Investment in Reds Underpins Herd Profitability

 

And while progressing from a herd manager, to share farmer and lessee, Red cattle have ensured he could keep a lid on health and reproduction expenses while delivering him plenty of replacements.

 

Incorporating Norwegian Reds into his breeding program during the past 25 years has also enabled the Meeniyan dairy farmer to capitalise on top-end genetics for his registered cattle and improve the quality of his cross-breds.

 

“I first tried them as a three-way cross because my uncle was using them and they worked really well,” he said.

“They produced well, got in calf with no trouble and it snowballed from there.”

 

The three and four-way crossing proved valuable, with the Norwegian Red genetics improving health and fertility traits of Paul’s Jersey-Holstein animals and the resulting progeny delivering top-end production.

 

“If I wasn’t so much into my breeding, if I was more of an accountant or business analyst I would three-way crossbreed every day of the week,” Paul said.

 

“Three or four way crosses are usually the best animals.”

 

Now, Paul  milks more than 200 cows – of which up to 90 per cent are Reds – and has plans to grow his herd to 240.

 

In recent years he’s used a lot of REDX™ – the sexed female Norwegian Red genetics.

 

“It’s caused me a big problem – I have too many heifers,” Paul joked.

 

“I’ve been keeping them, building numbers, but it will allow me to cull harder in following seasons.”