Lifetime yield of protein over 1,000kgs A new milestone | |||
The annual statistics for 2005/2006 calculated by NRS, the Dutch Herd Book organisation, show that Dutch dairy cows now last longer than ever and achieved a new milestone in crossing the 1,000kg barrier for the lifetime production of protein. Every year in September, NRS, the Dutch Herd Book organisation, calculates the annual statistics of the Dutch milk recorded cow population. One of the figures most people are anxious to know are the lifetime yields. How are these developing, and have they gone up again during the year? From a profitability perspective, every dairy farmer wants to milk cows that produce well for many lactations. This is perfectly described by the HG breeding goal: ’A healthy and long lasting dairy cow that will give an optimum contribution to farm profit’. HG’s breeding program is therefore focussed on breeding healthy, durable cows that are capable of high lifetime yields. In the breeding goal, no less than 30% of the weight is on health traits like udder health and daughter fertility. Has this breeding philosophy borne fruit? Higher lifetime yields The statistics tell us that Dutch dairy cows last year stayed on farm 42 days longer than the year before. The average age at culling in 2005/2006 was 2,109 days, which is approximately 5 years and 9 months. Their productive life (the number of days they were actually in production) increased by 40 days to a total of 1,264 days. More productive days generally means also more milk in a cow’s lifetime. In graph 1 we see the trend in lifetime yields in The Netherlands since 1992 showing a stable increase every year. Last year’s average lifetime yield was 28,845kg M at 4.41% F (1,273kg) and 3.50% P (1,009kg). With 1,100kgs of milk more than the previous year this was the highest increase ever. | |||
The highest yielders The publication of the annual statistics also revealed which bull sired most cows with lifetime yields of 100,000kg of milk and the even greater achievement of 10,000kg of fat and protein. With higher average lifetime yields, the number of cows with production of more than 100,000kgs of milk in their lifetime is increasing every year. In 2004 we published an analysis in Highlights Magazine which showed that Tops Monitor Legend was the real ’King of Longevity’, with over 1000 daughters that had reached the 100 ton mark, well ahead of his rivals. But the figures also showed that Skalsumer Sunny Boy was closing in on him. It’s time for an update. And the winner is… In the Netherlands, 1959 saw the first cow achieve the milestone of a 100-ton lifetime yield and the total number now stands at 11,043. Last year 1,170 cows reached the 100 ton mark. Which bulls have sired these cows? We can see the answer in table 1. Looking at what happened last year, in table 2 we see that Skalsumer Sunny Boy is still in the lead and that Tops has fallen out of the top 3. The next generation of impact sires has started adding high lifetime yielders with Etazon Celsius entering at no. 3 and Etazon Labelle and Delta Cleitus Jabot also new in the top 5. Almost 25% of all cows that completed 100 tons of lifetime yield last year had Sunny Boy as their sire. With the rate Sunny Boy is adding 100-ton daughters at the moment, we can expect him to take the number one position in the all-time 100-ton list next year. | |||
Table 1 - Bulls that sired most 100-ton cows between 1959-2006 (total 11,043 cows) |
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Table 2 - Bulls that sired most 100-ton cows in 2005-2006 (total 1,170 cows) |
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The honours list for 10,000kgs fat and protein producers now totals 619 cows, with 104 of those being sired by Tops. Sunny Boy holds the number 2 position with 47 daughters, while Very is the number 3 with 30. | |||
| Etazon Celsius enters the list of bulls that sired most 100-ton cows in 2005/2006 at number three. In the picture is his daughter Claudia 17 VG88, the dam of Dekker Eext Promise (s. Apollo) and Dekker Eext Progress (s. Addison). On her way to the 100-ton mark her lifetime yield currently stands at 82,645kg M 4.71% F 3.61% P | |||
International comparison It is clear that Dutch cows are more productive and do last longer than ever before. But how do they compare to other major Holstein countries? In table 3 the number of cows that completed a lifetime yield of 100,000kg of milk in 2005/2006 are listed per country. To make a fair comparison the table also gives the total number of milk recorded Holstein cows in that country. Unfortunately there is no data available from the USA, but what we do know is that up to May 2005 a total of 387 pedigree Holstein cows had completed a lifetime yield of 300,000lbs of milk (approx. 136,000kg). In The Netherlands the 100-ton cows couldn’t be separated by breed, so they are compared to the total number of milk recorded cows. Although the time span varies between countries, The Netherlands is clearly in the lead (1 in every 971 cows), followed by Canada (1 in every 1,096) and the smaller Holstein countries Austria (1 in every 1,027) and Switzerland (1 in every 1,138). In fifth position we find Sweden with 1 in every 1,469 cows reaching 100 tons of lifetime yield. | |||
Table 3 - International comparison of the number of 100-ton cows |
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| 1) all breeds, pedigree and non-pedigree (source: World Holstein Friesian Federation and country Holstein Associations) | |||
| Dutch dairy cows last longer and are achieving higher lifetime yields than ever before |
| Highlights
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