| 45 nzdairy 45 | DAIRY PEOPLE » Ross Soffe A breed Ross has developed a fondness for The 360 strong herd they milk twice a day on Wee Brae Farm are a mix of Friesian, Friesian-Jersey X, Kiwi-X, and 80 Milking Shorthorns. Karen Phelps Ross Soffe and his wife Jo farm 160 hectares in Midhurst just out of Stratford known as Wee Brae Farm. It’s the heart of the family with their son Caleb, their Farm Manager, coming out every day from New Plymouth where he lives with his wife Charlotte and two children, and daughter Ashleigh and her husband James Oakes farming 175 hectares just along the road. The 360 strong herd they milk twice a day on Wee Brae Farm are a mix of Friesian, FriesianJersey X, Kiwi-X, and 80 Milking Shorthorns. It’s a breed that Ross developed a fondness for many years ago, and which he still stands by, especially those from their own Milking Shorthorn stud “Oliver Woods” which was established in 1995. It’s been running alongside their pedigree Friesian stud which Ross’s father started in the 60’s ever since, and with their innate qualities carefully selected for over 30 years, the Shorthorns remain Ross’s favourites, and not at the expense of the farm’s milk production. Initially known for their high protein to fat ratio the Soffes have been selecting their stud’s genetics to improve their fat to protein ratio in line with payout priorities for enough generations to be more than happy with their progress. The Oliver Woods Stud breeds red, red and white, roan, and roan and white animals, with the roans being Ross’s favourite and often the favourite at the annual Shorthorn sales as well. While it was their look that initially appealed to Ross they easily hold their own by other measures as well. They rate highly on fertility and production, with the ones the Soffes put up for sale averaging over 400kgs milk solids a piece as they select their best producers as a way to support the breed and help secure its future. Ross is on the board of the Milking Shorthorn Association doing his bit to build up the numbers of what is becoming a rare breed, despite the numerous attributes that make them a good fit for many of New Zealand’s dairy farms, he explains. “They’re medium size with good health traits, easy calving, good feet, good udders and good production. Their size means you can run slightly more cows per hectare and they do less damage to a lot of New Zealand’s wetter country.” Like other breeders Ross is selecting for the polled gene which is becoming almost a prerequisite for many purchasers these days. Knowing that April is when bull catalogues start to come out, as farmers start to think about what semen they might buy, Ross believes two Milking Shorthorn bulls carried by Semex are worth anyone’s consideration. From South Islander Mark Macdonald they meet the Milking Shorthorn Association’s requirements. “We have a whole list of requirements to tick off before we accept any bull that’s put forward, especially the quality of the dam: their production, their fat/protein percentages and their indexes (Breeding Worth, or BW’s). You can see it all in the photos and our red cows look really good,” says Ross. Apart from their own qualities Ross thinks these red cows are particularly useful as a three-way X. “There have been trials done over the last 20 years, especially in South Africa and more recently Scandinavia, that proved that the progeny of the red cows as a cross produced more milk solids per cow than the progeny of the other breeds. Most of these straws will be sold to people who already have Shorthorns but we’d like to see others enjoying the hybrid vigour they’ll bring as an out-cross.” Ross is the first to admit he’s biased as his own Shorthorns remain his favourites. He’ll have calves and heifers for sale later in the year, through the Shorthorn Association and privately. Breeders abroad often come looking for new genetics to introduce to their stud just as the Soffe’s introduce new lines into their own. They’re all pursuing the hybrid vigour that keeps their studs healthy and increases their chances of producing an outstandingly good animal. - Temperament - Constitution - Protein Production - Excellent Legs & Feet - Longevity - Constitution - Fertility - Temperament - Neat Udders - Cross-Breeding - Milking Ability Proud to partner with Ross So e
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