News from the Island of Jersey!

The first calves are born in Jersey to imported semen
Press release from the Royal Jersey Agricultural & Horticultural Society: 17th June 2009

Following the decision of the States of Jersey in July 2008 to allow the importation of bovine semen into the Island for the first time ever, the Royal Jersey Agricultural & Horticultural Society (RJA&HS) can announce that the first calves, sired by the very best of international Jersey genetics, have been born.

On Thursday 11th June 2009 the first bull calf was registered; Trinity Excitation CJay, is a son of the proven Canadian bull, Bridon Excitation. The dam of the calf, Trinity Renegades Rosie GP84, is a second calved daughter of 2006 Island Show Champion and twice Supercow winner, Trinity Kings Rosie EX94(3). "Kings Rosie| has two 305 day milk production records in excess of 9,700Kgs, both over 5.1% butterfat and 3.7% protein, and is a past winner of the John Ibbotson Trophy, an award given by the Jersey Cattle Society of the UK for the highest yielding Jersey in the British Isles classified Excellent during the qualifying lactation.

Mr Rob Stevenson, Manager of the Trinity Manor Farm Ltd herd, said "the dam of the young calf is the spitting image of her dam at that age and I am expecting great things of her" Rob Stevenson went on to say that the sire of the calf, Excitation, is well known for siring very stylish daughters and his dam, Jaspar Renaissances Evening is one of Canada's most eminent show and brood cows classified EX91-3 with two records over 10,000Kgs at over 6%BF.

Two days later on Saturday 13th June the first heifer calf was born at Lodge Farm, St Saviour, home of the Houze family. This was an especially poignant occasion as herd owner Mr Paul Houze was instrumental in leading the Society's call for importation of Jersey semen to be permitted.

This calf was sired by the USA proven Jersey sire, Woodstock Lexington ET, her mother traces back to the Rosebay line. This first heifer calf will be appropriately named Prides Lexington Prima.

Having waited well over 25 years for this day, following an earlier failed attempt to persuade the States to change the law in 1983, Paul Houze said "the birth of these calves represents a monumental milestone for the Island breed, finally we have shaken off the shackles which limited our aspirations. The future of cattle breeding looks very bright for us, indeed the confidence of dairy farmers today is palpable."

One of the strongest arguments in the process implemented in seeking a change to the law was that importing semen purely allowed for the reintroduction of genetics from the best of the breed's gene pool which at some time or another had left the Island's shores. The first calf registered under this process exemplifies perfectly this case. Since the Trinity Manor bull calf's registration has been completed, we have been able to trace the direct female line behind Jaspar Renaissances Evening back to the female ancestor exported from Jersey!

An excerpt from Volume Seven of the American Jersey Cattle Club Herd Register, published in 1881 shows entry No: 9188, Gypsy Countess, (sired by the bull Matchless P.S.104 JHB) was imported into Quebec on the Steamer Quebec in May 1879 by Mr Simon Beattie. Gypsy Countess was red-grey in colour, marked XX11 on the horn and whilst owned by the Richardson Brothers of Davenport, Iowa, she was bred by Mr Charles Simon of St John, Isle of Jersey.

Gypsy Countess was born in 1876, ten years after the start of the Jersey Herd Book in Jersey but as she was exported as a pregnant heifer, she herself was never entered into the Island's Herdbook as at that time entry was only permitted following examination, or "qualification" after calving. However looking at the records for her sire, Matchless P.S.104 JHB, we can see that his Dam, Milkmaid 3rd was the fourth animal to ever be entered into the pedigree section of Volume 1 of the Jersey Island Herdbook.

For anyone who ever doubted that this was not a process of bringing the best genetics of the breed back home, the fact that the RJA&HS can trace the pedigree of Excitation so precisely should go some way to proving otherwise. Research into the female line behind the young bull calf's dam, whilst complete, stops in the early 1900' when the cow Pansy, No: 7519F.S., owned by Mr T N Le Gros of St Mary, was entered into the Foundation Stock section of the Jersey Herdbook.

Whilst there appear to be no direct links between the sire, born in Canada and the dam born in Jersey the names of both cows and bulls from Island herds still in existence today appear throughout the pedigrees of both Excitation and Lexington, with Ansom Valour, a bull exported from the La Ferme herd of the Perchard family in St Martin and Roseland Chaffinch, a cow imported into Canada in the 1950's from the Roseland herd of the Le Gallais family in St Saviour being two examples.

Initial research into the back pedigree of Woodstock Lexington ET, sire of the heifer calf, indicates that he too can be traced right back to the earliest records of the breed in its Island home with many of the breed's great names appearing throughout. His pedigree reads like a "who's who" of the Jersey breed in the USA, and progeny tests prove his ability to transmit higher milk yields and excellent conformation which in turn indicates healthier and longer lived offspring.

ENDS: For further information please contact: David Hambrook: email: genetics@royaljersey.co.uk

DNA Case Numbers now added to pedigrees!

A note from Jill and Phyllis in the registry department here at Jersey Canada!

DNA case numbers now appear on an animal's pedigree in our system. That means that you can check whether an animal has DNA on file by simply checking our online pedigree system.

Also, that DNA case number will also show up and 3 or 4 pedigrees of an animal with DNA, as well as the registration certificate itself if that paper is reprinted or transferred.

THAT WAS THEN....THIS IS NOW.....AND NOW IS WOW!!!!

There are numerous possible sub-titles for this offering like: “Yes Virginia, genetics do make a difference!” or “Two decades later, could it be any greater?” or “Praise song for Jerseys and Jersey owners in dear old Aussie!”.

My first two forays into Jersey circles “down under” had taken place in March of 1988 and January of 1991. Yes, the gap between visit number two and ten golden days in the land of kangaroos and koalas in May of 2009 was far too long! However, those almost two decades allowed ample time for a powerful, definite and riveting transformation of the Jersey cow in this rugged and highly appealing land! Make no mistake - the Aussie Jersey of the late 1980s and early 1990s had a lot going for her - strong and deep cow families, big, deep barrels to pack away lots of forage, distinct outcross bloodlines and great feet and legs for lots of journeys to and from the parlour! And most of all, passionate owners who loved the breed and were skillful dairy cattle breeders and managers.

“Way back then” something called “the change” was going on....use of North American bloodlines was beginning to surge. The astute dairymen of Australia quickly learned how to use these “new” genes to optimal advantage and have never looked back! A very good Jersey population now stands out as a spectacular one - filled to overflowing with breath-taking cows who are commercially appealing and competitive while having enough “spit and polish” to cause swooning in the persons of those who love great cows!

While some transformations may seem revolutionary in nature this one is actually more evolutionary. And why so? Because both the keener than keen young dairymen I met and the seasoned veterans alike are so intent and “focused like a laser” on making the coming generations better than today’s stunning models.

Remember too that this land is rugged and challenging, reflected in the stark counterpoints of flooding in deluge proportions in one region and “dry as dust” droughts in others. We toured the Anderson’s Kingsville farm in Gippsland, ravaged a short three months earlier by a raging inferno of a bush fire and were sobered, saddened and shocked by the cruel damage such a marauding force of nature can inflict in mere minutes.

But, now, on to the cows! In the west, east and north of Victoria plus a small slice of New South Wales around Finlay we were treated to a cow lover’s delight, time and time again, on 25 top notch farms! And we know there are so many more in those states and the others of Aussie that could have been visited. The full impact of the progress of the Australian Jersey during the 1990s and on into this present decade was brought home to me by four specific stops and amplified beautifully by the other 21 stops.

Two herds I had not seen before - Wallacedale in Gippsland and Riverside in the more westerly regions of Victoria. Momma mia, what cows!! What owners! In both cases, rain and wind were part of the visits but I would have “walked bare-footed through a raging snow and ice storm (highly improbable in Australia, I know!)” to have seen these herds and soaked in their radiance and learned about them. These were world class herds, stunning by any measure and so impressive! Then, two herds I had seen before - Bushlea in Gippsland in 1991 and Jugiong in Northern Vic in both ’88 and ’91.

It was truly one of those “pinch me, I must be dreaming” moments as a group of local Jersey dairymen and yours truly and my trusty chauffeur Stu Mackie from Semex had the privilege of examining the legendary Bushlea herd on pasture. Much-needed rain drizzled down as the quiet squire of Bushlea, Keith Kuhne, led us around the paddock, quietly telling us about each cow that caught our fancy - and there were an almost endless stream who did! The love of this master breeder for his cows was quietly evident in his descriptions and observations. The words “Wow!”, “World Class!”, “State of the art!” thundered inside my head as I strove to extract full value out of every precious and blessed second!

Two days later and in a much drier locale in northern Victoria a “similar and yet different” herd walk took place at the Nicholson’s well-respected Jugiong farm. This time, young Brendan Nicholson led Jim Conroy of Semex and I through a pasture holding almost 400 milky registered Jerseys under a sky that simply wouldn’t get cloudy enough to yield needed rain. His uncle Phil accompanied us and let Brendan provide a steady stream of facts and figures about both the cows and how they were managed to perform well in beyond challenging conditions. This herd kissed 7,000 kilograms per cow in 2008 and was comprised of very milky cows with top udders. I had fallen in love with the herd “right off the bat” in 1988 because for that era the cows were milky and dairy and getting the working job done - but, my oh my, now!! So much more milky and yet lots of body and great udders!

North Americans can take pleasure in our supporting role in this Jersey miracle down under! Again and again and again and yet again the name “Astound” came up. This is “the code name” for a lad from the rolling hills of Vermont who is also known as Molly Brook Berretta Fabulous. His dam is the legendary MB Lester Fantastic who must surely be one of the world’s top all time brood cows largely on the basis of Astound and a passel of full sib brothers who have proven to be winners and breed advancers. Interestingly, both in NZ and Aussie, some of the best very Astounds were out of daughters of his legendary maternal grand sire Highland Duncan Lester, another New England native!

Grooving on wonderful cows in every herd visited was the order of the day! The Jersey in Australia today has originated from a very good foundation. The cow has been propelled forward and has sky-rocketed up based on a clever blending of the best of the past-superior cow families with a cosmopolitan mix of international genetics on the sire side. Now, Aussie-born sires are popping up to make further successes! The result is a cow with a magnetic pull that screams ‘feast your eyes on us”! A study of this steady progression at regular intervals over the past two decades would be almost as stunning as arriving back on Aussie soil almost eighteen and a half years later! But not quite the same!

In 2009, we need success stories and tales of modern-day triumphs. We need the energy and invigoration flowing from a “good news” story because “the other kind” is all too abundant! We also need the instruction and education that derives from seeing firsthand how master craftsmen can take up their tools and wield them to create copious numbers of masterpieces. This feat the Australian Jersey dairyman has done with finesse and smarts and agility-part artist, part scientist, part husbandry expert in rapidly shifting scenarios as mother nature and world markets deliver their bracing messages.

To add to the on-farm wonders right in the center of the trip was the truly historic first annual meeting of the newly restructured Jersey Australia! The breed now has a fully unified, chomping at the bit, association that it ready to “get at it” in new ways! Expect things to keep improving and expect Australian Jersey genetics to forge ahead domestically while grabbing a fair share of limelight on the global dairy stage! Real change is possible-start with a solid foundation and use every tool at your disposal! Success will follow!

RADICAL SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE.....

Here we sit, mired in mid-winter blues, grumbling.

The air literally rings with phrases like: “Cold enough for you?” “Will winter actually end this year?” “How come everyone else but me is heading for a warmer climate?” “Why two hard winters in a row?”

And then, and then, news flashes on your TV or computer screen about wildfires very much out of control in south-eastern Australia. You hear the tearful stories of survivors telling of the horror of watching others burn or towns that no longer exist or their house that stands no more.

And then, and then.....that e-mail arrives that puts a face and a name to the headlines......someone you know and admire and value highly has been devastated by the rampaging and racing fires and winds. Such was the case for me this Sunday morning when the Nicholson family of Jugiong Jerseys in a more northerly location reported that the fires are 100 kms from them but winds are blowing them away. They did note that extreme damage had been done to the farm of our friends Robert and Kerrie Anderson of Kingsville Jerseys east of Melbourne. Fences gone, pastures scorched, infrastructure destroyed so quickly. Stories conflict about loss of some stock.

However, they still have their home, their own lives and the their precious daughters and most if not all of their fine dairy herd. Those things cannot be replaced, buildings and fences and pastures can be replaced or will eventually regenerate.

What has seemed horrid and shocking becomes doubly so. You think of Rob’s visit to Canada and the USA on an exchange in mid 1993. What a pleasure it was to have him around and to show him around our land. How people liked him so much and knew that he was made of the right stuff and was destined to be a success. I thought of my only chance to date to meet Kerrie when, as a young married couple, they visited the USA and how I travelled down to Niagara Falls to take lunch with them and visit for a couple of hours. Then watching their daughters grow up in pictures in magazines or in photos brought to world Jersey events by a proud Grand Mother Winsome (Anderson).

It is times like this that one feels frustrated that you’re so far away-so able to do so little to help, to offer any comfort. The crisis has a face and the global news story bears names you know.

It is also at times like these that you are slapped back into the land of the awake. You know you’ll never again gripe and whine and caterwaul and grumble and complain about winter here when summer somewhere else in the global village can turn so ugly. The more appropriate response is to think of those in shock and loss. To remember that there are some aspects of this season that many “love to hate” here in our northern climes that are stunningly and indeed breath-takingly beautiful.
That we have three other seasons that are much easier to take. That “spring-time (while sometimes very late by our standards) has never failed us yet,” and won’t!!

One’s perspective changes again when someone in Oregon who knows the Andersons responds to the news you’ve shared with “Please let us know how we can help!!”
When one of our global Jersey family rejoices we (should) all rejoice and when one of us hurts we all hurt. May that ever be thus and may we also stop and count our manifold blessings every day. That’ll shift our perspective!

Jersey Energization in Quebec!

Whilst it was a wild and wooly day weather-wise in Quebec on Friday the Select Celebration Sale was a very bright spot in the winter weather! In total 38 head of Jerseys sold for an average of just over $2825-my unofficial figures. Leading the way were 26 milking cows who averaged $3215, led by a $13,500 top price for Select-Scott Sultan Maggie, a daughter of JIL Little Minnie who sold to Bruce Rendon in Michigan. The other 25 cows averaged $2804. 8 bred heifers averaged just under $2100 and four open heifers averaged $1775.

"The story behind the story" is where things get even more interesting. There was a good crowd on hand considering the weather. Marie-Claire and Jean-Marc concur that there were at least four new buyers. One of them is a member of a very well-regarded Holstein family in Quebec. In another instance we met a daughter of a former Jersey breeder from the Bas St-Laurent region. In 1987 the family had a barn fire and when her father Daniel Gagnon rebuilt he set up a Holstein herd because of prevailing milk pricing and quota policies at the time. This young woman farms with her husband and they had a couple of Jerseys before Friday and at least three more afterward. Her brother is at the home farm with their father and he now has at least four or five Jerseys in the home herd again. Quite something to see people come back into the breed after such a long time away!

Jean-Marc noted that over the past two weeks he has signed up six new members for Jersey Canada. One day he made three farm stops and signed up three new members! Thus, we are now safely over the 910 members needed to be at our highest total since 1968!

Jersey Quebec recently hosted a barn meeting and Jersey information day at which about 25 people new or newer to the breed appeared in a total crowd of about 40! While at the sale we were approached by someone who has a few Jerseys about a membership and catch up on a few transfers and registrations. Jean-Marc also made contact with two people he had heard of but had not been able to contact or track down when they appeared at the sale!

While it is a stretch to imagine that growth in Jersey numbers can still be happening at such a rapid clip, it is happening! There is more ground to be covered!

Registry Update is Exciting!

There are now 1092 herds in Canada with at least one Jersey on milk recording...an increase from 1004 just last year! Since 2001, there has been an 80% increase in the number of herds with Jerseys, in an age of decreasing herd numbers! Amazing! About 11% of Canadian dairy herds on milk recording now have one or more Jerseys!

There has also been an increase of about 10% in the number of Jersey cows on official test in Canada since 2001...with continuing increases in registry numbers, this should just continue to grow!

As of the end of November, Jersey Canada is 3.6% ahead of 2007 year-to-date for registrations. As well, Jersey Canada will have it's best membership total since 1968, with 909 members as of December 1st. There have also been 164 new herd prefixes registered in 2008, with a total of 674 new prefixes registered since Jan 2004....so exciting!!

Brand new look for the JC website!

By now, you will have noticed that we have "refreshed" the look of the Jersey Canada website! We've reorganized content into four main sections, and added more content on Canadian Jerseys throughout the site!

Please leave us your comments! If you find a broken link or an error in the site, please email me at ryan@jerseycanada.com!