Digby Gribble

Young Bulls Awaiting Proofs 2010

by

These 17 young bulls are awaiting their proofs and most have daughters in herds in England and Wales and on Guernsey Island. They were all selected and used before the base change in Jan.2010 and therefore the GMI figures for them all have been adjusted by approx. +130 points of GMI and would therefore have averaged +346 GMI and 32 kgs of F+P. If you factor in the base change of 2005 which again was an upwards adjustment of +110 GMI and 11 kgs of F+P , the GMI would average +450 and the F+P +43 kgs. Given that the original target was +25 kgs of Fat +Protein it is good to see the improvement made since the Global Guernsey Breeding Scheme was introduced in 2001.

Whilst production is the key to paying the bills, it is also good to see that these bulls are also predicted to improve both Legs & Feet and Mammary Scores by +1

Louisville 2010

by

The last of the National shows has just taken place in Louisville Kentucky and saw the Champion and reserve from the Madison show again filling the top two places but on this occasion it was Stockwell Rewards Hailey as Champion with Four Winds Mentor Highlite as Reserve. With Clark and …

Read more

Possible Bull Mothers Oct 2010(Part2)

by

The first article listed those cows/heifers with a GMI of more than +290 and these are the most likely to provide sons as the matings are easier to make given that standards are rising across the Guernsey breed. However this next list includes a lot of very good cows but will require the use of the limited number of high indexing sires to raise the GMI of the bull calves to the desired level.

14 of the 22 below have 25 daughters with Brymor Peggy 15 producing 5 heifers from 4 calvings, but to date they have only produced 2 sons Boccadon Astor Ivan and Brymor Pedros Bear, unfortunately Bear tested to be A1xA1 for Beta Casein and was therefore withdrawn from selection.

Interbreed Champion in Kenya

by

Kiprono Sego has sent a picture of a Guernsey heifer that was recently made Interbreed Champion at the Nairobi International Fair. “Eliza” is owned, bred and exhibited by ADC Lanet Feedlot, the Government Agency that took over the running of many farms after Independence and have continued to run them …

Read more

Possible Bull Mothers Oct 2010

by

At a recent meeting of the Breed Development Committee it was agreed that a table of “possible” bull mothers should be published.

This is not an “inclusive” list and if you have cows that you think are of equal merit then please let Jon White or myself know.

Whilst we will probably only require two or three young bulls a year for semen collection, other sons of these cows will all play a part in the Guernsey breeds future as every year more than 30% of heifer calves registered are by natural service.

42 of the 45 females have been Classified and average 84.74 points but 26 of these are scored as heifers and we would expect the average score to rise as they mature and are scored again.

Glanmor Guernseys

by

One of the most welcome developments recently has been the decision of Helen and Daffyd Cox from Laugharne in West Wales to purchase a Guernsey to add to their very successful Glanmor Jersey herd. At this weeks Welsh Dairy Show in what were very competitive Jersey classes they achieved a clean sweep of the Championship placings.

Calf of the Week ( 9 )

by

At the recent Dairy Event, 2010, a young lady approached the EGCS stand with the good news that she had persuaded her father to purchase 20 Guernseys to add to the herd that she was now milking on a regular basis around her college studies. The young lady is Amy Jasper …

Read more

Championship for Don Haven in Canada.

by

One of the most memorable visits in Canada on the recent tour was to Don Haven Guernseys where the Guernseys are part of a mainly Holstein herd but also share the barn with some Ayrshires. There were about 15 Guernseys to see, and all bar one are descended from the original cow and Don Haven Deemand Vespa was the unanimous choice of the “international” judges.