British friesian bulls
- Thread starter Friesianfan
- Start date
organicguy
Member
- Location
- North East of the south west
Yes!
So I choose the dams who I would breed a bull from at home and a good sire for a few genomic.
In the past I have used two proven sires for a couple of years and if I like the results swap them across the daughters. That way you get a herd of cows rather than lots of different shapes and sizes. (Why I hate cross breeding)
...
These cows were stood rather nicely tonight with their backs to the rain, all are tail end lactation, half the herd is dry.
Just to show what the British friesian can do (and my new phone!)
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Fantastic herd of cows
Those are bloody good cows, that 7th lac. Consul in particular looks half it’s age. So you breed your own genomic bulls from your own stand out cows?
organicguy
Member
- Location
- North East of the south west
We keep one or two bulls each year bred from our best cows. We have been genomically testing our bulls the last two years. Had a couple tested by Genus and Cogent and have some cows on contract to Cogent this time.
I had not realized that the genomic score is still made up of 50% of the parent average, the other half being the genomic bit!
The Consul daughters are funny ones, they scored really well as heifers with the best fore udder attachment, but did not mature into the best cows. It's is only looking at them as old cows you realize how good they are.
- Location
- somerset
its the old cows, that produce the best profit. Think average lactation for holstiens, is around ?3 or less. There is one advantage the hol has, over xbreds and some fr, they will keep on milking, for extra months, if not in calf !
- Location
- South Molton
What's that all over their backs.....ah I see it now its condition! ???
That’s true but really it’s only making up for them not getting in calf ( unless your meaning with your cast cows then yea ) rather, and I would have thought cows like that aren’t good to dry off , and with routine antibiotics in the spot light and the need to move towards sealant tubes is that always a good thing? Although some of our Friesians are too far the other way and dry off way too soon ?
- Location
- somerset
Dairy industry is going through a 'change', and the cows will evolve, to make the changes viable, as seen, by the rise in xbreds and fr, demand. At the moment, we are nudging 70% hold to 1st insemination, that will go down a bit, as not through 2nd cycle yet, C Index, last year 391, looking lower this year, but a lot of our cows, would dry off, rather than milk on. Your comment, re dry cow tubes, is very valid, and perhaps the cow, that 'dries' itself off, is better than the cow, you have to dry off ! Anti biotics use, is going to rapidly shrink, many mastitus tubes, are difficult to get now, the choice is getting less, we all know, a/b injectables is getting tighter all the time, vet told us this week, pen/strep is now on the 'hit' list. We definitely have to breed healthier cows !
We just have a small herd mainly Fr, Fr/Hol with a few ped shorthorns and some proper Ayrshire’s we bought last year. Wanted to breed all the black and whites full Friesian to get cows that last a long time, with good health traits, with good quality as the extra from the BF helps offset the penny reduction for sending less than 1000l/ per day, on very low input ours either get grass or round bales and a bit of cake although we probably give more cake than most because they don’t get anything else, better quality grasses and clovers in pastures would help cut it further. But also we breed our suckler replacements which most of the time will have 10 calves along with limi bullocks that we sell at 18 month. Tbh I see it as like having a suckler herd but with a milk cheque every month.
- Location
- Somerset
Bought a bunch of 30 Rodbrook Ian calves at a dispersal sale in 2009, 8 are still in the herd now (would be twice as many if it wasn't for tb).
Here is 'Jumbo' tucking into tonight's tea
Here is 'Jumbo' tucking into tonight's tea
Holsteinfriesian90
Member
- Location
- Cornwall
First Goonhilly Joseph heifer to calve in.
I thats it
Member
How's she milking?
Holsteinfriesian90
Member
- Location
- Cornwall
Giving 24 litres. Only calved 5 days.
How’s he bred?
- Location
- somerset
looks a lovely heifer, and most farmers would agree, those that say how good it is, if you put it through the ring, they wouldn't bid sensible money, udder not big enough !!!!!! No rhyme or reason to that, but, that's what happens ! They all want hfrs to calve at 2 years, but go for the 3 year old heifer, reason ? size !!!
