Bulls set the ‘gold standard’ (2024)

“There are only 34 proven bulls — those that have demonstrated their value to dairy farmers across the country — in Australia,” Mr Ronalds said.

“But there are up to 889 genomic bulls available.

“For one bull — let alone the team offered by ABS Australia at the moment — to move so successfully from the genomic list on to the proven list demonstrates the depth of these genetics and the advantage they offer the Australian dairy industry.”

Persuade is the nation’s highest-ranked proven Holstein with a Balanced Performance Index of 549.

“Persuade is the second sire that ABS has graduated from the top of the genomic list to the top of the proven chart,” Mr Ronalds said.

“The first was ABS Jeronimo P — an absolute freak of a bull — who now sits at number three.”

Denovo 14744 Ginetta is second on the Holstein proven list.

World-renowned sire of sons and breed-leading fertility bull DG Charley continues his run near the top of the ABV rankings, sitting at number four with 478 BPI.

But it’s the history-making Rubels Red that has had the industry talking, Mr Ronalds said.

The highest-ranking Red Holstein ever on the Australian proven index, he’s also the number one type sire in the breed.

“Holstein breeders can use Rubels Red regardless of whether they are chasing Red or not,” Mr Ronalds said.

“Breeders have used him because he’s a Holstein that ranks well.”

Northern Victorian breeder Adam Dee of Clydevale Holsteins used Rubels Red a few years ago, initially interested in the Holstein’s outcross pedigree.

But it was his “all round” proof that cemented his place in the Clydevale herd.

“There are no major holes (in his proof) you have to worry about, he is a pretty easy bull to use” Mr Dee said.

ABS Australia also has the highest BPI “double P” bull ever — Denovo 4798 Estate PP.

Dairy farmers can also expect more choice of quality polled sires than ever before.

“When the ABS team went through and selected the sires that we knew Australian dairy farmers would like — those with balanced type, teat length, positive health traits that were also double-P — we got to 11,” Mr Ronalds said.

“That’s 11 quality, double-P Holsteins available for the Australian market out of a total global pipeline of more than 40 polled sires.”

ABS Australia has also seen huge demand for its new St Jacobs’ ‘Linear Choice’ branded sem*n.

Since its launch at International Dairy Week in January, Mr Ronalds said dairy farmers and breeding advisors had jumped at the opportunity to use sires that excel with production, health and linear traits.

Jersey options stack up

New Jersey bull Ranleigh Lava is injecting crucial chest width, positive milk, and components into the Australian Jersey herd.

Bred in Gippsland by the Boyd family, Lava is 353 BPI and boasts great cell count and mastitis resistance traits.

After launching to huge demand in spring, Gippsland-bred Balnageith Jango is the number two ranked polled genomic Jersey in Australia and seven on the Sustainability Index.

Exciting Reds

ABS Australia has secured access to sem*n from the son of world-renowned elite sire Storflor.

Skoien, sired by Storflor, is 200 BPI on the industry’s genomic list and has outstanding udder health, daughter fertility, extreme calving ease and short gestation.

“He’s also got good milking speed and temperament. He really is the complete package,” Mr Ronalds said.

He said this came after ABS Australia continued to dominate the Red dairy sire market with five of the six ‘double -P’ Red sires in the DataGene Good Bulls Guide and eight of the top nine Daughter Fertility Red sires.

It’s the fifth ABV run where ABS Australia has owned eight of the top nine Red daughter fertility sires.

The second highest genomic ABV Red Finsland-P is 331 BPI, second on the Health Weighted Index and top of the Sustainability Index.

New to the ABV proven list, Norwegian Red sire Roen sits at number six for BPI and is the second highest ranked Red sire on the HWI.

Roen is available in conventional and sexed genetic product REDX.