CLAW HEALTH Breeding healthy feet is now possible with the Hoof Health Index.

Transcription

1 ENGLISH EDITION SEPTEMBER 2010 CLAW HEALTH Breeding healthy feet is now possible with the Hoof Health Index. 3 INSEMINATION Optimal insemination time and other complex aspects of inseminating are explained. FRANCHISE Blarinckhorst Franchise is out of the first CRV batch of sons by the health and longevity specialist Ramos. 6 7 Added value of genomics visible in official rankings Canvas new sire of sons ARNHEM [NL] The latest index brings a lot of news. Firstly, genomic information is integrated in the official breeding values for the first time. Furthermore, there is a list of the top young promising genome tested Holstein bulls without daughters. Also, Delta Lindberg, CRV s first Shottle son, is the highest ranking daughter proven Shottle son in the list. And, four Canvas sons make a class debut. Through years of research CRV has become a leader in the development of genomic breeding values. From now on, genomic information will be integrated in the official breeding values. Dairy farmers can reap the fruits of this because the added value of young genomic tested bulls is now immediately visible. Furthermore, this extra information makes the breeding values of young proven bulls are even more reliable. Genomic bulls For the first time, a list with 200 highest genome tested Holstein bulls has been published. CRV is the only organisation that has genome information available that meets the demands of the GES (Genetic Evaluation Sires). Phenotypic information of dams and granddams is not used in calculating the breeding values of genomic tested bulls. Therefore, the genomic breeding values of GES are unbiased; there is no overestimation in the genomic breeding values that are computed by GES. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 TOP CRV SIRES ON NVI Following the release of the August 2010 proofs, CRV s top available sires ranked on NVI are: HOLSTEINS 1. Impuls Atlantic Tyson Emerald Gofast Delta Stan Cricket Diamond Surprise Goli +186 Atlantic, the highest available young genome tested CRV bull Hendrikje 72. Her sire Impuls climbed to second place in the NVI ranking CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 RED HOLSTEINS (RED-AND-WHITE BASE) 1. Spencer Fiction RF Arnold Lincoln RF Fidelity Kodak Kylian Canvas RF Almighty Ditmar Asterix +159 Asterix, a young genome tested polled bull ALGER MEEKMA

2 2 PROOF NEWS HIGHLIGHTS ENGLISH EDITION SEPTEMBER 2010 Continued from page 1 Here are some of CRV s interesting young genome tested sires, InSire bulls: Delta Atlantic (+233 NVI) is the highest available bull on the list of young bulls. He is a Ramos son from CRV s highest O-Man daughter, Etazon Renate. He has excellent results in health (110 somatic cell count) and fertility (103). He also transmits a lot of milk and good conformation (106). Another bull in the top 10 is Goldwyn son Newhouse Gofast (+215 NVI). Gofast comes from a famous cow family. His dam, O-Man dam Sneeker 247, is a very strong cow of 88 points. Gofast s genomic test showed positive results with a lot of milk (+914kg), a nearly flat components inheritance and a very good conformation (111). He also scores well on secondary traits, including somatic cell count (106). In the list with young red-and-white genomic bulls, which CRV calls InSire bulls, Fasna Asterix P (+159 NVI) shines. Half of his offspring will be polled. Add to this his special pedigree of Lawn Boy, Canvas, Future, Major and Addison, and the fact that he descends from the same family as Beekmanshoeve Bertil, and it is clear that Asterix is a very special bull. He also has a fine production proof (+991kg) and good udder (107). Scoops at black-and-white daughter proven bulls The first new bull that we encounter in the black-and-white breeding bulls is Southland Lincoln RF (+158 NVI). He is an early Canvas son with red factor. Lincoln transmits +1128kg of milk with +0.12% protein. His strongest point within his conformation is feet and legs (105). This is also the case with his dam, South Belle Red (s. Lightning). This EX90 cow was reserve champion at the All Holland Dairy Show 2004 and scored 92 for feet and legs. Another interesting bull is Delta Lindberg (+156 NVI). His dam is a full sister of Delta Paramount. Lindberg is the first Shottle son to make his debut as breeding bull at CRV. And how! He transmits +923kg of milk, +418 days longevity and conformation scores that remind us of his sire: 109 total conformation with an udder score of 110 which was his best trait. The first Shottle son bred by AI Kampen to make his debut is Tjebbinga Hot Shot (+133 NVI). He is a high milk transmitter (+2030kg), with good quality milk (110 somatic cell count). Popular breeding bulls The O-Man sons of CRV all maintain their very high level. For example, Woudhoeve 1042 Impuls (+233 NVI), who made a very strong debut in January He is the highest and most complete O-Man son in the Dutch/ Flemish ranking. His breeding value for feet and legs increase by one point, which brings him to 106 total conformation and places him second in the rankings. Dt Improver (+176 NVI), an O-Man son, rises one point for feet and legs, which brings the breeding value to 109. Another O-Man son with a great conformation proof is Ralma O-Man Cf Cricket (+202 NVI). His conformation score is 110. He increased his NVI by 19 points due to improvement of his production proof. Another fast rising O-Man son is De-Su Oman Goli (+186 NVI). His NVI score increased by 20 points. Another big improver is Coyne-Farms Marshal Yank (+139 NVI, BW Marshall x Manfred). In April his NVI increased by 21 points and then a further 26 points at this index run. First red-and-white Canvas son Among the breeding bulls with daughters, the completeness of the debuting Lowlands Leola RF (+137 NVI) stands out. He is a Canvas son from a Lightning dam and inherits good production (1538kg) and first-class conformation (109). His daughters are very dairy and have nice frames (111), and powerful feet and legs (108). He is suitable for use on maiden heifers because of his 106 for calving ease. CRV bulls dominate red-and-white rankings The first 14 bulls in the red-and-white breeding bull publication are all CRVbulls. Kian son Delta Fidelity is still going strong with +185 points NVI. He owes his high NVI score to a very good production proof (+707kg of milk, +0.22% protein) and good conformation (107), with high quality feet and legs (111 feet and legs, 105 claw health). Gerda 23 is a daughter of Leola, the first available red-and-white Canvas son Gerry 429 is a daughter of the highest ranking Shottle son, Delta Lindberg Another Kian son, Van de Peul Kylian (+177 NVI) keeps improving his breeding values. In the last index run he rose 16 points NVI followed by another 13 points in this index run. He improves his production proof with 188kg to +1450kg. A great asset of this bull is his fertility scores. AI Kampen s Aalshorst Pleasure (+145 NVI, Talent x Merton) increased his NVI by 39 points to With this result, he enters the top 15 of the red-and-white NVI list. Of the bulls in this top 15 Pleasure has the highest udder score (110) and the highest total conformation (110). He is suitable for use on maiden heifers (105 calving ease). For detailed proof information please visit our website at MY CHOICE FOR PROFIT Italian team comes to the NRM Italy s CRV s distributor has attended the NRM Show for the past 20 years. In 2010 a team of 12 salesmen came to the show with director Marco Ferrari and for two of them it was their first visit to the NRM. Here s their comments. Before the show we visited some farms to see daughters of some bulls we re selling in Italy. It was easy to see the Paramount s, the Fortune s and some others. Then at the show it was exciting to see the Franchise s and Fidelity s daughters. We really liked them: both are consistent bulls, the real prototype of the future profit cow. Daughters were strong and compact, not too much dairy, good feet and legs, wide rumps and good udders. They also had very good secondary traits like longevity, fertility and somatic cells. To see so many daughters of these bulls is impressive and it gives us a clear idea of the traits that these bulls can transmit. It s very useful to be able to explain to our customers the benefits of using these bulls on their cows. Why we come to the NRM The genetic scene has changed dramatically since we first came to the NRM 20 years ago. Farmers now have a much clearer picture of the goals that are most important in terms of profit. But at every NRM we come to experience the real spirit of the dairy industry and see the best in the industry the cows and their ability to produce milk profitably. Like all international shows, we can see individual cows and the genetics on offer. In today s economic climate the genetics business is a big opportunity for farmers and it is a very different job to milk production. There is a real difference between the NRM and the Italian National Show where they are more focused on beauty and fashion. At the NRM its easier to see normal cows compete with each other this doesn t happen in Italy anymore. We come to NRM to immerse ourselves in the real world of cows. Every year NOVAGEN organizes a trip to The Netherlands for customers. During these trips the farmers can compare their management and goals and, above all, they dismiss the idea that the Dutch cows are still little and fat. They are modern and powerfull dairy cows. Italian farmers like big show type cows. However, nowadays, like the rest of the world, they are starting to understand that a very big cow is difficult to manage and she will not be the most profitable over a lifetime. Genetics and management improvements are progressing all the time and farmers need to keep up to date. NRM is a great opportunity to keep up to date and to learn something new. Luca Zago, NOVAGEN Technical Director Team Novagen in Holland

3 HIGHLIGHTS ENGLISH EDITION SEPTEMBER 2010 CLAW HEALTH SPECIAL 3 Breeding healthy hooves with the Hoof Health Index Improving claw health ARNHEM [NL] Claw disorders and lameness, together with mastitis and declining fertility, are the most important management challenges facing the Dutch and global dairy industry. This article is about improving claw health by breeding. Claw disorders and lameness are not only costly for the dairy farmer but also have a big impact on animal welfare. More than 70% of cows have one or more claw disorders (Van der Waaij et al., 2005). In free stall barns, unhealthy claws and poor locomotion of animals also have an effect on feed intake and production. In addition, there are costs associated with curative treatment of the animals and preventative measures taken to prevent claw disorders. In the Netherlands, hoof trimming, both curative and preventative, is generally speaking, a common management practice among dairy farmers. Hoof trimming is often done by specialist hoof trimmers. Hoof trimmers from the Agricultural Assistance Association and the Association for Cattle Pedicure routinely collect data at the time of hoof trimming. They do this with the assistance of the so-called Digiklauw programme which is specifically designed for this purpose. To measure hoof health and use these data for genetic improvement an excellent data structure is needed in a country. The Netherlands is one of the few countries in the world that monitor hoof health! The environment (barn type, floor type) has a lot of influence on hoof quality and the prevention of disorders. In addition, management also plays a big role, with, for example, the ration, preventative health care, and the use of foot baths having an influence on claw health. Besides these external factors, genetics also play a role. Claw disorders turn out to be heritable. The heritability may then be small compared to other traits, however there is sufficient variation in the population. Claw disorders and lameness have enough financial impact that it is useful to select for it in the breeding of animals. Black-and-White Stilist 110 Francisco 107 Grandprix 107 Spirit 106 Butembo 105 Cameron 105 Go-Ahead 105 Improver 105 Applause 104 Canvas 104 Hoof Health CRV sires inherit good hoof health traits. A selection of sires can be found here: Red-and-White Taco 110 Kian 108 Kodak 107 Kylian 106 Tequila 106 Fabian 105 Fidelity 105 Canvas 104 Curtis 104 Kris 104 The environment has a lot of influence on hoof quality. In addition management also plays a big role. And claw disorders turn out to be heritable What is a healthy claw? A healthy claw is a claw without defects such as injury, unbalanced horn formation, lesions, and infections. Claw disorders can be distinguished as acute or chronic, depending on the speed at which they develop, seriousness, response to treatment, and the time needed for recovery. Many types of claw disorders can be identified. The most prominent in the Dutch dairy cattle population are: sole haemorrhage, digital dermatitis, interdigital dermatitis, sole ulcer, interdigital hyperplasia, and white line disease. Since there are so many claw disorders, the claw health index was developed as a means of breeding for the prevention of claw disorders. In other words, the claw health index needs to assist in breeding a cow that is less susceptible to all claw disorders. In the claw health index all of the information about claw disorders is combined in one number, one index. This makes it easier to select for claw health (see table 1). Table 1 Traits and heritability Traits Heritability (h 2 ) Sole haemorrhage overall 0.09 Digital dermatitis overal 0.12 Interdigital dermatitis overall 0.14 Sole ulcer overall 0.15 Interdigital hyperplasia overall 0.14 White line disease overall 0.04 Hoof Health Index Besides the six claw disorders, there are also five feet and leg conformation traits that are used in the breeding value estimation. They include rear leg rear view, rear leg side view, foot angle, locomotion, and feet & legs. In the breeding value estimation, the claw disorders are divided into parity one and parity two or higher. In this way the total number of traits in the breeding value estimation for claw health ends up at seventeen (2 x 6 claw disorders + 5 feet and leg conformation traits). The breeding values intended for publication are the six overall breeding values for claw disorders and a single claw health index. The overall breeding value per claw disorder is calculated from the breeding values for parity one and parity two and higher (2+): FWi = 0.41 x FWi x FWi2+ In which: FWi : index for claw disorder The heritability of the six claw disorders vary from 0.09 to 0.15, with sole ulcer having the highest heritability. In the claw health index the economic costs are included for the six claw disorders. The average economic cost of the six claw disorders are indicated below (Bruijnis et al., 2009). With this, both direct and indirect costs are taken into account. Direct costs may include reduced milk revenue, treatment costs, and culling costs. Indirect costs include reduced fertility and other disorders. Average cost per claw disorder: Sole haemorrhage 55 Digital dermatitis 68 Interdigital dermatitis 57 Sole ulcer 79 Interdigital hyperplasia 66 White line disease 58 (data based on the situation in The Netherlands) Breeding for healthy hoofs Breeding for healthier claws means breeding for more profit! Using a sire with a breeding value of 104 (one standard deviation) decreases the prevalence of claw disorders with about 10% per daughter/year. Financially, the farmer makes 5.27 more profit per daughter per year (see table 2). Table 2 Breeding value 104 for Hoof Health Index Hoof Prevalence Savings disorder decrease /cow/yr Sole heamorrhage 3.5% 1.91 Digital dermatitis 3.0% 2.08 Interdigital dermatitis 4.0% 2.24 Sole ulcer 1.2% 0.94 Interdigital hyperplasia 0.8% 0.54 White line disease 0.9% 0.50 If you would have 500 daughters of a sire with a breeding value of 104, the farmer earns more than 2,600 per year! CLAW HEALTH TRAITS For the hoof health index breeding values for six claw disorders are used: Sole haemorrhage Sole haemorrhage becomes visible due to changes in horn formation and the shape of the claws. These changes are: an indented fore curb growth rings becoming further and further apart towards the heel bulb yellow or red colouring of the horn of the sole defects in the white line and the appearance of sole ulcers Digital dermatitis (Mortellaro) Mortellaro also called strawberry foot rot is a skin disorder at the skin-horn junction which is caused by various bacteria. The disease often expresses itself as round skin injuries with a strawberry-type surface just above the coronary band. Interdigital dermatitis (Foot rot) This disorder can be acute, subacute, or chronic. In the first phase the epidermis is affected, which results in an infection on the skin of the cleft, which sometimes coincides with heel erosion and excessive horn formation outside of the heel area. The second phase is characterised by overloading of the dermis as the result of excessive horn formation. Sole ulcer Presence of an ulcer and other possible infections. When knocking on the sole, there is often a pain reaction. The dermis is bruised, with irregular horn formation, and the heel area is painfully red and swollen. Interdigital hyperplasia (Tyloma or Corns) Interdigital hyperplasia is a tumourlike growth of tissue (wild tissue). The tissue that results can extend to the front or into the hoof cleft. This chronically infected tissue subsequently grows rampantly with an increasing protrusion emerging between the claws. White line defect Separation of the tissue (white line) between the sole and claw wall. Due to this separation, the dermis becomes infected which results in abscess formation. Clinical inspection of the sole at an early stage reveals redness in the white line. The most notable aspect of a white line disorder is that one portion of the ball area swells up.

4 4 ALL HOLLAND DAIRY SHOW HIGHLIGHTS ENGLISH EDITION SEPTEMBER 2010 Progeny groups impress Fidelity man of the match UTRECHT [NL] The CRV daughter groups performed well on the first day of the 2010 All-Holland Dairy Show. Man of the match was Fidelity. The audience selected Fidelity as the best red-and-white group by a large majority 60% of the votes went to this popular Kian son. Fidelity may be a red-and-white bull, but in the Netherlands six out of 10 straws of his semen are currently used on black-and-white animals. This is because Fidelity can compete very well with the black-and-white top sires. And this was evident in the show ring. The second calvers showed long frames with smooth transitions from front to back. The rumps were very functional with the desired width and angle. Fidelity showed daughters with a lot of dairyness. The uniform group displayed good locomotion. And last, but not least, they had great udders. His progeny had high attached udders with a strong central ligament and optimal teat placement. With this, he completed his star role. Franchise makes his mark Ramos son Franchise left a very positive impression on the 10,000-strong audience. The five second calvers posed with fine frames and nicely shaped rumps and showed a lot of dairyness. There was a good balance between dairyness and power. The udders were high, wide and beautifully veined. They had good feet and legs and moved well. The uniform group was a reflection of the cow family of Franchise: the Rozas of the Dutch breeders Delta Paramount daughter group Puttenstein. Franchise is a grandson of Lucky Leo daughter and Holland Holstein Show champion IJsselvliedt Roza 137 (for more info on Franchise, see page 7). Diamonds are forever The Improver daughters were the first of CRV s black-and-white groups to enter the arena in Utrecht. The animals walked confidently through the ring with their hard hooves. They were provided with shallow udders that were well attached and had a nice teat placement. The daughters of Fidelity walked confidently through the ring during the 2010 All Holland Dairy Show in Utrecht, The Netherlands The power they showed made the finishing touch to this group. Accompanied by the sound of Shirley Bassey s Diamonds are forever, the daughter group of Diamond (s. Jocko) entered the arena. There was a lot of harmony within this group of second calvers. The group consists of tough cows that showed that they are very well capable of high milk yields. Many visitors will look forward to the next performance of this bull. New red-and-white talents Another Kian son that showed his daughters at the All-Holland Dairy Show was Kylian. Kylian can look back at a great debut at this show. Striking were the great frames of the second calvers. Furthermore he showed a nice spring of ribs, correct rumps and a lot of width in the chest area. In short, cows with enough capacity to produce lots of milk. Kylian s trademark are feet and legs and this was exactly the trait that his daughters excelled in, in their walk trough the ring. Ideal heals from the same family as Kian, namely the Massia family. Ideal s strongest trait is his udder and this was easy to see. The udders of his daughters were strong and highly attached. The animals can be typified as well-developed large cows, with strong feet and legs and a good locomotion. AI Kampen sent a group of Lightning son Red Glory into the ring. This bull is known as a transmitter of a good conformation. The group exceeded the expectations by showing welldeveloped second and third calvers with very nice transitions in the frame and powerful locomotion. Second-crop selection Two years ago Paramount showed a group of older animals from his testing period at the All-Holland Dairy Show. Now it was time for a group of five heifers from his breeding period to represent their sire. The Paramount daughters made a strong appearance by walking as straight as a line through the ring showing their good feet and legs. All five daughters had long udders with narrow teat placement. With this appearance, Paramount answers the high expectations. Another debutant with daughters from the breeding period was Spencer (s. Lightning). The daughters of this component transmitter showed a lot of dairyness. The feet and legs had a fine bone structure, fitting with their total appearance. Classic did it again! Grand champion red-and-white of the 2010 All-Holland Dairy Show, Classic daughter J&G Trilux 18 On the second day of the All-Holland Dairy Show it was time for the individual show. A show that Classic dominated two years ago. And he did it again in 2010! With 24 red-and-white daughters he was the top supplier. He was not only top supplier, he also sired no less than four champions. In the junior section both titles went to Classic daughters. With a big lead on the heifer in second place the champion ribbon went to Brook Marie 61. This young heifer showed a flawless appearance with a strong backline and quality feet and legs. Reserve champion Midwolder Massia 10 attracted attention through her dairy appearance and high rear udder. The intermediate championships were a complete Classic party. Eventually, Classic daughter Truus 3860 ended in second place. Truus appeared very feminine and had a very long and strong fore udder attachment. The title went to J&G Trilux 18. Her strong back, long frame, beautifully veined udder and good locomotion were all this Classic beauty needed to win this championship. It even won her the title 2010 Grand Champion Red-and-White. J&G Trilux 18 and her proud owners, daughters of the Hoegen family

5 HIGHLIGHTS ENGLISH EDITION SEPTEMBER 2010 HOME AND ABROAD 5 CRV progeny impress in Peru AREQUIPA [PERU] In the annual show organised by the catholic university Santa Maria in Arequipa Peru, CRV progeny impressed their vet and zootechnic students and farmers. The 2000 visitors were surprised by some CRV black-and-white and red-and-white progeny! Of the 150 participating cows in the show a Tulip daughter and a Cocktail daughter of Miguel Manrique Corazao (La Ponderosa farm) got ranked highly in their class. Ponderosa s December daughter Dina even won the grand champion title. The proud owner used more CRV semen like Canvas, Cocktail and December and the first results are stunning with very high production figures. At the moment Miguel Manrique Corazao uses semen of Paramount, Olympic and Canvas to further improve the genetic merit of his herd. Great fertility results with Bonsai LOUISVILLE [USA] UF094 Bonsai is a Montbeliarde sire that CRV USA gets from CRV CZ in the Czech Republic. His dam is imported from France and produced kg of milk with 3.56% protein in her fourth record. Her lifetime production so far is kg of milk in six recordings. Production and protein are strongly anchored in this family. Daughters of Bonsai produce very well. They also have strong conformation with a lot of depth and width, the udders are very well attached and they have good quality feet and legs. Bonsai transmits good body condition score and good health and fertility. All over the world, people are enthusiastic about Bonsai s fertility results. Stephen and Kathy Nichols operate Chico s AI Service in the USA which offers a complete reproductive service and includes CRV genetics in their business. Stephen does most of the breeding and Kathy handles much of the paperwork, does some direct sales and assists with some of the reproductive work. Stephen is very impressed with the conception results he was getting with UF094 Bonsai. Stephen says: Bonsai is getting everything pregnant and I have yet to water thaw a straw. Bonsai December daughter Dina won the grand champion title Canvas conquers the world We are getting positive results about Canvas daughters from all over the world. In his home country, the Netherlands, he has had a great influence as well. In the most recent index run, several of his sons debuted in the black-and-white and red-and-white rankings. All had great production proofs. Canvas daughters in the Netherlands are strong and capable of producing lots of milk. They have good quality udders and correct teat placement. Legs and feet are good, which makes them ideal for the professional dairy farmer. Now a short selection of three fine Canvas daughters. Cremona [Italy] At the Ceradello farm in Cremona, Italy, 450 cows are milked. One of them is a VG 87 Canvas daughter. She was classified VG 87 in her first calving, something that is very rare in Italy. She is now in her second lactation. As a heifer she completed a 305 day record of 11,249kg of milk. In her last milk recording she produced 50.6kg. Her production is 21.8% above herd average for weight of milk, % for protein and +14.3% for fat. CARLISLE [UNITED KINGDOM] Moorpark Canvas Woody (s. Canvas) has a good conformation with 85 points udder and 85 dairy strength. She also produces very well. In her first 305 days record she produced 13,540kg of milk and 557kg of fat and 422kg of protein. This is not the only Canvas daughter in his herd that shows these great results. Another Canvas daughter produced over 12,000kg of milk in her first lactation. Râsnov [Romania] The Holstein Ro Association organised a show in the beautiful mountain scenery of the village of Râsnov. Here it was that a Canvas daughter of the Miofan Agrotrans farm, managed by Stefan and Marioara Marin, that was reserve champion of the maiden heifers; a very good result for a first CRV appearance in a show. For me she is a real champion, says Mr Marin. It also shows that working with CRV pays off. Next year, she will compete in the section of young cows. Let s hope she will be a prize winner again. Besides Canvas they also use semen from Paramount, Grandprix and Win 395 among others. With Canvas qualities in the field of fat and protein quantity, Canvas is used in Romania, especially to improve milk quantity and components. Double Force WASSERBURG [GERMANY] PRAGUE [Czech REPUBLIC] CRV Czech Republic and CRV Meggle held the first international Fleckvieh conference for CRV colleagues. As well as CRV employees, 60 farmers participated. They all shared their experiences and talked to other with Czech and German farmers. The conference was named Double Force, which represents the advantage of the Fleckvieh breed. They produce milk as well as meat which makes them dual purpose, and dual income! The conference combined several farm visits, progeny shows and auctions with presentations. Speakers included several CRV Fleckvieh breeding managers and Dr. Kucera, president of European Fleckvieh Breeders Association. Dr. Kucera described an ideal Fleckvieh cow as a cow with: a high production security, an increase of production over lactations, a flat lactation curve, a high lifetime production, metabolic stability, good fertility, good udder health. In short, an uncomplicated animal! All participants learnt a lot from these and other presentations. They have seen what the Fleckvieh breed is all about and they can now use that knowledge in their own country to advise farmers on the Fleckvieh cow. The participants of the international Fleckvieh conference 2010 This Canvas daughter was placed second in the Cattle Breeders Association Days in Râsnov, Romania

6 6 COW MANAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS ENGLISH EDITION SEPTEMBER 2010 The ins and outs of insemination Insemination it s so much more than just injecting semen OENKERK [NL] Getting cows pregnant is a fairly complex matter. Some of the complex aspects of it, like the negative energy balance, calving management and pregnancy control, have been highlighted in previous articles. Insemination also plays an important role in optimising herd fertility status. This article offers information and tips about the optimal moment of insemination, defrosting semen and insemination technique. T he starting point is that it is vital that every person managing the herd is aware of the importance of optimal heat control. It does not matter whether or not you work with synchronisation protocols, a cow has to be in heat before she can be successfully inseminated. Optimal insemination time There is still a lot of debate about the optimal insemination time. Many studies have been conducted to investigate this matter. A study by Judith Roelofs showed that it is best to inseminate early in the cycle. The study showed that the best embryos result from inseminations that took place 12 to 24 hours before ovulation. This is shown in Table 1. In the 34 embryos resulting from insemination between 24 and 12 hours prior to ovulation, more than 60% were of good quality. Of the embryos resulting from insemination between 0 and 12 hours after ovulation, fewer than 10% were good quality. Table 1 Relationship between insemination time and embryo quality Defrost technique Besides the heat observation and insemination, there are several other factors that clearly affect whether or not a cow will get pregnant. One of these factors is the treatment of the semen straw from the nitrogen flask to the uterus an area that can be improved in many farms. It is important to prevent the semen from rising too quickly during this process. In fact the temperature may only gently rise. In the conventional method, where the insemination gun is carried under clothing, a defrosting temperature of 30 C is recommended, under normal circumstances. If you have more cows to inseminate, it is advisable to use a so-called AI gun warmer. With this, the semen remains at a constant temperature. Without a gun warmer, the fertilisation probability of the last cow to be inseminated, compared to the first cow, is significantly lower. This is mainly due to the temperature drop of semen. See Table 3, which shows that the first cow has a 48% chance of conception, compared to just 25% for the final cow. Table 3 Relationship between order of insemination and conception rate Note that the use of an AI gun warmer is not without danger. Careless use may adversely affect the results. It is an ideal incubator for bacteria due to residual semen. So: Work very carefully. It is wise to protect insemination gun with a plastic sleeve. EMBRYO QUALITY % 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% good fair n=27 n=34 n=29 n=32 36/24 24/12 12/0 0/ 12 INSEMINATION TIME (HOURS PRIOR TO OVULATION) It is not easy to determine the right insemination time but, as shown in Table 2, increased activity, changes in the behaviour and standing heat are good indicators of the ideal insemination time. If you want to inseminate between 24 and 12 prior to ovulation, you have to inseminate between 0 and 12 hours after the start of standing heat. This is the same as five to 17 hours after increased activity. Table 2 Relationship between heat signs, insemination time and embryo quality 60% good quality embryo unfertilised CONCEPTION RATE (%) 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1st 2nd 3rd 4th ORDER OF INSEMINATION Without a gun warmer, the fertilisation probability of the last cow to be inseminated, compared to the first cow, is significantly lower. Insemination Inseminating is something you should take time to do. A clearly identifiable error that inseminators sometimes makes, is that the gun goes too far into the uterus. With this, the chances of causing damage is great. This is usually visible by a red dot on the end of the gun. In most cases, such a cow will not become pregnant semen and blood don t go together well. Another invisible but common mistake is damage caused by insertion of the gun in the cervix. This damage is called skid marks (see photo). In almost all cases, these skid marks have a negative influence on the semen transport to the oviduct. Manipulation of the cervix during insertion of the gun is, therefore, very important to avoid this type of damage. Skid marks Another point of concern is where to put the semen. Some believe that semen should be deposited in one uterine horn and some others think that half of the semen should be placed in one horn and the other half in the other horn. However, these techniques usually do not result in improved results. The risk of damage is higher, due to the higher tension in the uterine horns in cows that are in heat. The most desirable place to deposit the semen is also on the border of the third ring cervix and the uterus. You should take between four and five seconds to deposit the semen from the gun. Only then can all the semen can contribute to the fertilisation process. When the gun is emptied too abruptly, many semen cells are not able to participate in the fertilisation process. 40% 20% 36/24 24/12 12/0 0/ 12 Hours till ovulation 0/12 12/24 24/36 Hours after standing heat 0/3 3/15 15/27 27/39 Hours after other behaviour 0/5 5/17 17/29 29/41 Hours after increased activity 1, 2, 3: cervix rings 4: cervix blue line: place to deposit semen skid marks Insemination: As soon as possible after observing standing heat. Hereby: The highest chance of a high quality embryo. And so: The best chance of having a calf nine months later. There are also cows that show a perfect heat every three weeks, but never get pregnant. Several factors can play a role in this. One reason can be that in cows with an sloping rump angle sometimes retain urine in the vagina. And this urine is often the reason why cows don t get pregnant. The advice is to just inseminate these cows but protect the gun with a plastic shell. You should only remove this shell when entering the cervix. In this relatively simple way you don t dirty the semen with urine, and the cow will probably get pregnant just as easily as any other cow.

7 HIGHLIGHTS ENGLISH EDITION SEPTEMBER 2010 SIRE SPECIAL 7 Franchise gives uncomplicated producers with great udders Blarinckhorst Franchise ARNHEM [NL] Blarinckhorst Franchise is out of the first CRV batch of sons by the health and longevity specialist Ramos. Franchise combines a lot of milk with good longevity, low somatic cell counts, beautiful udders, and good feet and legs. He is backed by a strong cow family: the famous Dutch Rozas. They have had several successes in the show ring so far and have also delivered proven sires. CRV still tests sons of the German health and longevity specialist Ramos, but a couple of years ago, the first Ramos sons were already sampled. Franchise belongs to this first group. So, he is one of the first Ramos sons with a Dutch/Flemish proof. And he can distinguish himself from other Ramos sons by his impressive cow family, which originates from the farm belonging to the Puttenstein family from Wezep, the Netherlands. Here you can read more about the highlights of this cow family that has had a profound influence on regional, national and international shows. Franchise s cow family Franchise s cow family descends originally from the IJsselvliedt farm, which was owned by the Puttenstein family. The most well-known cows from this cow family were Lucky Leo daughter IJsselvliedt Roza 137 EX92 and her dam by Etazon Laudia Lexus, IJsselvliedt Roza 105 EX92. The best lactation of Roza 105 was her third, when she produced 11,760kg of milk with 4.88% fat and 3.80% protein. During her first lactation she scored an impressive VG88. Later on, in her third lactation, she scored EX92 with EX94 for her frame and EX91 for her udder. Roza 105 participated in several regional and national shows. And, in 2000 she was present at the European Championships. Several of her progeny appeared frequently in the show ring. Her best daughter is IJsselvliedt Roza 137 EX92. As a heifer, she was classified VG89. And she completed an enormous first lactation record of 13,040kg of milk with 3.96% fat and 3.45% protein. In her second Franchise daughter group at the All Holland Dairy Show 2010 lactation, Roza 137 became EX92 with her EX95 frame as best asset. She is the most famous cow of this family and she achieved several successes to start with her junior championship at regional show of Zwolle in 2001, followed by the title of overall champion at the Holland Holstein Herd (HHH) show in 2003, the intermediate championships title at the CR Delta Oost Show in 2004 and the reserve senior championships title at the Holland Holstein Herd show in And, she represented the Netherlands at the European Championships in Brussels in She also has three proven sons by Jocko. Three succesful sisters I saw Lucky Leo daughter Roza 137 winning the junior title at the regional show in Zwolle 2001 and was really impressed by her appearance, Franchise s breeder Gert van de Langemheen says. Later, I purchased five of her embryo s by Sabre resulting in two bull calves and three heifer calves. Unfortunately, they all carried the CVM gene. The bull calves, therefore, didn t go to AI, adds Gert. The three Sabre daughters Rosanna, Rosalie and Rosetta were, however, all contracted as maiden heifers. I contracted the Sabre daughters with Ramos, because of Ramos beneficial health traits, says CRV breeding analyst Henk Buijs. These contracts were one of the first with Ramos for CRV at that time. Two of the Sabre sisters now turn out to be tremendous brood cows, both delivering a Ramos son back into service. Rosalie VG87 s son Franchise does well for fitness traits and transmits lots off milk. Rosalie was the one of the three full sisters that produced the most milk, so that is now reflected in Franchise s proof, Henk says. After calving, I contracted Rosalie again. There still is a son by Olympic at CRV. We have already used Franchise as sire of sons at CRV, based on the results of his marker tests, Henk adds. I really liked the frame and the capacity of Rosalie, Gert says. Although, as heifer, she still showed a lot of youth. Actually, she became better every year. She was a good producer and was able to maintain good body condition at the start of lactation, probably because she didn t peak incredibly high. Because of her persistency, she was still able to complete lactations with a lot of milk. Her first lactation, for instance, amounts to 10,388kg of milk with 3.78% fat and 3.23% protein (120 lactation value). Henk also describes Rosalie as a fantastic, beautiful cow. She was the best of the three Sabre sisters and had the best feet and legs of the trio as well. She had the potential to score VG88, VG89 or even EX90, he says. Gert also expected her to become EX, but unfortunately Rosalie was lost a couple of weeks before her third calving. She had a twisted stomach and she died during surgery, Gert says. A particular characteristic of the cow family is its very low somatic cell count. The cows have never had mastitis, Gert adds. Pedigree of Blarinckhorst Franchise IJsselvliedt Roza 105 EX92 (s. Lexus) IJsselvliedt Roza 137 EX92 (s. Lucky Leo) Rosalie VG87 (s. Sabre) Blarinckhorst Franchise (s. Ramos) Blarinckhorst Franchise (Ramos x Sabre x Lucky Leo) Franchise is the result of combining the great Roza cow family that shows high yields and exceptional type with health and longevity specialist Ramos. And the result is the widely usable Franchise. Production Kg milk % Fat % Protein Kg Fat Kg Protein Inet Longevity Functional Traits Calving ease Somatic Cell Score Milking Speed Persistency Temperament Conformation Frame Dairy strength Udder Feet & legs Final score Stature Chest width Body depth Angularity Condition score Rump angle Rump width Rear legs rear Rear legs side Foot angle Locomotion Fore udder attachment Front teat placement Teat length Udder depth Rear udder height Central ligament Rear teat placement Blarinckhorst Franchise rel. 85 % daughters 159 herds 141 rel. 90 % daughters 83 herds NVI 117 In his production proof we recognise the high milk yield from his cow family. For milk contents he is below average. This, we can trace back to his Sabre dam that realised high yields, but was somewhat low in the contents. Due to the high kilograms of milk inheritance, Franchise daughters still yield a lot of kilograms of fat and protein. The first thing that catches your eye when looking at Franchise s type proof is the exceptional udder transmittance. Franchise sires udders that are well-attached, show good front teat placement, shallow and high in the rear. Teats are somewhat longer, while central ligament and rear teat placement are slightly above average. This makes Franchise suitable for producers using automatic milking systems as well. Franchise also sires medium-sized cows with average body depth, chest width, rump angle and width and body condition. With respect to feet and legs, he improves heel height and locomotion. More of Franchise s qualities appear when looking at his longevity and health traits. Backed by his famous sire Ramos, it is no surprise that Franchise is a true longevity specialist. And for somatic cell scores, Franchise is a cracker as well. Daughter fertility is average, while he needs some protection for milking speed. Temperament is above average and Franchise is a calving ease sire. Use Franchise to improve milk yield, udders and longevity and health traits. He will work well on daughters of, for example, O Man, Goldwyn, Stilist, Chassee, Grandprix, Olympic, Bertil, Ramon, Dustin, Linfield, Onedin, Set Up and Hole in One

8 8 TRAIT LEADERS For complete proof information please visit H IG H LIG H T S E N G LISH E D IT ION SE P T E MBE R sires are genomically selected. Canvas RF Lass Predestine Omen Hot Shot Tyson Go-Ahead Big Winner Diamond Discovery Tyson Jag Set Up Go-Ahead Bertil Atlantic Stan Gofast Nevada Surprise Omen Tyson Ireland Fiction RF Lacey Lincoln Henson Leola Puntdroad Kian Bonfire Puntdroad Kian Spencer Arnold Lambiek Canvas RF Lambiek Ditmar Kodak Stan Applause Roppa Emerald Gofast Forward Pole-Position Paramount Win 395 Improver +116 Stan Forward Gofast Emerald Improver Cricket Hot Shot Romeo Elgin Surprise Tyson Cricket Fiction Atlantic Improver Lambiek Sonlight Classic Kylian Fidelity Twister +112 Twister Classic Lambiek Twister Spencer Kodak Spencer Taco Twister +104 O-Man son Improver scores 110 total conformation and 105 on the Hoof Health Index CRV E-NEWSLETTER p u n g i S! w no REGISTER ON Great content and special offers delivered directly to your inbox! Highlights is a publication of CRV BV. CRV is a Dutch-Flemish farmers co-operative with six business units (Global Sales & Development, Central Europe, Oceania, North America, South America and Western Europe). Highlights is published four times a year, in February, May, September and December, and is available in two languages: English and Spanish. Editor: Marieke de Weerd. Chief editor: Bertil Muller. With cooperation of Anne Terpstra (PTC+ Oenkerk) and Fokko Tolsma (page 6). Printer: Senefelder Misset, Doetinchem, The Netherlands. ISSN Subscriptions Highlights is distributed free of charge to customers of CRV. For subscriptions and other information, please go to our website: or contact: CRV, P.O. Box 5073, 6802 EB Arnhem, The Netherlands, Phone: , Fax: , sales@crv4all.com Material appearing in Highlights is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without permission of CRV. Future events Publication of breeding values 2010 Tuesday December 7, 11am (CET)