Society News Archive

Bluegrass wins the Jersey National Herds’ Competition for third successive time
10th November 2008
Barry and Jenny Daw have achieved the quite remarkable feat of winning the UK Jerseys National Herds’ Competition with their renowned ‘Bluegrass’ herd for the third time in a row. [more]

Profile on Ashley Fleming - Northern Ireland
10th November 2008
The first Jersey was purchased to form the Potterswalls Herd in 1970. [more]

UK Jerseys National Performance title goes to Devonshire herd
27 October 2008
First time entrants, Bruce and Jenny Ravenhill took the Performance section of the UK Jerseys National Herds’ Competition with their Whitenhill herd. A mere two and one-half points out of a possible 500 separated them from the Bluegrass entry. [more]

Bluegrass wins the Jersey National Herds’ Competition for third successive time
17/09/08
Barry and Jenny Daw have achieved the quite remarkable feat of winning the UK Jerseys National Herds’ Competition with their renowned ‘Bluegrass’ herd for the third time in a row. [more]

Barlass Named Director For National All-Jersey Inc.
26/08/08
Marion Barlass, Janesville, Wisconsin, has been appointed Director at-large of National All-Jersey Inc., headquartered in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. [more]

launches online inbreeding service

Inbreeding percentages for individual animals as well as whole herd summaries will now be routinely included as part of the Herd Genetic Report, available free of charge to all Jersey milk recorded herds.

“It’s important to note that inbreeding is not a serious concern in Britain,” remarks geneticist Marco Winters, director of MDC breeding+. “But it is something every farmer should be aware of when making breeding decisions.

“UK levels for all breeds currently stand at around 2%,” he observes, “which is somewhat lower than those in North America, where inbreeding is closer to 5%. Only above 6% are levels considered to be critical.”

Farmers can see their herd’s inbreeding levels through the breeding+ section at www.mdc.org.uk where new users can register for a password before they can use the Herd Genetic Report. This report also shows genetic information on production and PLI (Profitable Lifetime Index).

Inbreeding arises when individuals which are related are bred together. The closer the relationship, the higher the level of inbreeding (see Table). The effects of inbreeding are to concentrate the breeding pool around fewer and fewer bloodlines.

A certain amount of inbreeding has historically been considered desirable as it allows sought-after traits to be ‘fixed’ and a particular line to breed ‘true to type’.

However, too much inbreeding can lead to reduced general health and fitness as well as production. It also increases the risk of undesirable recessive genes coming together, resulting in genetic defects being experienced.

Robin Adrian Corner
1935 – 2007

Robin touched the lives of anyone who ever met him, he never forgot you and you never forgot him. A delightful man devoted to his family, his beloved Jersey cows and the Jersey Cattle Society. [more]

WJCB E-NEWS
President's Message December 2007

Dear Roger

Jerseys, Jerseys and more Jerseys!!!
As we have reached the end of another bumper Jersey year, it is time to sit down and reflect on what is all this Jersey craziness about. The worldwide shortages of dairy products are playing a major role in an ever increasing demand for Jerseys, but the prime mover behind this world wide frenzy is definitely the awakening realization of the efficiency of the Jersey cow and the superiority of its products. With China the possible exception, all the developing and expanding economies are demanding more and more Jersey genetics to provide this growing worldwide need for economic efficient dairy production.

Crossing with Jerseys
This worldwide shortage of Jersey cows is forcing producers in these countries with expanding dairy markets to look at alternative ways of getting these sought after characteristics of the Jersey breed. Crossing or upgrading with Jerseys is accepted worldwide today, as an alternative to buying expensive purebred Jersey cows. In countries like South Africa, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay these so-called kiwi’s have become a common sight on the large dairy farms and it is not unusual to see herds of up to 8,000 crossbred Jerseys in these ever-growing dairy countries. In Uruguay one semen company was contracted to provide 12,000 straws of Jersey semen for crossbreeding with Holstein heifers in 2007 (the total number of registered Jerseys are only 6,000). The success of this practise is based on the fact that only the best proven Jersey sires are used! This ever-growing demand of Jersey semen for crossbreeding is already putting extra pressure on the semen companies to provide the “right” type of bulls for this growing market. Most of these crossbreds are going into grazing systems and there is a demand for bulls that breed cows with high solids and high longevity. A second extremely successful method is to use the Jerseys’ adaptability to upgrade local well adapted cattle in harsh climates. This method was used in the past with very good results in countries as diverse as India and Jamaica, and more recently in Zambia on the Boran. We are also waiting to see the results of a similar crossbreeding program recently started in Suriname to breed smaller lighter animals that can adapt to the extreme wet and humid conditions that prevail. At the same time crossbreeding is also alleviating the ever-growing global problem of inbreeding. It is found that breeders that are open to crossbreeding are also more susceptible to using a wider variety of Jersey bulls (Danish, NZ, Canadian and USA) in their breeding plan and not only keep to the accepted norm in his/her home country.

Crossing new frontiers
At our last WJCB council meetings in Brazil in June 2007 we received the exciting news about new shipments of Jerseys delivered to Eastern European countries like Bulgaria, Romania and Russia, as well as the revival of the Jersey population of Albania. Recently I was also informed about the births of the first embryo calves in another successful Jersey embryo program in Russia, with more implants planned! In Africa we are excited with the prospect of another new Jersey country added to our map every year. In 2007 we saw another successful shipment of heifers from South Africa delivered to Rwanda, a Jersey herd re-located from Kenya to southern Tanzania and the very first ever Jerseys delivered to Ghana. In South America the Jersey is also at the centre of exciting developments. In both Uruguay and Argentina we see ever-growing Jersey crossbreeding programs, in Brazil an ever increasing demand for Jersey cows, and recently the opening of a dairy route in the southern parts of Chile where Jersey breeders and Jersey products are the main draw cards of this new and exciting venture.

Jerseys Without Frontiers – Jersey Island 2008
In May 2008 we will have the 18th WJCB Conference on the Isle of Jersey. What an event to look forward to with the very appropriate theme “Jerseys without Frontiers” and some of the world’s top Jersey, dairy and genetic experts lined up to take us through some very aptly selected papers. Our meetings on Jersey will culminate in the first ever world Jersey cheese championships to be held! On top of that we have a not-to-be-missed pre-conference tour to the UK and a post-conference tour to France. All Jersey breeders, enthusiasts and interested people should make sure that they do not get disappointed and register early.

Conclusion
As I am getting towards the end of my second term as President of the WJCB and are getting ready to hand over the reigns to my successor, I would like to emphasize the honour of being involved with such an exciting breed and enterprise worldwide. Not only is the modern Jersey-world dynamic and exciting, but a worldwide phenomenon that is the result of decades of hard work and planning – a true legacy of the WJCB and its members!

Johannes van Eeden
President

Society Member wins RABDF Princess Royal Award

David Handley, who runs the Govan Jersey herd near Raglan in Monmouthshire with his wife Marilyn, was presented with the prestigious Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers' Princess Royal Award at Buckingham Palace.

Better known as chairman of the lobbying group, Farmers’ For Action,
David was presented with the award by The Princess Royal. The award is made to an individual in recognition of either a specific and significant contribution, or for exceptional service to the dairy sector over a long period.

The judges commented that David’s ‘persistent campaigning has raised the awareness of the plight of dairy farmers to the general public and personally inspired British dairy farmers to stand up for themselves; and David has played a significant role with regard to negotiation techniques between producers, processors and supermarkets which has earned him the respect of all sectors of the industry thus making him the ideal recipient of the Award.’

World Butterfat Production Record

Congratulations to Duncan and Felicity Dawes at the Parkplace herd where a World Butterfat Production Record has been set by Parkplace Flower-ET.

A daughter of Mason Boomer Sooner Berretta, Flower is Classified EX90 and yielded 16520 kgs milk at 7.5% butterfat (1239 kgs fat) and 4.1% milk protein.

Flower’s achievement follows hard on the heels of the Dawes’ setting the UK 305-day milk record with Parkplace Joshs Comedy in 2005.

Comedy set the current 305-day UK milk record, producing 14227 kgs milk at 4.95% butterfat and 3.84% protein.

Congratulations to Adrian and Gillian Harrison with their Hillside herd of 130 Jerseys which won the Yorkshire County Milk Recording herd competitions Championship and Inter-breed Supreme Challenge Cup. The herd also won the Best Inspection, Best Coloured Herd and Best Cow family; these were amongst the nine trophies won in 2006.

The Hillside herd makes its way to the parlour in the scenic Yorkshire Dales.

The herd was only founded in 2001 and saw off stiff competition from long established herds of all breeds throughout the county. Yielding 6236 litres per cow at 5.42 per cent butterfat and 3.69 per cent protein the herd has established a high reputation in a short period of time.

The Harrison’s have the only Jersey or Guernsey herd supplying the Hawes Creamery, producing ‘Wallace and Grommit’ Wensleydale cheese, and both the farm and the creamery will be visited during the 2008 World Jersey Cattle Bureau’s Pre-Conference Tour.

Stand-in, Stands out
Ian Macalpine (Ribblesdale) responded, at three days notice from the Society, to fill a late programme change on behalf of the British Cattle Breeders Club. [more]

The effects of Johne’s disease in dairy herds
A presentation by Peter Orpin MRCVS, Park Vet Group (1.1Mb) [PDF file in a new window]

Dairy Farmers Lined Up for Top Award
10/11/06

Cornish farmers Eric and Mary Murley are the winners of this year’s South West Dairy Farmer of the Year Award. [more]

Waste milk, milk replacer or pasteurized waste milk

This excellent article describes the biosecurity benefits and costs of each method of feeding calves. A table nicely compares the estimated time to recover pasteurizer purchase costs and operating expenses for farms having 50 to 1,000 calves per year.

download article

Canadian Dairy Network - Inbreeding Update

Each year, based on official animal registration and pedigree information within its database, Canadian Dairy Network computes current statistics related to the level of inbreeding within the Canadian cow population of each dairy breed.

download article

Do you know which type traits make most impact on longevity?

Improving longevity through genetics is not easy. This is due to the low heritability of most longevity traits. Knowing which type traits to breed for is a step in the right direction. It’s also important because longevity is tied directly to profitability.

Not surprisingly, final score is the greatest predictor of longevity among type traits for registered Jersey cows, says an article published in the Journal of Dairy Science. Canadian researchers used type classification and production records from 49,791 Jerseys from 900 herds in the study.

Mammary system also plays a big role in Jersey longevity. Cows with strong fore udder attachments and high rear udders were least likely to be culled. Jerseys were more likely to be culled if they had loose udder attachments, poor teat placement, or an undesirable udder texture.

Dairy character is another important factor in productive life of Jerseys. Size also plays a significant role, as larger Jerseys tend to remain in herds longer than smaller Jerseys. Again, this study involved registered Canadian Jerseys.

When it comes to feet and legs, Jerseys with a refined bone structure and steep foot angle have the greatest chance of survival. According to the study, set to the hock and rump angle have the least influence on longevity.

(Reprinted with permission from the September 10, 2005, issue of Hoard’s Dairyman. Copyright 2005 by W. D. Hoard and Sons Company, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.)

World Jersey Cattle Bureau
Robin Corner, WJCB Honorary Life Council Member, and JCS Board representative

Our thanks goes to Russell Gammon, the Sayles Family and their team of helpers for organizing a great 7th International Conference in Canada from 20th June until mid-July, including both pre and post-Conference tours. The theme of the main Conference was ‘Shaping Tomorrow’ with a definite focus on Jersey Youth. Throughout this week international speakers stimulated much discussion on subjects such as advancements in organic farming; animal health and marketing issues; the future of marketing milk and milk components; environmentally sound practices with Jerseys, the ‘green cow’; genetic improvement and international growth of the Jersey Breed.

During Conference week the National Jersey Youth Heifer Show was held, attracting many entries.

Johannes van Eeden was re- elected President for a further three years and Suzanne Le Feuvre was appointed as the new Secretary and Steve Le Feuvre, both from Jersey Island, as Honorary Treasurer replacing Derrick Frigot who retired after twenty-nine years. We all appreciate the work Derrick has done and a presentation was made to him in at the closing Conference Gala Banquet. Derrick is now the Vice-President representing Europe, along with four other Vice-Presidents representing Africa; Asia-Oceana; Latin America; North America.

Discussion at the Council Meeting included the ‘Global Jersey’ publication which is edited and published by Poena van Niekerk of the South African Jersey Society and distributed to around the world; the successful introduction of the Youth Educational Travel Awards with the first group of five young people, chosen to represent each continent, sponsored to attend the Conference week; the Youth Travel Programme continues to go well and is re-named the WJCB Youth Travel Scholarship; world classification workshops and harmonizing of Jersey Classification; financial aspects including The Lord Jersey Research Trust Fund; and the WJCB website and the Jersey Research News - busy, but very enjoyable.

Prior to the Canadian Conference, the American Jersey Cattle Association’s Annual Meeting took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Anne Perchard receive Honorary Membership of the American Jersey Cattle Association for her lifelong accomplishments, as a breeder of Jersey Cattle, for her services as Past President, and now Patron, of the WJCB, and her role chairing of The Lord Jersey Research Trust. Honorary Membership has been awarded by the American Association to only fourteen people in its 137 year history – a great honour to Anne and wonderful to attend this prestigious occasion. The Annual Meeting Convention in America is made up of one week and attended by many members to include visits and functions and each year moves around to different States.