Hi Sue had a quick look through the sta

Hi Sue had a quick look through the stack of dry cow certs i have ammased in 8 yrs looking at cow families versus sire. Disadvantaged a bit by the fluctuation of seasonal demand and the constant turn over of selling 1st and 2nd calver to match supply and demand and no idea how they have done in their new homes. The advantage has given rise to rapid genetic increase but young herd and high replacement cost last NMR yr end we had 18 hfrs and 14 cows only one having done more than 4 calves. Unsurprisingly the Zulus are slowly coming to the front most having completed 3 lacs and starting 4th and are around 10+ litres so far although too baggy as hfrs 5 out of 6 have all been reclassified and range from 85 to 92 points 4rd calve.(1 culled 2nd for fertitilty) the best cow family is at moment jackie’s GD 10 in 7 lacs, D 13.6 in 5 lacs and the present jackie close to 12litre by end of this her 4th lac and incalf again. 1st calve hfrs range from 5-7 litres for first lac calving at 2yrs. 2nd calve up to around 9+ litres and the third calve around 10-11 litres. So to be getting anywhere near the magic 13+ litres they have to be doing around 4 calves at least calving index irrellevent but paramount short dry periods the one thing that will trash a cows LTY is 3+ month dry periods. There are always exceptions but these are in the minority and not good to dwell, for ex i sold a third calver this summer that did 11400 in 412 days dry for 50 days did 12584 in 438 days and calve 3rd after 30 days averaging nearly 15 litres LTY, why sell her ❓ ❓ butterfat 3.5% no use to me i still get paid for fat and her first calve hfr had teats so small could’nt keep unit on so made super burgers. mike