our focus farms over the coming months!

If you want to read back over the farm focus piece from the Spring edition it can be found on the IHFA website.

Picture: The Gallrua Herd happily grazing after a wet spring

Make the most out of your IHFA Membership!

At IHFA we are dedicated to assisting our members in developing their herd, improving their genetics and maximising their farm profits.

We can help with advertising of sales, promotion of herds and much more - please reach out to the office for more information

Check out the IHFA website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for a range of the posts and information we can share

We hope everyone had a very successful Spring calving season and best of luck for the 2023 breeding season ahead

enquiries@ihfa.ie

Tel: 023 8833443

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Show Calendar 2023

With over 40 years of experience, we understand that every succession story is unique. To build a succession plan for your farm, and secure peace of mind for you and your family,

Daughter

MGD Cookiecutter Mog Hanker EX92

Dam: Rockymountain Uno Cheyanne VG-85 Augustus P Red

naTIONAL GENOTYPING PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED

In May the Department of Agriculture announced funding for a National Genotyping Programme. It aims to genotype up to 800,000 cows and replacement females in year 1 (2023), with all calves born from January 2024 to December 2027 being genotyped using a new double tissue tag. The programme is due to run over five years and will make considerable strides in genotyping the national bovine herd. The programme will be run on a voluntary basis and is open to both dairy and beef herds. It means Ireland will become the first country in the world to provide a DNA verified traceability system.

Costings:

The estimated total cost of the 5-year programme is €83 million. The total funding allocation for year 1 (2023) is €23 million. There is a funding estimate of €15 million for each of the subsequent years (2-5) and this will be funded based on a cost sharing model between DAFM, Beef & Dairy Industry and participating farmers. In year 1 genotyping will be fully subsidised for farmers that are accepted into the programme. This subsidy will cover the cost of genotyping all cows and replacements in participating herds. Farmers participating in year 1 must commit to remain in the programme for its duration. In years 2 to 5, farmers will contribute a one-third share of costings through the purchase of the double tissue tag required for genotyping, plus other additional costs.

from dairy herds. IHFA members have a desirable dairy-beef product, and we can show this better now. Faster genetic gain in the dairy herd means better environmental efficiency and a fully genotyped herd allows for faster progress in the new priority traits of methane, animal health and longevity.

The national genotyping scheme is a huge opportunity for the Herdbook. I urge every member to sign up immediately. IHFA will do all it can to ensure the success of this venture.”

NATIONAL GENOTYPING PROGRAMME

COMING SOON!

IHFA Members thoughts on genotyping: John O’ Sullivan, Lisduff, has already seen the benefits of genotyping in his herd. “Developments in cattle breeding over the last 25 years have been spectacular. New technologies have breached frontiers that we once thought invincible. Computing power advances have enabled databases, in Ireland’s case ICBF, to rapidly process unimaginable quantities of data from the national herd and provide accurate breeding information.

NATIONAL GENOTYPING

The programme will be based on a cost sharing model between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the beef and dairy industry, and participating farmers.

Year 1 will involve the genotyping of up to 800,000 cows and breeding heifers.

A word from Laurence Feeney

“IHFA has a fantastic opportunity now to cost effectively genotype the entire Herdbook. This is a game-changer for our industry and our members. We can boost the appeal of our herds as the best source of livestock for both dairy and beef sectors. More precise pedigree data will enhance buyer trust and allow us to showcase the outstanding quality of our animals. We can speed up genetic improvement in our dairy heifers, regardless of your herd’s main breeding objective. We already witness enormous demand for pedigree cattle from domestic and foreign markets, and this will only increase with this initiative.

Year 2-5 of the programme will require participating herds to commit to using the DNA Registration process on all animals born in the herd from 2024 to 2027 (inclusive).

PROGRAMME BENEFITS

Parent verification: A genotyped animal can have its Sire & Dam confirmed. Genotyping at birth will correct parentage errors (which currently sit at on average 17% per herd).

Higher reliability EBI/Eurostar figures: Genotyping increases the reliability of figures even before the animal has produced any offspring.

Traceability: Genotyping ensures that from birth there is full traceability of every meat & milk sample.

The sustainability area is where new opportunities lie. By fully genotyping dairy males and beef-cross calves, the calf buyer can trust the genetics they are buying and avoid some of the risk of buying

Cost: Herds who commit to participate in the National Genotyping Programme will get their cows and breeding females genotyped for free.

From 2024 onwards, farmers will genotype all

01 02 03 04 05

THE CURRENT DNA CALF REGISTRATION PROCESS

Our company is driving you to a regular and common people needs by the services

Farm: Calf is born & Tagged

When the calf is born the farmer tags with a double tissue tag and records all of the basic information such as, DOB, Sire, Dam, etc.

Lab: Analysis

Sample is received and processed in the genotyping lab and then sent to the ICBF database.

ICBF: Genomic Results

ICBF confirms the parentage and the genomic results are generated and made available to the farmer.

DAFM: Registration

Herdowner receives an alert to let them know that they can complete registration process. Herdowner registers the calf with AIMS.

Farm: Blue Card

Blue card is issued and calf is now fully registered via the DNA Registration process.

Sexed semen has revolutionised breeding options so that maximum use can be made of the information generated by the database. The next development will be the genotyping of the entire bovine population in Ireland.”

“At Lisduff we have been genotyping all youngstock for the last 9 years. There are only 31 older cows in the Herd that are not genotyped and they will be processed under the new scheme. The advantages are numerous. Firstly it confirms parentage so that human errors arising from say recording the wrong straws or wrong identification at birth are corrected. Secondly, it gives a great picture of the strengths and weaknesses of each calf e.g. production (milk, BF and protein), so that complementary matings can be made at breeding. Thirdly, it will identify animals of

families. The benefit in having many generations genotyped is the reliability we can see now. Our top cow families are also our highest EBI animals. Having purchased Glashnabrack Alanna 733 in 2014 as an incalf heifer, her EBI now stands at 310 and has also classified EX92 2E on her 9th lactation whilst also having an EX daughter along with 3 VG daughters all of whom have genotyped high. Her VG 86 daughter Rathard Supreme Alanna with protein at 3.7% has now produced a 411 EBI daughter. The Rathard Blossom cow family which adds longevity to the herd has seen us produce Rathard Resilient who became our first bull sold to AI last year with his great grand dam now on her 10th lactation and his 3rd lactation dam having an EBI 266 at 5.09% fat and 3.75% protein.

Having a fully genotyped herd will greatly help

exceptional breeding merit that otherwise might be missed. For example LISDUFF PERCEPTION (FR6139) at NCBC now with a milking daughter component in his proof and with an EBI of 291. NCBC recently purchased a calf LISDUFF NAPOLEON ET with an EBI of 317 (had a parent average of 256). At this stage we could not countenance going forward without a policy of genotyping at least all female calves and would urge all fellow breeders to get on the genotyping train at the first station.”

Peter Hynes, Rathard, has been impressed with the information and guidance in terms of herd management genotyping offers “ Having upgraded our herd to pedigree status in 2013, we then began genotyping our females in 2014 with a view to identifying our best females and cow

us improve our sustainability at a rapid pace as research further focuses on using genetics to breed even more carbon efficient dairy cows”

Advantages of genotyping:

• Parent verification

• More accurate genetic evaluations for all traits

• Identification of animals out performing their parentage averages

• Information on genetic defects and major genes (coat colour, Haplotypes etc)

• Commercial Beef Value indexes on beef cattle, including dairy bull calves

• Better selection of replacement heifers

The programme will be open for online application in the coming weeks – please keep an eye on the ICBF/IHFA website for updates.

Pictured - Lisduff Leslie 153 EX90 Dam of Lisduff Perception and Glashnabrack Allanna

IHFA Judges conference 2023

On Saturday 27th May we held our first Judges Conference since 2016 and it was a roaring success. With a fantastic venue that was Barron’s Agri Trading, Causeway, Co.Kerry and with the Kerry Holstein Friesian Breeders Club hosting the event we were spoiled. The club were second to none when it came to organising the event and the animals that they provided for the showcase were nothing short of outstanding. We are indebted to Brendan Greenan and his team for the preparation of all the animals and without them, the event would not have run as smoothly as it did. We are extremely grateful to our Master Judges, Gary Jones, Victor Jackson and Michael Maunsell for taking time out of their busy schedules to judge on the day. As always, without our Sponsors, these events would not be possible and we would like to take the time to thank them for their continued support.

IHFA recommended judges panel

Kilsunny Friesians Kilsunny Friesians

10,466 litres at 3.56% protein and 761 kgs milk solids in 305 days last year Milked 51,046 litres in 5 lactations

First daughter milked 8093 litres as a heifer

Fresh on her 3rd since February, awaiting classification

8333 litres at 3.72% protein and 627 kgs milk solids on her 2nd EX90 dam milking on her 8th lactation and averaging 3.70% protein

Fresh on her 2nd since February, awaiting classification 6940 litres at 3.61% protein and 505 kgs milk solids as a heifer

VG88 dam milked 80,146 litres in 8 lactations and is fresh on her 9th this April

We have a wide selection of British Friesian bulls from all our top cow families for sale all year round.

Visitors & Enquiries always welcome TREVOR DUDLEY & FAMILY, Kilsunny Hse, Dovea, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. 0504 23461 / 086 3916922 / kilsunnyherd@gmail.com

KILSUNNY RUBY 113 EX90

KILSUNNY LILY 60 VG86 (2nd calf)

KILSUNNY LILY RED GP84 (1st calf)

Georgia Greenan

Do you have an event you would like captured or perhaps you would like some grazing shots taken of your herd?

• Shows/Sales

• Herd Promotion

• Herds Competitions/Field Evenings

• Bull Dam/Daughters

I believe a calm approach to photography is the winner, an animal in their own natural environment will always take the best photograph. A good photograph is key to successfully promoting your animals and herd!

“Capture that perfect MOOment” Get in touch today at ggreenan@ihfa.ie or call the IHFA Office

Bluetongue Virus Update

The Department of Agriculture issued an update on the Bluetongue virus at the beginning of this year. Below is a summary of how it is spread and why farmers must remain vigilant and be proactive in preventing the spread of the disease.

While Ireland is currently free of Bluetongue virus (BTV) this viral disease is widespread across mainland Europe. It is spread by infected biting midges which are generally most active between April and November. The disease could be spread to Ireland through imported animals, infected foetuses, infected biological material (semen or embryos) or wind dispersal of infected midges from Europe.

Clinical signs of BTV:

• Fever

• Inappetance (loss or lack of appetite)

• Drop in milk yield

• Reddening of the mucus membranes

• Sores on the nose, gum and dental pads

• Swelling of the face, lips & tongue

• Breathing difficulties if the tongue swells

• Drooling

• Discharge from the eyes and/or nose

• Lameness

• Abortion or deformities in offspring

• In severe cases, death can result

Sheep are more likely to show obvious clinical signs of Bluetongue than cattle if they become infected, and mortality rates can be as high as 70%. Some animals may not show any clinical signs however, and these animals can pose a risk for spreading the disease to new areas or countries.

Key measures to prevent BTV entering Ireland:

1. Limit imports of BTV Susceptible animals

2. If import is unavoidable do so outside of the high rick season (import between Dec-Mar)

3. Only import animals, embryos or semen from reputable sources – request proof of BTV vaccination

4. Seek pre-export PCR tests of animals for BTV before import

5. Quarantine animals on farm when they arrive and observe for any signs of illness

6. Have imported animals seen by a vet within 5 days of arrival into Ireland

For more information visit the Department of Agriculture website. If you have concerns animals in your herd may be infected contact your vet immediately. BTV is a notifiable disease and must be reported to your local Regional Veterinary Office without delay. Clinical signs of Bluetongue virus in cattle

Stay ahead of stress for a better bottom line.

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Summer Calendar for IHFA Club and National Events

These are the events organised for the summer at time of going to print - more details are available on the IHFA online calendar, and extra events can be added at any time.

Best of luck to all the clubs and the host farms with this summer’s activities

Legend: HC - Herds Competition. FE - Field Evening. CS - Calf Show

North Eastern Club Trip IHFA Open Day YMA National Finals

* Four YMA Calf Shows are taking place on the 8th of July for the following clubs - Breffni/ Oriel, Carlow/Kilkenny, Slaney and Kerry YMA

*YMA Calf Shows

Cedarmore Holsteins

longevity

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To request a FREE farm visit: T 041 214 9600 www.flogas.ie/dairy

Barrowvale British Friesian

Introducing star bulls: Barrowvale Google 3,

Barrowvale Google 8 & Barrowvale Jingle 9

100% British Friesian available from Dovea & Eurogene AI - EBI's to €292

Dam of Google 8 and Jingle 9 pictured

Barrowvale Dobee 48 EX92 5E (EBI €280, Fertility €140)

Top IHFA Production Herds

Milk recording figures were used to compile a list of the top producing (average 305 d milk solid production) herds in the IHFA Membership. Criteria for animals & herds to be included is as follows: Animals must be alive at time of list compilation and in the herd, must have calved between 01/09/21 and 31/08/22. Minimum 3 milk recordings in the herd. Herds must have a minimum of 25 cows milking and 85% of the animals with pedigree status.

Top IHFA EBI Milking Herds

Lactating animals EBI’s were used to compile a list of the highest average EBI milking herds in the IHFA Membership. Criteria for animals & herds to be included is as follows: Animals must be alive at time of list compilation, must be in the herd in May 2023 and calved since 2022. Herds must have 85% of the animals with pedigree status and 80% of the animals in the herd must have an EBI on ICBF Herdplus

IHFA HALL OF FAME recipient 2023

Bobbie Franks

With a lifelong enthusiasm and passion for quality dairy breeding Bobbie Franks is a very worthy recipient of this years award. Bobbie’s long professional career in the dairy livestock industry is intertwined with the development and progression achieved by the Black & White breed since its formative years.

As a young boy the RDS Spring Show was a “Mecca” for the agricultural sector and as a regular visitor Bobbie’s fascination was always the dairy cows on display. Little did young Bobbie think that one day he would be appointed as commentator of the livestock section. Ganly & Sons Auctioneers introduced Bobbie to commercial livestock trading, where we worked as a clerk from age 14. Compiling the catalogue for the dispersal sale of the Bracklyn Friesian herd in the 1960’s was a seminal bookmark in Bobbie’s professional career. The Bracklyn herd from Westmeath was a renowned Friesian herds in Ireland at the time. At 300 cows it was also one of the largest herds. Mrs. McCarthy who had a tremendous knowledge and passion for the breed left an indelible impression on Bobbie. She imbued upon him the importance of cow families and bloodlines. An ethos Bobbie holds to this day; “The gene is always there; it may not be evidently expressed in every generation however its presence and potential to influence persists”.

Having relocated to Cavan, Bobbie joined the local Breffni Oriel Friesian breeders club. Bobbie believes the IHFA club structure is an important vehicle to foster knowledge transfer and to provide

a forum for Holstein Friesian breeders on a local basis. Bobbie’s standing and regard as an authority on the Black and White breed was such that he was appointed as a local breeding consultant with the AI organisation Cattle Breeders Services Ireland (CBS). In this role Bobbie became acquainted with a large number of progressive dairy farmers throughout the Northern half of the country.

In 1994 Bobbie joined the staff of the IHFA. Working closely with Chief Executive Kevin Dillon and all the IHFA staff Bobbie was employed as a Field Development Officer. Possessing a first-rate knowledge of the breed along with a most practical approach including an inexhaustible patience, Bobbie’s warm and engaging personality helped hundreds of dairy farmers to grade up their herds to attain IHFA Pedigree status.

In an era where technology was very primitive compared to today, Bobbie’s professionalism and lifetime wisdom ensured that the paper trail of breeding records maintained by individual farmers was realised into added value for their herds in attaining Pedigree status. Travelling extensively to cover a large geographic area of numerous counties was a major undertaking, accomplished without fuss.

Bobbie was the face of IHFA to many new members and their positive interaction with Bobbie set many, many members up to go on to enjoy a lifetime’s fulfilled involvement with pedigree Holstein Friesian breeding. He provided tremendous assistance to many IHFA clubs including Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, West Midlands, North Eastern and Breffni Oriel.

Following a stellar career with IHFA Bobbie retired in 2008. Congratulations to Bobbie on his National Hall of Fame lifetime achievement award.

Picture: IHFA President Richard Whelan with Bobbie Franks and his wife Lyn at the recent prize giving. Bobbie and Lyn also celebrated 50 years of marriage this year

REGISTRATION ERRORS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

WHAT IS SRM?

SRM means that a bull is on the supplementary register. He is not pedigree. Please note, some bulls, although having an FR code may in fact be crossbred.

Be Aware - Protect Your Herd’s Pedigree Status

When choosing a sire from AI, do not assume that all bulls are pedigree registered. Always check with your provider before purchasing straws.

Why?

In the past, all AI bulls were required to be registered as pedigree. This is no longer the case. SRM bulls may be up to 100% Holstein Friesian but are not backed by pedigree lines.

How does this affect the status of offspring?

If you use an SRM sire on a pedigree cow, the progeny do not qualify for pedigree status. How this affects future generations in the herd depends on the sex of the offspring. Female progeny will be graded ASR and generations of pedigree bred lines will be disrupted.

The same does not apply for males. An SRM sire will result in male offspring being graded SRM. The consequences of this will impact future generations as EU Breeding Rules do not allow grading up through the male line.

MALE PROGENY FROM AN SRM SIRE WILL ALWAYS HAVE SRM STATUS!

MALES CANNOT GRADE UP.

REMEMBER, SRM DOES NOT EQUAL PEDIGREE!

Pedigree breeders make huge investments in building on the pedigree of generations of animals in their herds. This can be lost by an uniformed choice of sire. Tell your AI provider that your herd is a pedigree herd and you are maintaining pedigree status for your animals. If a sire is not pedigree, he does not suit your herd or your investment.

WHAT IS FPT?

“The pedigree certificate states that IHFA are relying on statements made by or on behalf of the breeder as to parentage at the time of registration.”

If you, as a breeder/herd owner or agent, carry out genomics on female animals in your herd and failed parentage is identified (FPT) then the IHFA registration status is invalidated and you must –

• Inform IHFA in writing of the animal’s identity (tag no.).

• Return the existing pedigree cert to the office.

• Follow up and correct the parentage at your own cost.

IHFA will then issue a new cert for that animal reflecting the updated information.

IHFA does not accept any responsibility for failed parentage.

FRX BLUE CARD

There have been a number of incidences recently where pedigree registered animals are issued blue cards with FRX as the breed instead of FR.

The Department of Agriculture have indicated that it is possible to update a full Pedigree animals blue card if it has FRX as the breed in error

To do so:

• Contact your local DVO

• Produce the pedigree cert showing full animal pedigree (zootechical cert on back of pedigree cert)

• Complete form ER94(b)

IHFA advises all farmers to check blue cards as they arrive and resolve any issues as soon as possible

MISSING CERTS OR XSR ANIMALS?

Some of your animals reading as XSR? It means the animal is in error, i.e, not registered and a certificate failed to issue. The following are five common causes -

Invalid or incorrect Sire ID

Only ever use the correct AI codes or stock bull ID. Anything else will send the animal into error.

Dam not registered

If a dam is not registered, her offspring will not register

Non-registered stock bulls will put the offspring into error and you will subsequently need to use the grade up system to get back to pedigree status.

Stock Bull Short Code incorrect

If you have a stock bull, you may allocate a short code to the bull to use when registering the sire of a calf. We recommend you use the breed of the bull, combined with the last four digits of his tag (e.g. HF1234). The short code only needs to be allocated once.

Sire is crossbred

Some FR coded bulls are in fact crossbred. They are assigned an FR code if their sire is Holstein Friesian. This is especially important now that cross-breed evaluations are now available.

HOW TO FIND ANIMALS IN ERROR (XSR)

Go to IHFA.ie and log in to Access Reports. If you do not know your login, click on ‘Forgot your password?’

Click on Existing Reports

on Reports

Here you will find a list of animals in your herd who are in error, denoted as XSR.

If you have animals in error, contact IHFA staff at enquiries@ihfa.ie to have them corrected.

This will bring you to your members’ landing page where you can click

ANRAHAN ERDH

Hanrahan Magnifico (FR6966)

Hanrahan Olympus (FR5239) available at Eurogene AI

Dam and GDam pictured l-r:

Hanrahan S2304 Maureen EX 90 (EBI €252) & Hanrahan DGC Maureen EX90

Herd Classification:

3 EX - 20 VG - 23 GP

Incalf Heifers And Stocks Bulls For Sale

Contact:

Matthew Hanrahan - 087-7009207

CLOCHRUA MESSI FR9358

» +0.24% Protein +0.31% Fat

» +56 kg Milk

» Dam -XDO Lucy EX90 Averaging over 8,110kg milk 4.64% Fat & 3.78% Protein

» Conformation +1.14

» 156 aAa

» FR6622 X XDO X UPH

TOPMODEL FR9031

» German Daughter Proven Sire

» €214 EBI

» +543 kg milk +0.11% Fat +0.08 % Protein

» Excellent Balance, Power in the Frame

» 15 Generations Of VG/EX dams

» Sexed Semen Available

Source: ICBF MAR ‘23

PURE FRIESIAN CLUB NEWS

News since Spring Journal:

The Irish Pure Friesian Club has continued its series of on-farm meet ups, with gatherings on Joe Treacy’s farm in Kilkenny at Easter, and then on May 13th, several of us gathered at Conor & Riona O’Leary’s farm in Cork. You can read about these meet ups and all our other news on our website: https://www.irishpurefriesian.com/

Upcoming Events:

This year’s National Pure Friesian Open Day will be hosted by Gearoid Maher & family on Thursday June 29th. All are welcome for an informative and social day!

Meet Ups

Next on-farm meet up will be October 7th in Kerry, hosted by Noel O’Connor. Come along to join our discussion on British Friesian breed and see a great herd of cows.

New AXA National Herds Competition for Irish Pure Friesians

We’re delighted to welcome AXA Insurance Ireland as the sponsor of our new AXA National Herds Competition for the Irish Pure Friesian Club. Their generous sponsorship allows us to expand the competition and extend the number of farmers and breeders involved in benchmarking their herds and focusing on excellence. This is where annual classification with IHFA can translate into prizes and awards!

This year’s competition will be judged by Mr Brian Dalby (Ringswood Herd) UK.

September Tour to Netherlands

A major perk of being a club member of the Irish Pure Friesian Club is the chance to take part in our annual tours. Last autumn we went to the Donegal and Northern Ireland. This autumn we’re heading to the Netherlands for a jam packed three day tour. The tour will include a briefing on Dutch agricultural policy, a visit to a farm using advanced embryo transfer techniques, commercial dairy farms using British Friesians, and much more.

To join the Irish Pure Friesian Club, contact Membership Secretary Francis Fitzgerald on 086 3662712.

Breeding policy for the Teagasc Johnstown Castle Herd

Background

The Teagasc Johnstown Castle Dairy Herd in Wexford comprises 153 high EBI Holstein cows plus followers, run on a total farm area of 73 ha (54 grazing ha). The herd calves in a 60% autumn block and a 40% spring block. The herd has hosted a diverse range of experiments over many years, including winter milk feed-to yield and grazing trials, and more recently some work on multispecies swards, methane-reduction additives and alternative feed protein sources. It is often the case that 4-5 mini-herds run side-byside on their own independent systems.

Perhaps as a result, visiting groups often ask whether we have a policy of breeding cows to suit a particular system. On the contrary, we have placed a strong focus on breeding a flexible, robust cow type that can produce high levels of milk solids and go back in calf across a range of systems. The sire selection policy for winter and spring sections of the herd is identical, targeting a balance of milk solids and fertility traits through EBI sub-indices. Increasingly, we are putting more emphasis on health, carbon efficiency and management aspects of the index (Table 1). We do not set specific targets for type traits, however the herd has developed to be of medium size, with good functional locomotion and udders, and a capacity to hold body condition through early and peak lactation.

We have observed over the years that milk sub-index, and not milk kg/milk volume per se, has been the best predictor of lifetime daily milk value for the herd. We also see, as shown in Figure 1, that milk fat and protein content, are driven by the EBI values for each. As such, our selection policy has been to select for high milk sub-index based on increasing milk solids while holding milk volume steady. For example, the 2022 heifers (Table 1) will outperform the current herd for milk sales value based on the milk sub-index, with milk volume being of less relevance. This is consistent

for the winter and spring herds alike. The herd is fully genotyped and results used to increase rate of genetic gain.

Performance

Annual milk solids sold per cow has improved also due to improved fertility performance, from approximately 483kg milk solids sold in 2013, to 569kg milk solids sold per cow in 2022. This herd average breaks down as 605kg milk solids for the winter group and 518kg milk solids for the spring calving group, reflecting differences in feed system and annual concentrate input. Milk solids percentages are very similar for the spring and autumn cohorts (4.44% and 3.68% on average), so the principal difference in total output is due to milk volume (7426 v 6370kg). As a result, from a nitrates perspective, our spring herd/system, if operating in isolation, would be in Band 2, and our winter herd/system would be in Band 3 in a similar context, but with identical genetic profiles. This illustrates that feed system has a major bearing on herd banding category and that genetic merit for milk volume has only a partial impact; the same trend is apparent on commercial herds. Our future breeding policy will remain consistent with breeding for milk sub-index targets as a result.

Fertility performance of both calving-season groups is usually similar, with >80% calving in 6 weeks in each block and typical empty rates of 10-12% after 10 weeks breeding. Average calving interval is 370 days. We do not carry/recycle cows between calving seasons as a rule. Over time, and in tandem with breeding for higher fertility sub-index, this has helped to improve the baseline fertility in the herd as lower merit cows have removed themselves as empty cows at the end of breeding. It is clear from analysis of herd data over time, and indeed from various across herd-analyses, that selecting based on EBI has driven much of this progress. Of course, like any herd there are a few ‘outlier’ cows that break the mould, but the trend over large numbers of cows

Joe Patton, Aidan Lawless, Mike Dineen

Table 1: Herd EBI Profile for the Johnstown Castle Herd

over multiple years is clear. Average lactation number of cows culled has increased to 4.1 lactations from 2.9 lactations per cow culled in 2013. This greater cow longevity has increased the opportunity to use more high DBI beef bulls across the herd due to a lower requirement for replacement stock.

Bull selection decisions Autumn 2022

For the autumn 2022 season, 9 bulls were selected for the herd; 3 were daughter proven and 6 were genomic sires. The average milk sub-index of the bull team was €121, coming from 35.5kg combined solids. Milk kg (+115kg) on average was close to the current herd average, and ranged from +14 to +200 in the bull team. We expect the daughter crop to average 3.96% protein and 4.72% fat based on how the EBI figures currently predict actual performance for the herd. Fertility is good in the herd at present but the bull team will improve genetic merit further. The bull team will also increase merit for health, maintenance and carbon traits, which will drive efficiency and produce easy-care cows. High DBI bulls with good carcass characteristics were used on the lower EBI/lower performance cows.

Selected cows

While the emphasis for the herd is on consistent improvement of the average performance, and indeed providing a suitable quality cow for systems experiments, visiting groups frequently enquire about the ‘best’ or ‘ideal’ cow in the herd. Picking two examples, FB 2282 is a typical mature cow in the winter group. With an EBI of €250 (Milk €102/Fert €82), this cow has consistently delivered high milk solids output with good calving interval and low SCC across multiple lactations. Importantly, a problem-free cow that has gone largely unnoticed in the yard. On the spring side, FB2689 is typical of the spring calving mature cows. With an EBI of 201 (Milk €85/Fert €80), this cow has lifetime milk protein content of 3.93% and lifetime average of 580kg milk solids annually, from a typical concentrate input of 500-800kg. Again, a cow that works in the herd relatively unnoticed. These are two simple examples, but demonstrate the breeding objective of high solids for the system, consistency in calving date, and good health and functionality.

Table 2: Summary of bull selection for Autumn 2022

Table 3: Lactation summary for FB2282 (left) - EBI €250 (Argo x Tossy x Tyson) and for FB2689 (right) EBI €201 (Pirate x Primo x Uphill)

New IHFA Team Members

Stephen Shannon

Stephen is no stranger to IHFA. Growing up on a pedigree dairy farm, the Ballydehob herd, gave Stephen an excellent introduction to pedigree breeding and dairy farming. A lifelong member of the Cork YMA club Stephen has held many roles within the club and is currently Chairperson. Stephen credits this involvement in YMA from such a young age as where his passion for the Holstein breed devleoped. He has represented Cork YMA at the National Calf Show and in stock judging competitions at the National Open Day. A highlight of his IHFA/YMA career to date was representing IHFA at the European Young Breeders School (EYBS) on

two separate occasions, placing 6th overall in 2019. Stephen has had many busy summers attending field evenings and preparing cattle for shows. In 2021 Stephen graduated from Animal Science in UCD. Stephen has been training and working as a classifier with IHFA since February and we are delighted to have him on the team. Stephen looks forward to traveling around the country to farms, meeting IHFA members and classifying the many herds of quality cows around the country as part of his role.

Ciara O Mahoney

Ciara is a Clonakilty/West Cork local coming from a farming background. She always had a keen interest in agriculture, and decided to follow this through to third level education where she has recently graduated with a degree in agricultural science at SETU Waterford (formerly WIT). As part of this degree Ciara undertook placement on progressive farms and with Teagasc Moorepark

Ciara took up role in the IHFA as marketing and customer services administrator in late May, where she will be involved in promoting the organisation to potential members, assisting in marketing activities for the association and representing the IHFA and promoting the organisation on-farm and at events. Ciara has a passion for all things agriculture and is delighted to be on the team.

Caragh Lynch

Caragh is from Gortatlea in Co. Kerry. She has always had a great interest in agricultural with dry stock at home and working on dairy farms which are active members of the Kerry Holstein Friesian Breeders club. Caragh recently completed an Agricultural Science degree in MTU, as part of this she undertook placement in Teagasc Moorepark. Working alongside PhD student Sarah Walsh who was researching the effect of spring grass availability on DMI and milk production in dairy cows, Caragh investigated the presence of IBR in bulk tanks and the risk factors associated with it. Animal health has always been one of Caragh’s great interests. Caragh took up her role as Registrar with the IHFA in May 2023, where she is dealing with farmers on a daily basis, registering pedigree cattle, solving members queries as well as representing IHFA at events .

Catherine O Driscoll

Catherine comes from a farming background of both beef and dairy, growing up on her family farm in Barryroe. This introduction to farming taught Catherine the importance of hard work, dedication and respect for both the land and animals. From an early age Catherine was immersed in the daily rhythms of farm life. She has a passion for all types of animals but especially loves cattle having worked most closely with dairy and beef stock thus far in her career. Being surrounded by animals all her life has given Catherine a love for the outdoors life and appreciation for the beauty of nature. Catherine looks to promote women in agriculture amongst other like minded young ladies interested in farming through her agriculture dedicated social media platforms. Catherine is looking forward to expanding her knowledge of the dairy industry and Holstein Friesians as a Registrar with the IHFA.

Changing of the Guard

We at IHFA would like to take this oppourtunity to congratulate Richard Whelan on the culmination of his term as IHFA President and wish the 2023 IHFA President Richard Hamilton all the best as he takes over at the helm. Pictured below are CE Laurence Feeney, incoming President Richard Hamilton, outgoing President Richard Whelan and President Elect John O Sullivan. Photographer - John Gill

Prefix EX Cows Multi Ex VG Heifers VG Cows

Top Classified Cows Since last Journal Publication

ANIMAL SCORE (times) OWNER

BALLYBOY SID CARMEN 1039 EX95 (3) Philip & George Jones

LYNBROOK PREDESTINE DREAM ET  EX95 (4) Ann O’Hanlon

BALLYTIGUE MOGUL PENNY  EX95 (3) Aidan Frawley

MONAMORE GRAFEETI PAPOOSE EX95 (3) Tom & James Kelly

MONEYGURRAN CLOVER 62  EX95 (4) James Crowley

This classification list is a summary of those herds classified between 1st January 2023 and 31st May 2023

Remember you can access your classification report online from the IHFA log in page in the days after your classification. Also it is CRUCIAL to record calving events for all animals prior to classification or their lactation will be incorrectly classified

THE FUTURE IS IN THE EAR

We wanted a monitoring system that would work on a grass-based system and be both reliable and accurate and that’s what we got with CowManager. The installation was quick and effortless; 260 cows and heifers were tagged in under 4 hours. It was a smooth process, and we were up and running that evening. When it comes to such a big investment on the farm we sit down as a family, and we look at it as a whole. If it can save you time, save you money and make you money, you have to invest in it, CowManager does all three!

John Rowe, Ballycleary Farm, South County Wexford. Milking 220 Cows

...Solar router retrieving live cow data from the field.

Eag Tag monitoring every 15 minutes...