New Goldwyn sons take run-away lead on type
Sons of Goldwyn have taken a run-away lead in the August type proofs published by Holstein UK today. Now accounting for five newcomers and eight in total of the top 10 Holstein bulls ranked on Type Merit, many of these bulls offer the type of balanced breeding for production, fitness and type for which Goldwyn himself is internationally renowned.
At the top of the pile is Toc-Farm Goldsun, whose Type Merit (TM) of 3.85 ensures this Goldwyn son retains the outright lead he has held since the last (April) proof run.
Newcomers
But a new challenger enters the fray in number two position in the shape of Zelgadis, with a TM of 3.72. Also by Goldwyn and out of an Aaron, this Italian-bred bull breeds exceptionally tall daughters with outstanding legs and feet, wide rumps and well-attached udders. With the benefit of being an outstanding cell count improver, transmitting excellent daughter fertility and long lifespans, he has the all-round credentials to earn him a Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI) of £153.
Also new on the official ranking is the number three bull, Go-Farm Artes, with a TM of 3.26. Combining high type with high milk (860kg) and good lifespans, this bull’s type profile features dairyness and good mammary conformation, while stature is less extreme than some of his cohorts. His all-round breeding pattern gives him the highest PLI amongst the top 20 bulls at £167. His sire is also Goldwyn and maternal grandsire is BW Marshall.
Next newcomer is Toc-Farm Goldfish with a TM of 3.15, who is again by Goldwyn and out of an EX95 Canynon-Breeze Allen. Combining both dairyness and strength, this bull also promises good daughter lifespans, cell counts and fertility, and has a PLI of £118.
New in seventh position is another son of Goldwyn in the shape of Raline Lakota, with a TM of 3.12. Out of Titanic dam, this Canadian-bred bull transmits stature with outstanding legs and feet, and is one of the highest percentage fat bulls amongst this high type group. His PLI is £133.
Bassingthorpe Bossman (Goldwyn x Stormatic) makes his debut in ninth position, and with a TM of 2.92 he becomes the leading newcomer for type with a UK proof. Offering an extremely balanced all-round breeding pattern including good milk production (548kg) and fitness, his PLI weighs in at £148. Daughters are taller than average with outstanding legs, feet and locomotion, and with 86 percent of his classified progeny currently scoring Good Plus or better, he is outstanding in the UK.
Canadian-bred Genervations Lexicon (Goldwyn x Regrancrest Elton Durham) is brand new at number 19, and brings a good combination of production (593kg milk) and fitness with his high type (TM 2.73). He also offers one of the best PLIs, at £157, of this high type group.
The final newcomer to the top 20 completes a full-house for Goldwyn, with Comestar Lavanguard’s TM of 2.72 reflecting tall, dairy daughters with good legs and feet.
"We’re delighted to see a new British bull enter these rankings and pleased that he – along with so many others that transmit the best conformation - also scores well for production and fitness," says Lucy Andrews from Holstein UK. "Most dairy farmers seek this balance of traits and want to know that the cows they are breeding will have the constitution to last the course. Our type evaluation system identifies exactly this type of cow, and we also know that this is the type that day-in, day-out, the dairyman likes to milk."
