There have been some changes to how bulls are scored for the Australian Breeding Values lists, but the big boys at the top of the leader boards have remained largely unfazed and unchallenged.
Wisconsin-based ABS Global took the opportunity to highlight its sires in the December ABVs, after its top sires retained their spots at the ‘pointy end'.
ABS Australian business operations manager Bruce Ronalds said consistency underpinned the company's bull offerings, a result the company was especially proud of considering the refinements to the way dairy animals are ranked.
“The stability of ABS sires in this (ABVs) release proves the product mix and the traits we are breeding for are those that Australian dairy farmers want in their herd,” Mr Ronalds said.
One of ABS’s best Holstein bulls, Tailor, in fact saw his BPI score lift under the score changes, to +338.
Mr Ronalds said 29HO17706 De-Su 12128 TAILOR was fast becoming a farmer favourite due to his past, and current, position as the highest breed score for udders.
While proven bulls like Commander and Nirvana continue to be talked up by ABS, the company is turning towards its upcoming generation of sires, which it says are “ready to burst onto the Australian scene”.
“It’s exciting, there’s potentially another eight to 10 bulls that will be proven in Australia by April and the early signs show they could be the strongest offering yet,” Mr Ronalds said.
The standout in this new generation is 29HO19485 Bomaz EPISODE, with a BPI of 494 and an HWI of 507.
“He’s 112 for daughter fertility, 110 for mastitis resistance and 111 survival — the fact he is bred from the famous Bomaz herd is really an added bonus,” Mr Ronalds said.
The Bomaz herd was built in Wisconsin by brothers Bob and Greg Zwald and their wives Kay and Irma.
The first shipment of semen from Episode has already sold out and the second shipment is soon to meet the same fate.
In the Jersey breed, northern Victoria’s Kaarmona Balenti CSCBALENTI bred by Rohan and Graeme Sprunt was congratulated by ABS for impressing dairy farmers.
Leading the genomic list was CSCJAMIEO, bred by western Victorian Paul Lenehan and accessible through ABS’s relationship with Central Sire Co-op.