Kiwi cross bulls

Llmmm

Member
Have alot of first cross jersey holstein excellent animal was going to start breeding these to kiwi cross say f12 j4 would there be much variation in calf size would a certain percentage be like useing a jersey bull or would i be better just using recipricol crossing iv tried a small number of norweigan swedish red but there a bit to big of a cow for me for grazing and i dont want a herd of all different types of cows.
 
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Homesy

Member
Location
North West Devon
At college I was taught that a cross bred when crossed with another cross bred does not breed true. If you put a Mule ram on a Mule ewe you don't get pure Mule lambs. How can that be true of Kiwi Cross ? If Kiwi Cross is a breed in it's own right, then crossing it back on itself surely negates any benefit from heterosis/hybrid vigour ?
 

Llmmm

Member
At college I was taught that a cross bred when crossed with another cross bred does not breed true. If you put a Mule ram on a Mule ewe you don't get pure Mule lambs. How can that be true of Kiwi Cross ? If Kiwi Cross is a breed in it's own right, then crossing it back on itself surely negates any benefit from heterosis/hybrid vigour ?[/QU
 

Llmmm

Member
Thats exactly what i tought however kiwi cross bulls are heavily used in nz and have daughters proven with excellent fertility and milk.Theres a famous norweigan red bull braut whose 75% norweigan 25% ayrshire.
 

O'Reilly

Member
I have used kiwicross on Scandinavian red crosses, and there is some variation in how much the jersey shines through. It will be over another year before the biggest batch are mature enough to see the final difference, some of these will probably be 2nd generation kiwicross. At the moment they appear to be fairly uniform. Not much help, I know, try some and some.
 

sidjon

Member
Location
EXMOOR
We've been using kiwi cross since 2007 (scotts Northsea), our service straws are split 1/3 nz Friesains, 1/3 kiwi cross and 1/3 Danish Jersey and aim for a 12F 4J, bbut changing breeding policy last year and used sexed Jersey and now probably going to be 8F 8J, pictures are of this year's calving heifers in the summer (their the ones with green tags), their a very even bunch overall.
20180719_162918.jpg
20180719_162904.jpg
 

Borney92

Member
Have alot of first cross jersey holstein excellent animal was going to start breeding these to kiwi cross say f12 j4 would there be much variation in calf size would a certain percentage be like useing a jersey bull or would i be better just using recipricol crossing iv tried a small number of norweigan swedish red but there a bit to big of a cow for me for grazing and i dont want a herd of all different types of cows.
Have you tried the High Ebi bulls from Ireland, some great info from Nextgen herd at Moore Park and Donagh Berry.
 

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