| 97 Genomic technology a huge step forward Cresslands is starting to move towards a slightly smaller Holstein Friesian that is more efficient but still robust. The Stewart family has been running Cresslands Farms at Waikuku for about 100 years. Kelly Deeks Graham, Nicky, and Andrew Stewart of Cresslands Holsteins are hoping the use of genomic technology in the Dairy Industry Good Animal Database (DIGAD) from New Zealand Animal Evaluation Limited (NZAEL) will be a huge step forward for New Zealand’s dairy industry. Although it runs one of the top protein producing herds in Canterbury, Cresslands Farms has been exporting most of its surplus stock. The breeding index by LIC in 2002 took Cresslands’ herd from one of the highest breeding index herds to one of the lowest BW herds in New Zealand, because Graham had been using overseas genetics for 30 years. “The index took a lot of the demand for our surplus stock away,” Graham says. “The export market has since been the outlet for our stock because the rest of the world still wants the breeding that we have.” He says the index never persuaded he and Andrew to change the way they were breeding. “We kept breeding the way we thought was good, never perfect just like anybody. But the whole BW system and the national index has changed a reasonable amount in the past six to 12 months. Overseas genetics are not being penalised as much, and there are a lot of overseas genetics in the bull ranking lists now which is good. If we can get genomics into this NZAEL system, it’s going to be a huge step forward.” Graham says a cow’s figures will always be secondary to her actual performance. As will her appearance, however he and Andrew have always striven to produce good looking cows. “As a stud breeder, I focus on breeding the complete cow that’s as good-looking as it is efficient.” As well as winning both the 2019 and 2021 Holstein Friesian New Zealand (HFNZ) Semex On Farm Competition, their cow Cresslands Windbrook Dana also won the 2021 HFNZ-DeLaval All New Zealand Photo Competition. “If you’re going to get up early in the morning to milk, you want to be miking a nice looking cow.” Graham says Cresslands is starting to move towards a slightly smaller Holstein Friesian that is more efficient but still robust. He and Andrew are right into type and conformation traits, good udders, good legs and feet, and a long lactation go make her more profitable in the future. The Stewart family has been running Cresslands Farms at Waikuku for about 100 years. Graham and his brother are looking into their family history to try to find out exactly the year their grandad bought the original 40 acre block, RURAL SERVICES » Cressland Holsteins where he and their granny had intended to grow crops before realising the ground was too wet. “So my granny started milking a few cows. Dad’s uncle was a pedigree sheep breeder in Ashburton with a few pedigree jerseys and bought Dad his first pedigree animal, a jersey heifer. But thankfully he got into Holsteins instead, because they were more suitable for winter milking. We’re still winter milking and the Holstein is a lot more hardy and produces well over the winter.” “The export market has since been the outlet for our stock because the rest of the world still wants the breeding that we have.” Manufacturing • Silage feed-out wagons • Multi bale feeders • 2 bale feeders • Vee-Rakes and Line-Rakes Manufacturers of High quality farming equipment “Built Strong, Built to Last” Proudly supporting Cresslands Holsteins Unit 8, 75 Main South Road, Sockburn, Christchurch • 03-348 7800 • taegenz@hotmail.com
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