NEWSLETTER

October—December 2019

In this edition:

• Important dates

• Average Breeding Values and

Indices for Breed, Cows, Heifers

and Bulls, as of the September

2019 Logix Genetic Analysis

• National Championships 2020

•KZN Club News

•National Master Dairyman 2019

•Eastern Cape Dairy Cape Club

Herd Competition

•2019 De Heus NW & FS On-

farm Challenge

• Cheese competition

Important dates

13 December—Office closes

2020

6 January —Office opens

13 Jan—BLUP analysis

28 Feb—Per Capitas closes

28 Feb—Southern Cape Championships—Swellendam

5 March —Outeniqua Club day

26 March —Haystack Jersey sale

Average Breeding Values and Indices for Breed, Cows, Heifers and Bulls, as of the September 2019 Logix Genetic Analysis—

Suretha Francis

The table below shows the average breeding values and indices of Jersey animals that partici-

pated in Production Recording and were included in the Logix Genetic Analysis of September

2019.

The inbreeding rate should be kept as low as possible and mating's that would result in an

inbreeding coefficient of more than 6.25% should be avoided as much as possible.

The production breeding values, namely Milk, Butterfat (kg), Protein (kg), Butterfat % and Pro-

tein % are ideal if the value is positive, with higher values being better, as this is the product

from which income is earned.

The somatic cell count is an indicator of udder health, with lower values indicating better re-

sistance. Higher somatic cell counts in the milk will also cause penalties on the milk price.

Lower somatic cell count breeding values are therefore more desirable.

The calving interval breeding values should also be as small as possible, as this indicates

cows that easily becomes pregnant and are therefore more fertile.

Herd life should be as long as possible as a cow only reaches the peak of production in her

4th or 5th lactation's.

From the table below, it can be seen that most of the production characteristics, somatic cell

count and herd life were improved when the cow population was compared with the heifer

population. However, calving interval deteriorated slightly.

If you look at the Selection Indices, the following is obvious. The SAINET of the heifers im-

proved against the cows, while the bulls were in line with the breeds average. The heifer pop-

ulation has higher values in comparison to the cow population for the Cheese Yield Index

(CYI), Milk Index (FMI), Functional Type Index (FTI), Functional Udder Index (FUI - a combi-

nation of udder characteristics and somatic cell count), body, udder, hoof and legs indices.

For the bulls, the following indices are in line with the breed average or are very close to it for

CYI, FTI, and udder. The FMI and Hoof and Legs indices of the bulls are slightly lower than

the breed average, while the Body Index is slightly better.

It must be remembered that the heifers’ breeding values are still only parent average values

and that the actual genetic levels can only be determined when the heifers are measured or if

the heifer’s genomic information is included in the SA Genetic Analysis.

If we look at the genetic levels of the bulls used in the SA Jersey population, we can see that

for the production characteristics, the bulls are genetically better than the breed average. The

bull’s solids percentages are almost in line with the breeds average. However, for Somatic cell

count and calf interval, the bull's genetic levels are slightly lower than the breed average,

while herd life of the bulls is only 0.7 points better than the breed’s average.

Jersey SA Contact Details

Office: Tessa Opperman 082 887 9925 tessa@jerseysa.co.za

Breed Advisor: John Terblanche 082 890 2072 john@jerseysa.co.za

Breed Cows Heifers Bulls

Number of Cows 52825 34264 18561 Amount of bulls 2353

Average Inbreeding 6.41 6.19 6.81 Ave. Inbreeding 6.54

Number>6.25 Inbred 24415 14315 10100 Amount >6.25 inbred

1292

ESTIMATED BREEDING VALUES

Milk 104 74 159 Milk 144

Butterfat kg 7.4 5.4 11.1 Butterfat kg 9.1

Protein kg 5.0 3.6 7.5 Protein kg 6.4

Butterfat % 0.04 0.03 0.05 Butterfat % 0.03

Protein % 0.02 0.01 0.02 Protein % 0.02

Somatics -5.3 -4.0 -7.7 Somatics -3.7

Calving Interval 2.3 1.9 3.1 Calving Interval 2.5

Herd life 108.2 106.7 110.8 Herd life 108.9

SELECTION INDEX

SAINET 103.5 102.6 105.1 SAINET 103.4

CYI 104.3 103.1 106.2 CYI 104.3

FMI 104.2 103.1 105.9 FMI 103.9

FTI 103.0 102.1 104.3 FTI 103.0

FUI 105.6 104.2 107.8 FUI 104.1

Body 102.4 101.7 103.5 Body 102.9

Udder 103.8 102.7 105.5 Udder 103.7

Hoof & Legs 102.4 101.7 103.4 Hoof & Legs 101.8

Average Breeding Values and Indices for Breed, Cows, Heifers and Bulls as in the Sept 2019 Analysis.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Kwa-Zulu Natal Jersey Club news

The Club’s Annual General Meeting on the 28th November 2019 – a sweltering day

- was held at Foundation Jerseys, Weenen, the home of Alan and Frances Web-

ster. Alan and Frances were the winners of ARC National Master Dairyman

award. Congratulations on a well deserved recognition of your efforts.

27 members and sponsors attended the AGM. Four people gave short presenta-

tions on the subjects of Legacy bulls, Soil health, calf rearing and finally a motiva-

tional talk. After a delicious lunch we had the opportunity of viewing a number of

progeny groups, a tour of the newer dairy and the pastures. Thank you to the

Webster family for a very interesting and thought provoking day.

We thank all the sponsors who have supported us during the year. A special thank

you to Afgri, our major sponsors for the Jersey herd competition and the AGM

lunch.

ABS Afgri AfriVet Barenbrug Bidvest McCarthy Toyota

Boehringer-Ingelheim Boviserve Dairy Tech De Laval Genex SA Midlands

Genex SA S KZN Howick Vet Clinic Meadow Feeds Nutribasics

SWA Vet/Elanco Taurus Evolution Timac Agro TWK World Wide Sires

We were saddened to learn of the death of Peter Dix who was a member of our

club for many years. We extend our deepest sympathy to Peter’s family.

The Committee and office bearers for 2019/2020 are

Chairperson : Robyn Nicolay

Secretary : Gwen Watson

Treasurer : Shannon Pickering

Committee : Lyn Blomeyer, Paul Meade, Jane Schiever, Arno Theron

We wish all our fellow

breeders a safe Christ-

mas time filled with joy

and peace and may you

be blessed with good

rains and a successful

2020.

2019 ARC MASTER DAIRYMAN COMPETITION

AWARDS

Allan & Frances Webster—Foundation Jerseys

National Master Dairyman of the year 2019

Jersey SA Finalists for the 2019 ARC Master Dairyman competi-

tion:

* Hennie Rall

* Jacques Theron

* Allan & Frances Webster

Eastern Cape Dairy Club Herd Competition

Herd with the second highest score

Gerhard van Rensburg

First Lactation Group:

1st Place —Gerhard van Rensburg

2nd Place —Vermaak

3rd Place —Willem v Vuuren

Second Lactation Group:

1st Place —Vemaaks

2nd Place—Willem v Vuuren

3rd Place —Wassermans

Mature Cow Group:

1st Place —Wassermans

2nd Place —Gerhard v Rensburg

3rd Place —Willem v Vuuren

Bull Group:

1st Place —Wassermans

2nd Place —Gerhard v Rensburg

3rd Place—Willem v Vuuren

Bull group —Star—Gerhard v Rensburg

Most uniformed herd (both breeds)

1st Place —Gerhard v Rensburg

2nd Place —Dawfred Ferreira

3rd Place —David Masterson

Jersey herd with the most points:

Gerhard v Rensburg

Grand Champion:

Wasserman

Reserve Grand Champion:

Vermaaks

1st Place —Cows 6 year +

Hernanja Jerseys

1st Place —Cow 2-3 Year

Lonel Jerseys

1st Place —Cow 3-4 year

Watervlak Jerseys

1st Place —Progeny Group

BW Award—Lonel Jerseys

Champion Cow —Strydom Melkery

2019 De Heus NW & FS On-farm Challenge

OVER ALL Jerseys

Over all winner Jerseys Hernanja Trust

Over all 2nd

Lonel Jerseys

Over all 3rd Strydom Melkery

2 TO 3 YEARS

2-3 years 3rd 17064 – Essie Jerseys

2-3 years 2nd 17202 – Hernanja Trust

2-3 year 1st 1742 – Lonel Jerseys

3 TO 4 YEARS

3-4 years 3rd 1624 – Lonel Jerseys

3-4 years 2nd 16211 – Hernanja Trust

3-4 years 1st 16326 – Watervlak Jerseys

4 -6 YEARS

4-6 years 3rd 1432 – Essie Jerseys

4-6 years 2nd 13101 – Hernanja Trust

4-6 years 1st 5166 – Strydom Melkery

6 YEARS PLUS

6+ years 3rd 12134 – Rosafield Jerseys

6+ years 2nd 1254 – Lonel Jerseys

6+ years 1st 1315 – Hernanja Trust

PROGENY GROUP

Progeny group 3rd Shaker – Rosafield Jerseys

Progeny group 2nd Simba – Hernanja Trusts

Progeny group 1st BW Award – Lonel Jerseys

Best Udder 5166 – Strydom Melkery

Champion Cow 5166 – Strydom Melkery

The search is on for SA’s finest dairy products!

All dairy producers are invited to enter the 2020 South African Dairy

Championships, the biggest, oldest and most prestigious dairy event in the

country. The championships, hosted by Agri-Expo since 1834, annually attracts

around 900 entries from large, medium and small manufacturers. These dairy

products compete for the esteemed titles of SA Champion, the Qualité mark of

excellence and the ultimate Product of the Year, awarded at the glamorous Agri-

Expo Qualité Awards Dinner hosted at GrandWest in Cape Town.

According to chief judge Alan Fourie, the purpose of the championships is to

recognise and promote excellence in the dairy industry. “The SA Dairy

Championships is one of the few in the world that uses five judges per category

and has become the benchmark for producers to measure themselves against

each other,” Fourie says.

The championships consists of more than 100 classes for cheese, yoghurt, milk,

cream, ice cream, butter and other dairy products. The winners in each of the

classes are crowned SA Champions, whereas only products of exceptional quality

are awarded the Qualité mark, recognised by the industry as the only mark of

exceptional quality for dairy products in South Africa. After the first round of

judging by more than 70 judges, a panel of five specialists determine the Product

of the Year.

Any dairy producer with products available in the trade may enter. Online entries for the 2020 championships opens on Monday 6 January 2020 on the website www.cheesesa.co.za. The closing date for entries is Thursday 6 February 2020.

Judging takes place on Thursday 27 February 2020. The Agri-Expo Qualité Awards Dinner will be presented on Friday 27 March 2020 at GrandWest. The SA Dairy Championships and the Qualité Awards are made possible in collaboration with platinum partner Synercore and other partners.

For more information, visit, or contact Agri-Expo at 021-975 4440 or cheese@agriexpo.co.za