Society News Archive
Treating within twenty-four hours reduces lameness
problems
Dairy herds have much less of a problem with lameness if problem
cows are treated within twenty four hours of spotting the problem.
[more]
NVZ Regulations Bring Business Plans Into Focus
Following new regulations which came into force on the 1st
January 2009, dairy farmers are having to reassess business
plans in order to maximise their resources, warns leading environmental
consultancy ADAS. [more]
international Dairy Week, Australia 2009
02/04/2009
Ashley Fleming has just returned from judging in Australia
at the International Dairy Week, hailed as the largest dairy
show in the Southern Hemisphere. It ranks close behind the
World Dairy Expo and the Toronto Winter Fair. With 1200 dairy
entries it was a busy week of judging.
For an event which started out twelve years ago under the
shade of a gum tree, it has come along way to its present purpose
built shed. A total of 283 Jersey entries were present before
Ashley in an all day judging marathon in temperatures of between
35-42 degrees of heat.
“It was the invitation of a lifetime,” said Ashley. “I
found the cattle to be most impressive. The top of all the
classes were quality individuals, and I was impressed by the
consistent calibre throughout the classes. This commanded full
concentration for every class. The Champion and Reserve in
the Jersey section went to the Boyd Family from the Brunchilli
Herd, New South Wales with two daughters of the Lester Sambo”.
Dairy Farming in Australia is going through tough times also.
The milk price has dropped by 30% in the last 12 months and
each farm has water rights to pay for irrigation; these have
quadrupled in the last few years. Despite this everyone who
has moved out from the UK all said they would not want to come
back here farming!
Sheila Staite
Sheila Staite was born in Warwickshire in 1927, the eldest of four. Her grandfather
was John Davenport Siddeley, 1st Baron Kenilworth, the engineering genius behind
the ‘Armstrong-Siddeley’ engines.
It was through the Young Farmers’ Club that Sheila met Bill Staite and
their mutual interest in farming led to marriage in 1952.
‘Mr & Mrs Staite’ first went to Jersey to purchase young stock
before buying Oak Farm, St Lawrence in 1970. They proceeded to confound the locals
by starting their own dairy herd, rather than converting the fields in to gardens
like most in-comers.
Sheila was soon appointed to the RJA&HS Council, being elected Company Secretary
of Jersey Island Cattle Ltd, then the Society’s trading arm, a post she
held for many years in an exemplary manner.
Sheila was one of the Jersey Island regulars who attended the Royal Show during
the years when a contingent made the annual pilgrimage to Stoneleigh; but for
Sheila and Bill they were but returning home to Warwickshire.
Sheila and Bill’s son Billy and daughters Anne and Sally, and respective
families, remain committed to Jersey, ensuring the Staite surname is firmly woven
into the Jersey Island scene.
(With thanks to Winston Le Brun, abridged from his
eulogy)
Single Farm Payment 2009
Maximise your payment with Moneycorp
Moneycorp Commercial Foreign Exchange can help you
make the most of your Single Farm Payment. Due to recent
currency market movements, now is a good time to receive
the payment in euros – and we can help you manage
this. [more]
EDA News - The survival advantage of milk and dairy
consumption
Due to a focus on blood cholesterol, the debate on drinking
milk has never achieved a reasonable balance in the evaluation
of risks and benefits. [more]
EDA News - Dairy foods are more than dairy fat
Studies of dietary effects on cardiovascular disease risk often
look at the effects of different fatty acids, mainly saturated
fatty acids, have on lowering "bad" LDL-cholesterol
and/or increasing "good" HDL-cholesterol. However,
looking at isolated effects of single fatty acids hardly
gives the overall picture. This review shows that dairy foods
are more than dairy fat and that dairy fat is not only saturated
fat. [more]
EDA News - Dairy foods are good for heart health
Dairy foods have beneficial effects on health. High intake
of dairy products could reduce several risk factors of cardiovascular
disease: high blood pressure, inflammation, type 2 diabetes
and the metabolic syndrome. Dairy products per se and some
of their components show cardiovascular benefits beyond the
effect of dairy fat on blood cholesterol. The beneficial
impact of dairy on cardiovascular disease factors is promising.
[more]
EDA News - Dairy foods in food patterns for old age
This review revealed that the nutrient contributions of dairy
products are associated with the prevention of age-related
functional losses. The evidence was reviewed from the perspective
of the impact on disease, quality of life and mortality in
selected elderly populations in Europe. [more]
EDA News - Symposium "Scientific update on dairy
fats and cardiovascular diseases"
A scientific symposium organised in the UK investigated the
link between health and diet with a special focus on fat. The
findings are presented in the December 2008 issue of the Journal
of the American College of Nutrition Supplement. [more]
Graham’s New Jersey Cow Range Awarded Gold Star
By Sainsbury’s
Graham’s Gold, the new range of Jersey cow products recently launched by
Graham’s The Family Dairy, has been named ‘best in class for innovation’ at
Sainsbury’s UK Dairy and Convenience Supplier Forum 2008. [more]
Commercial Opportunities for the Jersey Breed
By Prof Malcolm Stansfield
Having been a keen admirer of Jersey cattle over the years – infact,
even a Society member as a school boy, the recent opportunity
to be one of the judges for the National Jersey Herd Competition
was not only a privilege, but a real eye-opener. [more]
 |
| Roger Derryman, (left) immediate
past President, was made a Life Member at the AGM in recognition
of the input he made during his Presidency. |
 |
Andy Marshall (second
left), share-farmer of the Loseley herd, receives the
Lily Hill Trophy from Philip Kirkham, chairman of NMR,
while Vernon Bartlett (herdsman) receives a certificate
from Baroness Byford, RABDF President, as Alisdair Marshall
looks on. |
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]
Semex UK Jersey Exchange Report
by Jenny Butcher
As the winner of the 2008 UK Jersey Exchange, sponsored by Semex and Jersey Canada,
I was treated to first class rural hospitality for 21 days as I travelled to
Jersey farms throughout beautiful England and Wales. [read
full report]
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]
 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.
| Inbreeding levels |
| Mating |
Inbreeding % |
Sire/daughter
|
25 |
Full brother/full sister
|
25 |
Half brother/half sister
|
12.5 |
Grandsire/grand-daughter
|
12.5 |
Grandson/grand-dam
|
12.5 |
Uncle/niece
|
6.25 |
Son/grand-daughter
|
6.25 |
Daughter/grandson
|
6.25 |
Full cousins
|
6.25 |
Grandson/grand-daughter
|
3.13 |
Half cousins
|
3.13 |
WJCB E-NEWS
President's Message December 2007
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.
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.
|
