NZ Dairy Summer 2020

| 47 nz dairy OWNERS/OPERATORS Ryan & Tracey Badger Ryan 027 445 1997 Tracey 027 631 9699 ryan@rtbagri.co.nz tracey@rtbagri.co.nz accounts@rtbagri.co.nz SERVICES ■ Full Round Baleage and Hay Services ■ Full Square Baleage and Hay Services ■ Fine Chop Grass and Maize Silage ■ Ploughing/Discing/Levelling ■ Race/Track Maintenance and Digger Work ■ Grass and Stubble Mulching ■ Airseeder/Roller/Drill Direct Drill ■ Precision Maize Planting ■ 4wd Fert Truck Pohangina Valley to Shannon & Pahiatua to Rongotea Areas COVERING FROM PKF Rutherfords Ltd 06 350 7900 | pkfr.co.nz Our Mission “caring for you” PKF Rutherfords are proud to support David Wood Shorthorns ON FARM » David Wood David Wood’s Northbrook Shorthorn stud is managed by his daughter Anja. Their cows produce up to 600kg/MS per cow, per season. T hird generation Shorthorn breeder and presi- dent of the New Zealand Milking Shorthorn Association, David Wood, says the associa- tion is looking forward to the results from a set of DNA samples recently sent to Finland for genomic testing. David says the results will give them a good indication of how New Zealand milking shorthorns stack up with the rest of the world. “It’s an opportunity to future proof our breed and let us know where we can go with it.” Samples were sent from the Wood’s farm in Hiwinui, near feilding as well as samples from Mark MacDonald’s Methven farm and Logan Kelly’s farm in Southland, 20 samples were sent in total. David says the samples selected were from their top young animals. “We were told to take younger animals and if the animals did have some European genomics in them Genomic data on the way for NZ’s milking shorthorns Natalia Rietveld it would help them better calculate with the system that they’re currently using. Over the years a lot of different bulls have been used and there has been a slight trend towards red friesians and we didn’t want any of that in this group of samples that was going.” David says the results will be a big step forward for the breed. Having the information to work with will aid in fast-tracking genetic gain, “it’s the information people want so we have to go with that.” While the information will help progress the breed in NZ, David says you have to keep in mind there are many variables with environments, feed etcetera so those differences need to be taken into consideration when making any decisions towards genetics. “It’s just another tool to work with so when you’re sire selecting and that sort of thing it all helps.” The association has also just joined a worldwide group involving Canada, Australia, and Europe to see if there is any red cow genomic information available to expand the offerings in New Zealand. “We have just set up one of our young members on that committee to see what is happening with that.” David believes if New Zealand’s milking short- horns were compared on the world stage, they’d hold their own. He knows from his own experience that milking shorthorns are great producers and he’s seen his own animals, once sold, adapt to a range of differ- ent environments. “If they’re farmed well, they do well. It’s as simple as that.” Many of the Wood’s Shorthorns produce up to 600kg/MS a season. As well as being great producers, they’re really efficient. A medium-sized cow that doesn’t require as much feed as taller breeds and is less prone to pugging. There are currently around 50 milking shorthorn herds in New Zealand but the breed is strength- ening with the next generation of dairy farmers showing more interest in the breed than previous generations David says, “a lot of them will have half a dozen cows in their herd and there’s a lot of inter- est in breeding their own over time.” With growing interest, genomic data couldn’t be more timely, the more information available, the stronger the breed will become and that can only be a good thing for the breed’s future in NZ. “It’s just another tool to work with so when you’re sire selecting and that sort of thing it all helps... it’s the information people want so we have to go with that.”