Are pure Holsteins coming to an end?
- Thread starter Bald Rick
- Start date
M-J-G
Member
Oh dear, you've gone and done it now ?
- Location
- somerset
no, the holstien breed is evolving to meet todays requirements, there are plenty of new bulls coming through that have good +ves for constituents, fertility, feet etc, that is, if you believe the genomics ! I watched u tube vid, on holstiens, in the USA in the 1940's, they were like our ideal friesians ! So if that was then, they should be able to breed back to a sensible sized, long lasting animal, with good constituents and yields. Todays modern holstien, is to big, to narrow, not strong enough, and reliant on large amounts of high quality food, to keep going, and their are not many left on this farm !!!
Bald Rick's jersey's have gone down the same route as hols, in the USA, we have xbred cows, USA jersey x hol, that pretty well are hols, with better componants ! But, over here they have had a bit more sense, in their breeding policy.
Bald Rick's jersey's have gone down the same route as hols, in the USA, we have xbred cows, USA jersey x hol, that pretty well are hols, with better componants ! But, over here they have had a bit more sense, in their breeding policy.
More to life
Member
- Location
- Somerset
Best of luck with your calves next year.
- Location
- Staffordshire
You don’t see many crossbred herds selling up, but then there’s probably more Holstein herds than crossbred ones and Holsteins do need looking after better so there’s probably not much margin for error with them.
- Location
- somerset
having been a committed holstien farmer for decades, we have now swapped to xbred spring calving.
It's only when you have suddenly, that you really appreciate the difference, vet bills down 50%, feed costs way down, feet much better, reproduction unbelievable. (and we were 401days with hols) grazing, they don't wait at the gate to come in, they don't sulk under a hedge in inclement weather, and, especially the jer x'es, they are plain nosey, have to stick their heads in everything !
It's only when you have suddenly, that you really appreciate the difference, vet bills down 50%, feed costs way down, feet much better, reproduction unbelievable. (and we were 401days with hols) grazing, they don't wait at the gate to come in, they don't sulk under a hedge in inclement weather, and, especially the jer x'es, they are plain nosey, have to stick their heads in everything !
Princess Pooper
Member
- Location
- East Mids
dinderleat
Member
- Location
- Wells
Holsteins will do solids you just have to breed and feed them the right way. We are doing 1.25kgs of fat and pro per 1kg of body weight, what’s your jerseys doing that’s per year not per lactation. Currently doing 4.66 bf and 3.8 pro 31litres from Holsteins
Dead Rabbits
Member
- Location
- 'Merica
No. A Holstein can be bred and fed to churn out a massive amount of solids, it just wasn’t a focus in the past due to how milk is priced here.
Allegedly the health traits are better than the last time I was around them 10 years ago. I remain skeptical about that.
@buffalo_soldier may know a thing or two about solids production
Allegedly the health traits are better than the last time I was around them 10 years ago. I remain skeptical about that.
@buffalo_soldier may know a thing or two about solids production
But I am not arguing against any breed but from the titbits one picks up from buyers, there does appear to be a move to much more solids that the market requires.
I think unless you are within a 20-30 mile radius of the dairy, the days of pumping out "white water" for the liquid market are going to be numbered.
That is my opinion rightly or wrongly
Location location location,here in the north west were on the doorstep to some big big towns,despite that my milk buyers biggest customer supplies motorway services,the nhs and various other country wide users off bottled milk.
Dead Rabbits
Member
- Location
- 'Merica
Definitely correct. Look a the fluid consumption trend
Do i understand correct that you sell 825 kg fat and protein per year from a 500 kg cow then?
More or less, yes. But we do feed for it and only using your Danish genetics ... for which we are truly grateful
Absolutely ........... look at the dash for Jerseys in Scotland and the rise of the Procross among "conventional" AYR boys etc
However we will still have a massive liquid market in the UK but I truly think us farmers are going to have to take long hard looks at where we are in the country, the likely available processors & their wants/needs. No point keeping a breed just because she does 40 litres/day if there is no requirement for that sort of milk. Similarly, if I was farming near Aylesbury, I would be a loony to have Jerseys - although there are bespoke outlets for such milk in the conurbations of the SE
More or less, yes. But we do feed for it and only using your Danish genetics ... for which we are truly grateful
Thats impressive !
I get the same kind of yield from my red cows, and they are considerably larger.