From time to time we notice attempts to compare the merit of breeds using the average milk production of different breeds, even in different countries. This approach is not very sound or practical. Geno Global, the USDA, the University of Wisconsin, and the Norwegian Agricultural Research Council are working jointly to make comparisons of different dairy breeds and breed crosses in large commercially oriented farms which are dedicated to research. Data are accumulating, and being analysed carefully by University scientists, to make within herd comparisons which are meaningful.
We will eventually have facts for farmers to use in decision making about which breeds to cross. Some very exciting facts about breed crossing are also emerging in Canada, the Republic of Ireland and even in the hot climates of Iran and Israel. In the meantime, here are some basic ways to make good sound decisions on which breeds to incorporate into your crossing rotation.
1) Always base your decisions on which breed to use on performance of large breed or crossbreed groups and within herd comparisons.
If the cattle are fed and cared for in a similar way, you can then make accurate decisions. Large herds can design and execute comparisons in-house, and we are more than willing to help you to design the trials you need, and to assist you in analysing and interpreting the results.
2) Consider your milk market! Producers who are looking at fluid sales tend to favour high production breeds like Holstein, Brown Swiss and Norwegian Reds.
A Penn State University study of USA DHI data from Brown Swiss crosses on Holsteins compared to purebred Holsteins on a within herd basis showed the crosses were as productive as the Holsteins and superior for fertility and somatic cell counts. Similar data are now emerging in a Canadian 70-herd crossing project which will compare 1000 Norwegian Red crosses on Holsteins to several thousand purebred Holstein herdmates. Based on these data Norwegian Reds and Brown Swiss breeds should cross on Holstein and give you similar fat and protein yields with much lower incidence of mastitis, superior fertility and higher liveability of calves, heifers and cows. If you want a two breed crossing program then Geno has developed a program called TWOPLUS that can get you high production, and greatly reduced costs of production for fertility, disease and calf and cow liveability.
3) If you are in a cheese producing market for your milk, then Holsteins, Jerseys, and Norwegian Reds can give you a medium sized cow with production, high solids, easy calving and improved fertility and cows that will last!
Using a two-breed crossing program with Jerseys and Norwegian Reds may be your choice if you want small cows. Consideration of the physical plant where the cows work and the market you are gearing up for are very important practical points in deciding on breeds for crossing.
4) Consider the breeding goals of the candidate breeds in relation to your cow herd’s current breeding goal!
For Example; if you have been selecting for high production on your Holstein herd, but can no longer live with depressed cow fertility, sickness, and cow and calf losses, you should be looking for the breed which attaches the highest or nearly highest selection pressure to the traits that need improvement most in that Holstein cow herd! Namely, female fertility, disease resistance and calf and cow viability! Norwegian Red breeding goals ‘Complement’ Holstein breeding goals admirably! In crossbreeding parlance we look for breeds that have «complementarity»!
5) Consider if the progeny testing programs for each breed are powerful or relatively weak! This dictates if you have ample choices for good sires!
We can make these comparisons by asking a few questions like for example:
How many milk recorded cows in the breed?
- For Norwegian Reds - 250,000 milk recorded cows!
- For Finnish Ayrshires - about 200,000 milk recorded cows!
- For Swedish Reds - 135,000 milk recorded cows!
- For Danish Reds - 50,000 milk recorded cows!
How many young bulls progeny tested each year, giving us more scope for selection?
- For Norwegian Reds - 130 young bulls/year!
- For Finnish Ayrshires – 125 young bulls/year!
- For Swedish Reds - 75 young bulls/year!
- For Danish Reds - 50/year!
How many daughters in first official proofs for each sire proven, which tells us how accurate the proofs are?
- For Norwegian Reds – 250 daughters/sire.
- For Finnish Ayrshires - 160 daughters/sire.
- For Swedish Reds – 160/sire.
- For Danish Reds - 100/sire.
Note that all of the Scandinavian Red breeds have much higher numbers of daughters/sire when they get an official proof. Thus, selection for traits can be more accurate than within North American Dairy Breeds which usually get only 50 to 100 daughters in first official proofs.
In Summary: If you chose to use Norwegian Red sires!
The Norwegian Red Progeny Test program is able to deliver superior proven sires with accurate proofs that don’t change!
Norwegian Red sires are from the only breed significantly improved for female fertility (1.7 A.I. services/conception), lower calf losses (2.7% of calves die at birth) and mastitis resistance (10-12% incidence/year and low incidence of ketosis and other common problems!
They can also dehorn your calves genetically!