28 | nzdairy Accurate data critical for genetic gain Kelly Deeks “We have to get the calving dates and times and match progeny to the correct dam and sire. One of the other tools we have as dairy farmers is we can actually do a genetic test to see who the dam and sire of a calf is, and the genomic values, so we can ensure that data is accurate.” DAIRY PEOPLE » John & Jill Bluett With Herd Test Standards and industry standards currently under review, there is an opportunity for New Zealand to get back to leading the world with dairy genetics, but not without the industry pulling together and farmers doing their part by ensuring the accuracy of their data. Te Pahu dairy farmer and database stakeholder group representative John Bluett is involved in the review process. He remembers the day, as an 11year old boy, when his father told him they would be using AB for mating and no longer using bulls. At that stage, Herd Test Standards and bull proofs were in the hands of the Dairy Board, which had set up the daughter-proven bull scheme around 1960. Traits other than production were introduced to selection criteria in 1979, when daughter-proven sires were found to be producing daughters with udders that farmers couldn’t put cups on. “The biggest gains in dairy farm production have been in genetic gain,” John says. “The genetics in these cows we have today go back about 82 years, and most of these will be good producing cows with good udders and good temperament, and will actually last.” John says 20 years ago, New Zealand was leading the world in genetics, but has since gone backwards due to commercial drivers between breeding companies after the Dairy Board was deregulated in 2001. John runs 670 cows in two herds on his family farm at Te Pahu, and under the current herd test model, their BW and PW are calculated as one herd. “One of the biggest things changing in this review will be how to calculate BW for farmers who are Qubik is proud to support John and Jill Bluett 9G IKXG HCTOGTU CDUQNWVG EQPƂFGPEG in their milking operations 24/7. TE AWAMUTU PUTARURU OTOROHANGA Te Awamutu Call Chris - 027 438 7883 bags6@xtra.co.nz NEW HOMES | BREAKDOWNS | RESIDENTIAL REWIRES | HEAT PUMPS | LIGHTING | SECURITY 40 Turongo St, Otorohanga 07 873 8673 www.pumpn.co.nz Patented Product Office (07) 825 9870 Mace 0275 397 602 Graeme 027 451 8143 Email: admin@gcl.net.nz 525 Te Pahu Road, RD5, Hamilton Goodwright Contracting Ltd is pleased to be associated with John and Jill Bluett Diggers • Bulldozer • Truck & Trailers • Tractor & Trailers • Effluent Ponds • Feed Pads Ground work • Ag Lime & Fert Cartage • All Grades of Metal • Sand running bigger farms and multiple herds, and the management groups will be analysed separately.” Another big part of the review is around the reliability of data. “We have to get the calving dates and times and match progeny to the correct dam and sire. One of the other tools we have as dairy farmers is we can actually do a genetic test to see who the dam and sire of a calf is, and the genomic values, so we can ensure that data is accurate.” With half the BW and PW scores based now on milk production, traits other than production including fertility, liveweight, body condition score, somatic cell count,animal health, and milking speed, make up the other half of the BW and PW scores. “If we can get enough data and it’s all accurate, that is going to be really industry changing and increase genetic gain.” John says the original herd test database had 45 elds to ll in, and today there are 200 elds used to calculate BWs and PWs. The review is also looking at bringing in use of CIDRs to ensure more accuracy of fertility trait data. Accurate live weights will also be needed to improve the reliability of genetic gain. ”From a dairy farmer’s perspective, we want the best, most ef cient cows, and probably one of the reasons is the greenhouse gases coming in. LIC and CRV are testing bulls for methane, but we can also reduce our greenhouse gases output when we have cows that will last longer in the herd. “Longevity, good udders, cows that produce less methane, and are more ef cient converting grass to milk will be the key things that help us with our greenhouse gases.” The trial, by arti cial breeding companies LIC and CRV, measures bulls’ feed intake and methane emissions – in the form of burps.
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