DairyCo

As DairyCo publishes the new Holstein bull proofs this week [Tuesday, 5 April], high health and fitness sons of Oman continue to dominate the Profitable Lifetime Index ranking. But their prevalence should not conceal the arrival of new blood (mainly sired by Goldwyn) some of which, as we go to press, has not yet been confirmed as available in the UK. (More information on this is below.)

Attention should focus on relative newcomer, Lynbrook Jancen, who heads the currently marketed list. This Omanson is truly cosmopolitan, having been born inIreland, progeny tested in Germany, and descending from the popular Danish branch of a US cow family through Tirsvad Luke Classic. Transmitting the smaller, rounder type with high milk components, Jancen also excels in daughter longevity, with a Lifespan Index of +0.5. His PLI is £241.

Former number one sire, Co-op Oman Logan (PLI £224), ranks second and is the best SCC improver in the top 10, transmitting a -22% reduction in cell counts compared to an average Holstein cow, made all the more remarkable by his outstanding milk transmission.

Third ranked is Crocket-Acres Eightand top fat transmitter, UFM-Dubs Alta Esquire, edges upwards into fourth place, which he shares with the top 10's best type improver, Long-Langs Oman Oman, who remains relatively stable.

In sixth place is milk components specialist,Timmer Tyson, while high milk volume bull,Mainstream Manifold, ranks seventh with a PLI of £217. Tyson and Manifold are by far the best direct calving ease improvers in the top 10.

Making their way into the top 10 from just outside are Woudhoeve 1042 Impuls, who descends from the popular Pietje family in The Netherlands and gains 22 PLI points this run, and End-Road Oman Bronco, who, with a daughter Fertility Index of +5.7, is the strongest transmitter in the top 10 for this important fitness trait.

Ranking equal eighth is Morningview Legend, who attracts extra attention as his nephew, Morningview Levi, is the highest new entrant, with a PLI of £209. Levi is a R-E-W Buckeye son, from the full sister to Legend and transmits a very balanced proof across all traits.

The highest available Goldwyn son, ranked just behind Levi in 12th position, is Ralma Gold Crown, who was released after the last proof run. With solid production and good performance across the fitness traits, he increases by 22 overall points this run, taking his PLI to £208. 

Highest climber in the top 50 PLI bulls is UK-bred Cogent Twist, who is also the highest ranking son of Shottle. Twist gains 29 PLI points, up to £195.

Bulls to watch

Several new bloodlines, dominated by Goldwyn sons, are making their appearance this run and once AI companies have had time to digest the figures over the next few days, they will no doubt add these bulls to their spring catalogues, when they will also join the official DairyCo ranking.

Amongst them are: Danillo (PLI £214), out of ALH Destiny, who is sister to several proven sires out of the famous Markwell Durham Daisy; Pirolo Goldwyn Wyman (PLI £207), from a deep Italian cow family; Guarini (PLI £196), bred in Germany; Go-Farm Artes (PLI £192), from the popular Tina family at Jeffrey-Way in the US; and finally, Ballycairn Tiergan (PLI £191), bred in the McCollum family's herd in Northern Ireland.

All five of these Goldwyn sons display solid production with excellent SCC, Lifespan, Fertility Indexes and conformation although Wyman and Artes are yet to receive official UK figures for Fertility Index.

"It's pleasing to see such a wide variety of high health and fitness bulls amongst this new ranking," says Marco Winters, head of genetics with DaiyCo. "I am often asked about the heritability and reliability of the fitness traits and I think this proof run continues to provide reassurance that they remain stable over time, while their on-farm use is providing a growing body of evidence that they work in the field.

"With such a large gene pool of Holsteins available to UK breeders, there is lots of scope within this breed to improve the health, fitness and welfare of the British dairy herd."

A table of the top 50 availableHolsteinbulls ranked on the latestPLI(April 2011)appears below. Type Merit is supplied byHolsteinUK.

See table below.