Key newcomers in Holstein type proof run
New type proofs released this week by Holstein UK see some long-awaited sons of Shottle start to enter the top 20 ranking, although it is sons of Braedale Goldwyn which remain a dominant force.
With no change to the number one position - with the Goldwyn son, Van Gogh, still leading the way with a Type Merit (TM) of 3.55 – the highest ranking newcomer is Gillette Windbrook, the number two sire.
A son of Gillette Brilea FBI, Windbrook’s TM of 3.37 reflects a breeding pattern that will have widespread appeal. Daughters are angular and moderately tall in stature, which they combine with body depth and width, and excellent functional traits of legs, feet and udders.
With good milk production – particularly notable for fat – it is only in the fitness traits that this Canadian bull fails to excel. He earns a more than respectable Profitable Lifetime Index of £140 which sees him edge into the top 100 PLI ranking too.
Third ranking Crackholm Fever remains little changed with a TM of 3.34, ahead of the second newcomer to the Type Merit ranking in the shape of British bred, Curtismill Mr Sam. From the Essex based herd of John Torrance, this Regancrest-Mr Drham Sam son is out of a Mtoto dam, and excels on type with a TM of 3.22.
With less extreme stature than many of his cohorts and transmitting all the right type traits for lifespan and durability, it is little surprise to see he is also one of the higher Lifespan Index bulls. However, he may not suit every producer, transmitting a lower than average volume of milk.
Level-pegging with Curtismill Mr Sam, ME Dal Alliance jumps to fourth from 19th position, increasing his Type Merit to 3.22. This Canyon-Breeze Allen son improves on type across the board as more international daughters come into his proof, although he will fail to impress for daughter fertility.
With R-E-W Seaver, Pine-Tree Sid, Mario Xacobeo and Jotan Red taking the next four positions and changing little since the last proof run, it is the Titanic son, Toscano that sees another notable jump. From 23rd position and into the top 10 with a TM of 3.04, his gains are by virtue of improvements in the functional traits of legs, feet and mammaries. He also musters a respectable PLI at £127.
Just outside the top 10 Type Merit bulls come another handful of newcomers which are certain to attract interest and leader amongst them is the number 14 bull, Bo-Irish Kruiser. A son of Braedale Goldwyn and from a Braedale-bred cow, this bull’s credentials look impressive with 2.95 TM; the second highest feet and leg score in the Holstein breed at 3.28; and good cell counts, lifespan and fertility. His PLI is £127.
Another debutant Goldwyn son features in 15th position, this one named Maryclerc Symphony, and featuring 2.94 points for type. Out of a Calbrett-I H H Champion dam (Champion himself being the equal most frequently featured maternal grandsire in the top 20 ranking) Symphony breeds stature and excellent mammary traits, and brings reasonable production and good fitness traits into the bargain.
A high type Shottle son makes his debut in 16th position. Called Giessen Struik, he has a TM of 2.91, is out of a Comestar Leader dam, and transmits outstanding udder conformation. However, he fails to impress on daughter fertility or milk production.
It is the number 20 sire that is perhaps the best all-rounder of all the newcomers, as in this position we see another son of Goldwyn out of a Calbrett-I H H Champion dam, in the shape of Comestar Ladner.
This bull not only offers 2.85 points on type, but combines this with respectable production, good cell counts and outstanding daughter fertility. This earns him the highest PLI within the top 20 type bulls at PLI £146.
One newcomer not to be overlooked just outside the top 20 is Willem’s-Hoeve Altarush, which is another high type Shottle son at 2.78 TM and ranked in 22nd position.
With the removal of Goldwyn himself from the active bull ranking, the way has been paved for his sons to fill the space he has left. And while none has quite reached his dizzy heights for high type and all-round performance, there are an impressive seven Goldwyn sons in the top 20, one of which may eventually earn a similar status to his sire.
"The Type Merit ranking is a useful starting point for any Holstein breeder interested in the conformation and durability of his cows," says Lucy Andrews from Holstein UK. "Within the list you will find bulls with a variety of breeding patterns - from tall to near-average stature, and from high fitness to high milk production – and amongst this range will be something to suit any type of breeder.
"I’d urge any breeder to scroll through the list or use the free and simple BullSelector tool on the Holstein UK website (www.holstein-uk.org), as there are many bulls with outstanding functional type, health, durability, fertility and production amongst the whole Type Merit list. So there’s no need to restrict choices to the very top of the list in order to achieve hard-wearing and workable conformation."
