New Goldwyn son is top for type in April proofs
The influence of the legendary Braedale Goldwyn is really beginning to be felt with the launch of the April type proofs by Holstein UK this week (Tuesday, 5 April) as the bull accounts for five of the top 10 highest type sires.
Leading the way is the relative newcomer, Toc-Farm Goldsun, whose Type Merit of 3.8 is streets ahead of his closest rival, reflecting his ’show-ring’ quality daughters with exceptional mammary traits and outstanding feet and leg conformation. Goldsun is sired by Goldwyn and from the internationally renowned Italian show-cow, Toc-Farm Allen Amyly EX95.
Goldsun pushes his paternal half brother and former front-runner, Van Gogh (now deceased and in very limited supply) into second position, while third and equal fourth placed ME Dal Alliance (by Canyon-Breeze Allen), Crackholm Fever (by Goldwyn) and Curtismill Mr Sam (Regancrest-Mr Drham Sam x Mtoto) remain virtually unchanged.
Bulls ranked sixth to 10th were all in the top 20 in the last (December 2010) proof run and see no great change, but the biggest climbers within the group are Henkeseen Emphasis (up four places and now with a TM of 2.99) and Bo-Irish Kruiser (also up four places and with a TM of 2.91).
Highest climber
Goldwyn son, Comestar Lauthority, is the biggest climber of all on the table, jumping 10 places to earn a Type Merit of 2.87. UK daughters contribute to his proof for the first time, with his most notable improvement seen in mammary composite.
Brand new outside the top 10
Brand new bulls just outside the top 10, but still with outstanding type include Lirr Drew Dempsey (Goldwyn x Regancrest Emory Derry); Kaimurat (Goldwyn x Altagen-I Merchant); and Berryhill (Shottle x Mara-Thon BW
Marshall).
Split embryos
Two further outcross newcomers (Veazland Marion x Fustead Emory Blitz), launched since the December proof run, make history in the UK as the first brothers to result from a split embryo to be made available on the strength of their merged proof. As genetically identical animals, Gillette Wildthing and Gillette Willrock will share their proof calculated from their pooled daughter performance under a new protocol from their country of origin. And with a TM of 2.39 and high milk production, they’ll appeal to many, although could disappoint on the fitness traits. They fall just within the top 50 for type.
"We’re delighted that once again the Type Merit ranking is identifying bulls whose daughters have the conformation to thrive under modern production systems," says Lucy Andrews from Holstein UK. "Furthermore, a small improvement to the Type Merit index in this proof run results from a better conversion of foreign bulls’ leg and feet traits into UK equivalents."
This change sees foreign bulls given a foot and leg composite index in the UK which has been calculated from their actual, measured, linear type traits, rather than their subjective composite index in their country of origin, where breeding goals can be quite different from those in the UK.
"Type Merit is constantly evolving to reflect the industry’s changing breeding requirements and to take on board a growing understanding of the associations between traits," says Ms Andrews. "And this change is simply a step in that process that will benefit the UK producer and help him to breed a more durable cow suited to UK conditions."
