Announced at LIC’s recent Breeders’ Day was the co-operative’s National Sire Proving Scheme Farmer of the Year award, presented to Louise & Alastair Holmes of Fairlea.
Ann Scott, LIC Sire Proving Scheme (SPS) manager, said Louise and Alastair’s SPS herd largely consisted of 600 Friesians on a 208ha farm.
The couple initially joined the scheme in 2005 for three seasons, before re-joining it in 2014 and have remained with it since that time.
The herd was mated with SPS KiwiCross bulls each season, Ann said, complemented by SGL & beef options.
When the herd first joined the scheme in 2005 its average breeding worth (BW) sat at 134, but this had now reached 294 (within the top 10% of all dairy herds nationally).
Similarly, 19 years ago the herd’s average production worth was 170, but today it had reached 344.
All cows were DNA and genomically profiled, with a recorded ancestry of 100%, Ann said.
“The Holmes’ achievements show the huge genetic gains that are possible in the scheme through use of LIC’s genomic bulls. Since 2005, they’ve reared 1865 SPS daughters and in lactational seasons they’ve milked a total 1332 of these daughters through to their dairy shed.”
During the course of its 63 year history, LIC’s Sire Proving Scheme has seen more than 11,550 bulls go on to provide proofs to the industry.
There are about 150 farmers who belong to LIC’s SPS each season
