27 July 2017
Breed society, Jersey New Zealand, and herd improvement company, Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), signed the Jersey Future agreement in June last year, and have worked together over the past year to jointly select and prove the genetic merit of top young Jersey bulls.
Jersey Future aims to increase genetic gain in the breed for New Zealand dairy farmers, and produce more bulls for the Jersey breed that deliver diversity, reliability and longevity.
A limited number of artificial breeding (AB) straws from the seven handpicked Jersey bulls are now available for farmers to purchase from Jersey NZ for the upcoming mating season.
Casey Inverarity, LIC bull acquisition manager, is excited about the benefits the programme will bring to the breed and dairy industry.
“Jerseys once dominated the dairy industry in New Zealand. Focussed breeding programmes like Jersey Future help ensure there is enough genetic diversity and gain for the breed to continue to strengthen and develop.”
Jersey NZ board member Steve Ireland said the relationship between LIC and Jersey NZ was valued, and the sort of collaboration that Jersey Future offered was vitally important for the breed’s future growth and the dairy industry’s continued success.
“Jersey Future offers us the opportunity to prove bulls in a widespread manner which I’m certain will generate high quality animals for the industry, and that’s our way of helping with continued genetic gain within the Jersey breed.”
To ensure the success of the programme, a minimum of 70 herd tested heifers per bull within 35 herds have to be generated.
By purchasing straws from these golden sires, farmers will be doing their part to benefit the Jersey breed. Farmers interested in purchasing these straws can find out more from Jersey NZ.
