Leading breeders’ magazine, Holstein International, recently announced the winners of the prestigious 2011 Global Cow of the Year awards, and Dairy Daughters can reveal close family links between several of their bulls and the winning cows.

The competition – which is judged on a 50:50 basis by some of the world’s top sire analysts and votes from the magazine’s readers – was unusual this time in resulting in a dead heat. The upshot was a joint victory for Regancrest S Chassity and Ralma Christmas Fudge, who have sons, grandsons and even young genomic great grandsons in the Dairy Daughters lineup.

From Chassity - Mr Chassity Gold Chip

Chassity’s pedigree links to the Dairy Daughters’ stud are particularly close, with her son, Mr Chassity Gold Chip, now one of the most sought-after young sires in the UK. Described as ‘the most complete genomic young sire’ by HI reader, W F Eustice from the USA, this Goldwyn son was launched last year with the prospect of transmitting some of the Chassity family qualities into UK breeders’ herds. Ranking highly on TPI (Total Performance Index) on the USA’s genomic young sire list (TPI +2279), his figures convert well to a UK base, with a Predicted Transmitting Ability (PTA) of 513kg milk and a Profitable Lifetime Index of £172 – one of the best PLIs amongst the high type sires.

Regancrest S Chassity EX-92 EX-MS DOM herself is highly coveted as a bull mother and sold for US$1.5 million as a package with several sons and daughters in the 2009 International Intrigue Sale. A Shottle daughter, she links to several other Dairy Daughters bulls through the Barbie family from which she descends.

Described as a ‘genomic giant’, she has five VG milking daughters and seven bulls currently in AI, and through her own grandam, Regancrest PR Barbie EX92 2E 4* who was nominated All American junior three-year-old in 2004, she is linked to a further five bulls sold by Dairy Daughters.

These are: Boxer (Shottle x Goldwyn), Brokaw (Atwood x Mac), Big Time (Mac x Shottle), Clinton (Mac x Champion) and the top type proven sire, Beagle (Elegant x Stormatic).

 From Fudge – CF Crest, Gold Crown and Colt P Red

Ralma Christmas Fudge (Durham x Juror), who shares the global championship with Chassity, is also well represented at Dairy Daughters, through her son, Ralma Oman CF Crest, her grandson, Ralma Gold Crown, and her great grandson, the young sire, Sandy-Valley Colt-P-Red.

Oman son, CF Crest, is a remarkable daughter fertility improver with a Fertility Index of +3.9 and also transmits low cell counts (SCC Index -25), outstanding components (+.14% fat and +0.03% protein) and good type; Goldwyn son, Gold Crown, has similarly outstanding health and fitness traits and manages to combine a high milk volume with quality (PTA milk 527kg, fat 0.03% and protein 0.04%) and has a PLI of £185; while polled Lawn Boy son Colt-P-Red is the hottest red genomic sire on the market, with a genomic TPI in the USA of +2050.

Number three cow links to Dakota and Derren

Further links to the Dairy Daughters stud from the number three Global Cow of the Year, Markwell Durham Daisy EX92 (also third senior two-year-old at Madison and nominated All American senior two-year-old) are seen in her son, ALH Dakota , the number one PLI bull in the UK (PLI £258) and her grandson, Derren, whose ‘no holes’ linear profile qualifies him as one of the best value Goldwyn sons on the market.

“We are delighted we’re able to offer some of the hottest bulls in the world to UK breeders, many of which are in keen demand internationally as sires of sons,” says Alison Lovell of Dairy Daughters. “We always strive to offer outstanding bloodlines and feel this selection is a clear illustration that we will never compromise on pedigrees and performance in order to offer value for money.

“The cows in this competition were not just judged on their looks, but their milk production, their genetic potential and their remarkable track record of transmitting their qualities down the generations were also key features, and we’re delighted that some of these qualities will end up on UK farms.”

                  

Regancrest S Chassity                                                            Ralma Christmas Fudge