Less common dairy cow breeds will no longer be judged on how good a Holstein they are, after DataGene changed its Balanced Performance Index system to account for different breed objectives.
The move comes as a relief to Jersey Australia, which has been asking for the BPI inputs to become less Holstein-centric.
Jersey Australia general manager Glen Barrett said the new-look system was a “critical update”.
“This small change is a critical first step towards greater recognition of different breed objectives in the national index,” Mr Barrett said.
“Jersey Australia congratulates DataGene and the industry for recognising and responding to our calls to adjust the national index.”
In DataGene’s December ABVs — the first to include the new BPI system — the top Jersey herd was no surprise.
First-place herd, White Star Jerseys — owned by Con and Michelle Glennen at Noorat, in south-west Victoria — has always been a heavyweight in the breed.
Second place was taken by Brookbora Jerseys in Tennyson, northern Victoria, a herd which normally hovers around the fourth and third positions.
Owned by Rob and Sandra Bacon, the Brookbora herd contains 250 milking cows and multiple bulls used in AI programs going into the United States, Canada and Europe.
“We breed for long-lasting, good-type, profitable cows,” Mrs Bacon said.
Mr Bacon said Jerseys were a great cow because of their feed conversion rates, ease of care and low calving difficulties.
“A ‘sustainable cow’ is the new term being used to describe them,” he said.
“We breed our cows to last and milk well, and if they are good enough to go to a show then they can go.”
Another northern Victorian Jersey breeder has also done well.
Rohan and Graeme Sprunt run a dairy farm and stud operation outside Shepparton, and breed their Jerseys to be bigger and able to compete with the Holsteins.
The brothers saw their top genomic bull, Kaarmona Bazyli, go from a BPI of 281 to a BPI of 361.
Despite the massive jump in the bull’s overall genetic scorecard, Bazyli actually fell two places in overall rankings as other bulls climbed their way up thanks to the new index.
It all works out as good news for the Jersey breed, as DataGene becomes more workable and useful for Jersey enthusiasts and farmers.
Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Australian Red Breed, Illawarra and Guernsey breeds have also had their judgment criteria tailored.