THE April Australian Breeding Values (ABVs) have provided positive reinforcement that Australian Jersey genetics are world leading and bred to meet dairy farmer needs across the globe.
Jersey Australia general manager Glen Barrett said the ABVs continued the trend of a strong, stable proof run for Jerseys.
The results were highlighted by a number of bulls graduating to proven bull status.
Jersey Australia's Positive Selection list continues to grow.
Bulls must be active genomic tested and have positive ABVs for Milk, Fat and Protein percentage, Overall Type, Mammary and Fertility.
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In the latest release, 39 bulls met this criterion with an average BPI of 302, providing farmers a wide range of bulls that meet key selection criteria and drive profitability.
While his proof has eased a little, Douggan retained the number one proven bull spot, shared with his Genetics Australia and Con and Michelle Glennen's White Star Jerseys stablemate Dobson, both on a BPI of 413.
Pickle was the number one genomic bull with a BPI of 420, bred by Luke and Mel Wallace at Wallacedale Jerseys in Poowong Victoria and also marketed by Genetics Australia.
Impeccable, marketed by AgriGene and bred by Kaarmona Jerseys, was the number two genomic bull with a BPI of 404.
White Star Jerseys from Noorat in south–west Victoria returned to the number one herd position with a BPI of 207, followed by Brookbora Jerseys from Tennyson at number two with a BPI of 202 and Rob and Kerrie Anderson's Kings Ville Jerseys at three with a BPI of 178.
Con and Michelle Glennen said the top spot reflected their focus on continual improvement.
"We're taking out at the bottom and breeding at the front; every cow has to justify her existence for being there," Michelle said.
"We still aim to breed a well–engineered, milky, low cell count function animal."
Con added that they had "thrown the net a bit wider looking for more outcrosses", with bulls from Denmark, New Zealand and America.
The herd was second in the previous proof run.
In the cow rankings, the top young heifer was Langdale Matt Naomi 2, bred and owned by Darien and Alex Mathews from Langdale Jerseys at Mardan, Victoria.
Top cow was #19735 an Aussigold daughter bred by Alan Burgess and recently purchased by Rohan and Graham Sprunt at Kaarmona, Victoria with a BPI of 531
