revised website for Hometown Jerseys

Hometown Jerseys (Neil and Melanie Hunter) have recently revised their website!  

The entire site is now available in both English and French and there is additional information on some of their top genomic stars, such as Aruba, Ambrosia and Action Baby.  Check them out at www.jerseycanada.com/hometown!

Thinking Productivity in Jerseyland

NATIONAL JERSEY PRODUCTION AVERAGE

The latest national average production figures for Jersey were released recently. The 2010 national average is as follows: (based on publishable lactations only)

• 9,884 lactations:   
• 6,559 kgs of milk, 
• 317 kgs of fat (4.86%), 
• 248 kgs of protein (3.80%) 
• average BCAs of 218-195-217

This average represents the highest totals ever for milk, fat and protein yield and BCAs for all three yield items.

In pounds these totals are: 14,463 milk, 699 fat and 547 protein. (305 day actual production)

Previous records for milk were set in 2008 (6,435), fat in 2002 (310), and protein in 2002 (245).

The increases from 2009 were: 188 kgs of milk (3.0%); 8 kgs of fat (2.6%); 6 kilos of protein (2.5%).

Our strategic plan (Jersey Impact) calls for annual increases of 5% for each of fat and protein yield. The 2010 increases (achieved prior to the formulation of the plan) are at about exactly half that targeted increase.

In relation to the other six dairy breeds, Jerseys rank:

• 6^th for milk yield
• 3^rd for fat yield
• 1^st for fat percent
• 4^th for protein yield
• 1^st for protein percent
• 2^nd for milk BCA
• 6^th for fat BCA
• 3^rd for protein BCA

For combined kilos of fat plus protein, the Jersey breed ranks third at 565 kgs. Holstein at 686 and Brown Swiss at 626 are superior at the moment.

The number of publishable lactations for the Jersey breed has risen every year since 2006, which is understandable with lower live exports in this period. The 2010 total is the highest since 1997.

Had the Jersey breed been ticking along at 5.0% annual increases for fat and protein yields as targeted in our strategic plan for later years the increases for fat and protein would have been 16 kgs fat and 12 kgs for protein. This is compared to our 2010 noted increases of 8 kgs of fat and 6 kgs of protein.

We have been reminded repeatedly that if the Jersey cow were to have a higher average productivity for both fat and protein yield and some modest improvement in fat and protein percents demand for the breed would be at even higher levels. Generally people are not suggesting that the breed needs extreme or unrealistic gains in per cow productivity. Rather more progress than we are making today.

Let’s project where the breed could be in three years if the annual increases in fat and protein yield were at 5.0%.

- Starting points as of 2010:  317 kgs of fat and 248 kgs of protein. 565 kgs of fat plus protein.

- With 5% increases every year 2010, 2012, 2013 the breed would be at levels of 368 kgs of fat and 288 kgs of protein.

- In an interesting twist of events, this would put us almost at the 2010 industry-leading level for fat production for Holstein and at the 2010 second-place level for Brown Swiss protein production.

In this instance the combined kgs of fat plus protein would be 656. This would be right between the 2010 Holstein and Brown Swiss totals of 686 and 626 respectively.

Defining Jersey as the solids cow requires a balance of percentages of components and yield of fat and protein.

All things are possible; it is simply a matter of will within the breed to see the Jersey cow capture and seize a even more competitive place within the Canadian dairy industry. Improved kgs of fat plus protein production while maintaining good percentages would do that job!

Are we up to and ready for the challenge?