ABS newcomer first to break the 400 BPI$ profit barrier

Outstanding Holstein newcomer 29HO18698 ABS JERONIMO-P-ET is the first bull to break through the 400 BPI$ barrier.

Icon Sire™ JERONIMO-P was first identified in the Australian Breeding Values (ABV) future stars list in December (BPI$ 397) and from that point breeders in Australian have been waiting patiently for his updated ranking to come through in the April rankings.

“And they weren’t disappointed,” said ABS National Sales Manager, Paul Quinlan. “Jeronimo has come in at an impressive 402 BPI$, a feat no other sire in the world has ever achieved or even been close to. It’s an amazing accomplishment.”

In 2013, as ABS was investing in elite Holstein female genetics, RICHMOND-FD TANGO JULY-ET was purchased based on her genetic profile and cow family. She descends from the COYNE-FARMS RAMOS JELLY family in New York, a cow family known for healthy, fertile cows with moderate frame size and high components.

The decision was made to flush JULY to a polled bull, which resulted in her highest ranking heifer also carrying the polled gene. This heifer, ABS 7726 JAZLYN-P-ET, was flushed extensively in an attempt to further improve the genetics of this family, while maintaining the traits for which it is best known.

The bull that combines the best characteristics of this breeding program is ABS JERONIMO-P. The high components, outstanding fertility and great health traits that the family transmits have been intensified in this sire. The fact that he is also heterozygous polled and carries the A2 gene further adds to the excitement around his genetic profile.

Australian genomic plan continues to deliver outstanding quality

The genomic plan ABS Australia invested heavily in has continued to deliver exciting options for Australian dairy farmers.

“Our plan is to always bring the very best genetics from around the world to Australia,” said Paul. “Breeding more profitable cows is our primary focus for Australian dairying and testing sires on the Australian ABV system is important to us.

“We see too many variations in overseas sires for us to work just with their country of origin data. We want them to genetically perform in Australia, which is predominantly a grazing environment.”

Through its comprehensive global breeding program, ABS has proved there is a gene-environment correction on all sires.

“We have seen this correction time and time again,” Paul said. “It doesn’t mean sires that don’t convert high aren’t suitable, but it’s a very reliable guide on their transmittable profitability for the breeders and farmers in Australia.”

He noted that in an increasingly difficult and challenging world market, it is critical to breed animals that will outperform in each of the environments, farming systems and markets in which ABS’s farming clients operate.

“We have a simple approach to what sometimes people want to make complicated when selecting sires for Australia,” Paul said. “Sort the best from the average.”

This simple approach has seen ABS convert genomic sires into highly reliable and genetically profitable proven sires in the Australian system. These sires are now available for the Australian dairy industry.

Top three proven sires

ABS has the top three proven Holstein sires in 29HO16667 DE-SU 11228 TOPSY 353 BPI$, 29HO16714 DE-SU 11236 BALISTO 344 BPI$ and 29HO16888 SEAGULL-BAY MVP 322 BPI$. All these sires came through from ABS’s genomic program. Along with Jeronimo-P, ABS has sires such as 29HO17747 COOKIECUTTER HARPER (345 BPI$) adding daughters globally and in Australia soon.

“We believe our Australian team will continue to improve over time with world-class sires and exceptional cow families that transmit superior genetics for Australian dairy farmers to improve their herds for many years to come,” Paul said.

Demand for highly profitable genetics has never been stronger and the interest in polled sires is on the increase as well. It’s an area ABS is following closely and forms part of the sire selection process as new sires come available. Jeronimo-P is very appealing to polled breeders as is his half brother and double P (homozygous polled) Icon Sire™ 29HO18639 ABS JOPPOLO-PP (315 BPI$) who is the highest ranked homozygous sire in Australia.

“It’s a very exciting time for Australian breeders with so many sires,” said Paul. “And it gets better if A2/A2 is one of your selection criteria.”

ABS’s top proven sires and genomic sires, including Jeronimo-P, are all A2A2 which means when selecting sires for that particular attribute there is no compromise on either profitable genetics or polled.

21st century sexing technology – Sexcel™

ABS’s 21st century sexing technology Sexcel™ is also available with the top proven bulls.

“We’ve been extremely pleased with the feedback from our Sexcel™ Sexed Genetics launch at IDW and we expect to sell out of the proven sires very quickly,” Paul said.

Sexcel™ is ABS’s sexed genetics produced using a proprietary 21^stcentury technology, which is gentle on the cells. Sexcel™ was developed by ABS’s in-house scientists and research team and made with the most advanced sexing technology on the market today.

“By using our Sexcel™ sires, dairy farmers can expect to achieve more valuable female pregnancies in their herd,” said Paul. “It’s a way to fast forward your genetic progress with Sexcel™ Sexed Genetics.”

World class rankings

When it comes to world class sires ABS also has the #1 U.S. ranked TPI^® (2806) proven sire, 29HO17553 UECKER SUPERSIRE JOSUPER. His impressive U.S. profit ranking data also makes him the #2 available Net Merit Dollar (NM$) sire at 998 behind the number #1 available (genomic) Icon Sire™ 29HO18296 ABS ACHIEVER at NM$ 1013.

While Josuper is an outstanding U.S sire, he’s not too bad in Australia either. Featuring lower cell count and very good daughter and semen fertility, he ranks in the top 50 sires or best 1% in Australia at 266 BPI$. Josuper’s dam (by popular SHOTTLE son BEACON) was a production power house and this was also transmitted from the next four dams who also carried high production in their genes. The progeny are moderate in size and have the desired dairy strength trait with well attached udders, good feet and legs, lower cell counts and great daughter and semen fertility.

Leading the Jersey team

29JE3830 SUNSET CANYON DAZZLER and evergreen 29JJA03 CAIRNBRAE JACES ELTON lead the Australian proven Jersey team. Dazzler excels in lowering cell count and, as the #1 bull in Australia, he transmits excellent daughter and semen fertility. Elton has added more daughters to his already impressive number, now recording more than 5,500 daughters herd testing.

ABS’s relationship with Central Sires Co-operative (CSC) is well supported with impressive genomic sires ARALUEN PARK BANDANNA and MURRAY BROOK SHADOWMAN. CSCBANDANNA (238 BPI$) continues to improve each proof run and offers good daughter fertility, stature, strength, teat length and excellent udders. CSCSHADOWMAN (236 BPI$) is the new comer to the CSC team of sires. His impressive type lowers pins and adds teat length. His daughters will be more fertile than average and he has positive components and improves milk.