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Major Jersey sire lines (Secret Signal Observer) PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Sunday, 12 November 2006
I am going to attempt a flow chart to show how every mainstream AI sire in the USA today (plus many other countries) is descended from Secret Signal Observer, bred by High Lawn Farm in MA, born 1955, the result of linebreeding to the bull Imported Jersey Volunteer.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 13 February 2007 )
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Sire and Cow Indexes: assumptions and concerns PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Sunday, 12 November 2006
Overview:  I have spent thirty years observing genetic evaluation systems evolve, and the cattle that changes in philosophy have produced.   In general, the scientists at USDA-APHIS and their counterparts in other countries are conscientious in pursuing methodology that they believe leads us to "genetic improvement".    They receive data flows primarily from organized DHI testing systems and breed association classification systems, and from this priority access to on-farm generated data, develop formulas to quantify the performance of populations, as well as formulas to "rank" the performance of individuals.    Most if not all such calculations are better termed "evolutionary" rather than "revolutionary", as the basic philosophy (summarizing in-herd deviations) has never changed, but the factoring of the data has become more complex, reflecting increased computing capacity and constituent demand for additional information, as the economics of dairying have changed.
Last Updated ( Sunday, 12 November 2006 )
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Selection for cow fertility PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Sunday, 12 November 2006

The newest genetic measurement is DPR or Daughter Pregnancy Rate.   It is calculated by measure of the calving intervals after a cow has her second (and later) calvings.   Keep in mind the USDA data set only uses the first five lactations, so there would only be three "calving intervals" measured, and most weight will be on that interval between second and first lactation, with a default value of 250 days open assigned a cow who is culled in lactation.   (At 2.4 lactations per cow national average, only half of DHIA cows would have two measured and then a third default value calving interval.    The other half would have only one measured calving interval at best). 

Last Updated ( Monday, 13 November 2006 )
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Why we believe in the purebred jersey PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Thursday, 09 November 2006

The Jersey breed is currently on a roll.   More people want Jerseys than presently have them.   More Jersey semen and Jersey bulls are being used for dairy crossbreeding than ever before.   Many leaders in the developing seasonal grazing movement promoted the superiority of Jerseys in grass environments.   Nations that never had Jersey cattle are starting to bring them in; nations that wrote Jerseys off a couple decades ago have returned to them.

Last Updated ( Sunday, 12 November 2006 )
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Barnyard Barney (or, a Breeder's lament) PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Thursday, 09 November 2006

Mama is my Breeder's favorite cow;
She gets to stand in the very first stall.

She fills that pail with creamy milk

and catches your eye the way she's built.

Last Updated ( Monday, 07 July 2008 )
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