As the year draws to a close, we can certainly say that 2009 has been an excellent year for the British Friesian, with ever increasing sales of bulls and semen, a tribute to 100 years of sustainable breeding.
On a more general front, input costs of milk production have come down, but then the milk price has eased back. Bankers rightly urge us to focus on cost of production rather than targeting yields. Our sort of robust cow has been bred for grazing and forage systems, and for most of us 2009 has been a fantastic year for grass, the cheapest form of feed. Frequent calving and low replacement rates provide that all important extra income from surplus heifers and male calves. The lower the milk price, the more important are calf and quality barrener sales, per annum. GENETICS-BASE CHANGE
January 2010 sees the adjustment to the PIN base for production, to take into account gains/losses made over the last 5 years. It is not expected that there will be a significant difference in the rankings within breed. We are assured that Genetic gain is cumulative and permanent and so the deciders of these matters carry a heavy responsibility, considering the mistakes of the past, and the unexpected consequence of loss of body condition and fertility, with single trait selection for production. BRITISH CATTLE BREEDERS CONFERENCE
To be held from 25 - 27 January 2010 at The Telford Golf and Spa Hotel.
Genomic selection is on the Agenda! Sadly they have decided not to include a paper from the Institute of Animal Health, Compton, where some valuable work has taken place in isolating a group of genes so far only found in the British Friesian and linked to disease resistance. AGM
This will take place on 9 March at The Hunters Inn, Tewkesbury. HERD VISITS
The visit to Bryan Daniels (Kilkenny, Ireland) will take place during the week commencing 12 April 2010. We will also be visiting Bill O’Keefe and the Dovea AI centre. All great supporters of our Breed. EARLY HISTORY
Many thanks to the people who responded to the request for a copy of the first history of the British Friesian Cattle Society. We have secured a copy for the Club. NZ FRIESIANS
Our attention has been drawn to advertisements for these animals in the Press under the banner of British Friesians. We point out again that the use of the word Friesian is misleading as they are more likely to be of Holstein Jersey origin and certainly are extremely unlikely to qualify for registration.
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