Linear Choice<\/a> range of sires, launched this January at International Dairy Week at Tatura, Victoria. Linear Choice is a new range of ABS St. Jacobs sires that meet a strict 17-point criteria to ensure dairy farmers have the best function, production, and health in their herd.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBreeding a \u201cbalanced\u201d cow is at the heart of Linear Choice and it\u2019s also Byron\u2019s underlying breeding objective. He selects bulls that rank 400 BPI$ or more, then focuses on their udder characteristics before moving to examine their linear traits – those covering type and function. \u201cI look at teat length, that\u2019s very important and then strength and stature – they must be as close together as possible,\u201d he explained. \u201cI don\u2019t want to breed greyhounds, narrow-gutted, tall cows. We need the strength for our cows to handle the conditions here in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following the examination of these characteristics, Byron will look for sires with a positive rump angle to avoid breeding cows with high pins as well as their rear teat placement scores. Byron\u2019s focus on rear teat placement is as much about form as it is function. He said if the teats are too close it\u2019s difficult for the milking cups to seal tightly on the udder for milk harvesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Positive daughter fertility, 110 or more for Mastitis and bulls with the A2 gene round-out Byron\u2019s extensive breeding checklist. BARBER met most of Byron\u2019s strict bull requirements. \u201cBARBER definitely is balanced, he can pretty well go on any cow,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m not in the dairy as much anymore, so I try to select good sires that can go over any cow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A self-described \u201cextreme cow person\u201d Byron has milked for 40 years and always valued genetics. He believes genetics can unlock profitability on a dairy farm as cows bred for function and profitability are also efficient. The best example of this was two years ago when a new herd was purchased to milk at the second dairy he manages. \u201cThe cows we bought probably were not from sires that I would have used,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are seeing the difference; they are not producing as much milk from the same amount of feed as the first herd.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Byron said the introduction of Linear Choice and its line-up of sires that match specific criteria was something the Australian dairy industry needed. Personally, he will look to Linear Choice bulls and high BPI sires as a starting point for selecting balanced sires. \u201cI will probably look at them first but still go through the bull proofs with a fine-tooth comb,\u201d he said. \u201cBalance is important.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Byron Smethurst has strict criteria for selecting bulls. The manager of two dairies, milking a total of 600 cows at Cooriemungle in southwest Victoria, he knows it’s possible to breed cows with a combination of form, function and profit – it just requires research. \u201cI like good looking cows, but they have to make money,\u201d…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":337,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-abs-australia-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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