In 2004 the Moorepark team initiated a study to compare Norwegian Red (NRF) purebreds, Norwegian Red (NRF) x Holstein crossbreds besides pure Holstein herdmates in Irish dairy herds. Moorepark imported 400 Norwegian Red (NRF) calves from Norway and sold them to commercial Irish dairy farmers.
Trial on 46 dairy farms
The trials were carried out on 46 dairy farms mainly in Cork and Tipperary, being a large number of farms and management systems. Each year Moorepark researchers gathered information from the performance of these animals. The results include culling and fertility performance as well as milk production.
Norwegian Red (NRF) crossbreds on an Irish farm.
Photo: Geno
The initiative to this study was taken due to high levels of involuntary culling, slippage in calving pattern, veterinary intervention, hormonal treatment and reduced annual milk production that are costly to the Irish dairy enterprise. The relative importance of fertility performance in particular in Ireland compared to other countries is higher due to the seasonal calving system. Reducing the rate of involuntary culling due to poor health and reproductive performance has improved ethical as well as financial implications for the Irish dairy farmer.
Increased health and fertility
Noreen Begley, a Post Doctorate Researcher at Moorepark, presented some results from this study at a conference in Hamar, Norway. The results of this five year trial give clear implications of increased profits using a Norwegian Red crossbred cow. This is due to increased health and fertility coupled with keeping production at the same level as a purebred cow.
For third lactation animals the pregnancy to first service for all the 46 commercial farms was:
- 52% for the Holstein Friesians to 60% with the crossbreds.
- Six weeks in calf rate: 60% for Holsteins versus 77% for crossbreds.
143 Euro per lactation
The net profit per crossbred cow was calculated at being 143 Euro per lactation. With an average herd size above 100 in Ireland, using a crossbred Norwegian Red cow will give substantial increase in profits for the Irish dairy farmer.
In Ireland Norwegian Red semen is distributed by:
Munster Cattle breeding group, phone 022 4322
Progressive Genetics, phone 1850 2020 50.
To view Noreen Begley’s presentation:
To view the description of the Moorepark project: