Agri-Views - Issue 1

Agri-Views Newsletter
Issue 1 - April 2008

HOLSTEIN
New Release Sire - With the passing of FORBIDDEN Agri-Gene are very excited by the arrival to Australia of Forbidden son Probstland ERNESTO EX90. In January he continued to add his first already impressive USA proof and now has a TPI score of +1865. He also increased for type with scores of +2.70 for overall type and +2.56 for udders. He is an extreme udder improver with scores over +2.6 for fore udder and rear udder height, +3.8 for rear udder width and over +5.0 for both front & rear teat placement. ERNESTO is available to Australian Dairy Farmers as a Sexed Semen Sire at $58 + GST per dose making him surely one of the best value for money SEXED SEMEN sires available.

Other Highlights - Sad news from the USA was the passing of superior calving ease and udder specialist Sandy-Valley FORBIDDEN EX91. Forbidden had produced over 948,000 units of semen world-wide and will add hundreds of daughters to his Australian proof. This year Agri-Gene still has semen available from Forbidden who has been one of the more popular bulls over the past few seasons.

Excalibur Sires has released latest classification news on STORMIN NORMAN daughters. From Atlantic to Pacific, Norman’s daughters sure are terrific! The proof is in Norman’s growing list of 2 year old, second-crop daughters throughout the United States.

In Pennsylvania, Sonnen Norman Jeth Peddler was recently scored VG86 with a Feet and Leg score of VG87. The Midwest also saw a Norman daughter score high in the last two weeks as Ryan-Vu Norman Twix-TW was scored VG85. Ocean-View Norm Joanne made the “High Scoring 2 Year Old” list when she was scored VG85 as well.

Across the United States and throughout the world, Norman is producing daughters we’ve come to expect with his +2.17 PTAT. Norman’s second crop is following the same pattern of success seen in his first, which include eight excellent daughters. Sired by Storm, Highland-H Stormin Norman himself is classified EX94. This type specialist is also known around the world for his ability to add power, width, strength and substance, all together in one pretty package. To top it off, Norman is a Calving Ease Sire at 7%.

Showring Highlights - REDADVANTAGE’S full sister Luck-E Advent Kite-Red was Reserve Intermediate Champion at the 2007 World Dairy Expo, recently was classified EX91. Kite can bring home the bacon as well making: 2-02 305d 30,725m 4.8% 1,471f 3.2% 972p. Luck-E Rubens Komet-ET, Advantage’s Dam’s full sister, kept things going scoring EX90 EX91-MS. Rounding out the day was another full sister of Advantage, Luck-E Advent Katelyn-Red, 2-06 365d 26,025m 4.8% 1243f 3.4% 895p who went VG88 EX91-MS.

JERSEY
Other Highlights - Excitement is building on New Jersey bull SPIRITUAL – an Avery son from one of Australia’s best Berretta daughters Riverside Berretta Sharna SUP92. We have been receiving reports from his first milking daughters and look forward to him receiving his initial proof. Video of Spiritual daughters is available on request.

Show Results - Ringmaster daughters are now calving in the USA and the UK , so far very good results. A daughter in the Norse Star herd in Wisconsin was their highest milking heifer last month – 96 pounds daily. The British heifers by him are really good – we are expecting a lot from the bull.

‘King of the Ring‘Sire Giprat BELLES JADE once again excelled at the 2008 International Dairy Week. ALT Belles Chanel took out the Junior Champion and Reserve Champion went to Jamber Jade Lady who was also recently crowned Supreme Junior Champion at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Progeny of the great type sire LESTER SAMBO continued to dominate in the show ring with Brunchilli Sambo Priscilla 2 placing first in the 2 Year Old in Milk class. Brunchilli Sambo Nolene VHC91 placed 1st in the 5 Year Old in Milk class and went on to win Reserve Champion Cow. Brunchilli J Passion VHC91 took out the 6 Year Old in Milk class, sired by former Agri-Gene Gold Label sire Rapid Bay JETSON. She was also recently crowned Supreme Champion Dairy Cow at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Giprat Belles CONNECTION has enhanced his reputation as being a great show type sire with one of his daughters placing 1st in the 3 Year Old in Milk class and went onto win Reserve Intermediate Champion – Bushlea Conn Maybell, daughter of 2 x time IDW Grand Champion Bushlea Brook Maybell EX94.

This demonstrates the success of our Gold Label program with Belles Jade, Lester Sambo, Jetson and Belles Connection all being introduced into Australia as Gold Label sires. The popular Gold Label program continues with our 2008 line-up which includes; BW Special Forces, Ringmaster, Excavate, Prophecy, Trouble, Verdict, Voltage and Valiant.

ILLAWARRA
Show Results - The two-time IDW champion Llandovery Rangers Verbena 2 – Maternal sister to LCVIGOROUS was crowned Reserve Champion Cow. This year Champion Cow was awarded to the cow which was Reserve Champion last year Panorama Angeline 8 EX, Dam of Gold Label sire REDRAMA.

AYRSHIRE
Show Results - Midway Park Kates Orange was crowned Champion Ayrshire Cow, sired by the globally acclaimed master - Ardrossan EV Kates TRIDENT. There were various class winners and many other daughters placing high within the top 5 positions.

GUERNSEY
Show Results - Marloo Action Mabel was crowned Junior Champion Guernsey. She is a full sister to Agri-Gene Guernsey Progeny Test sire Marglyn Action MERVYN.

ANGUS
Sale Highlights - With the autumn bull sales well underway progeny of Agri-Gene semen sires have excelled Australia wide. The top priced Angus bull sold so far was a son of BT RIGHT TIME 24J who was sold at the Ardrossan sale for $42,000. 24J progeny have also impressed in sales in WA.

The number 1 B3 sire in the Angus breed LAWSONS DINKY DI Z191 had sons top the Dunoon sale at $9,000 and sold to $7,000 at Rennylea for 2nd top price. At the home of Dinky Di “Alpine Angus” sons sold to a top of $10,000 and exhibited the muscle & structural correctness that are a feature of the Dinky Di progeny.

At the Pathfinder sale of the Moyle family a son of SA NEUTRON 377 sold for a top of $10,000.

At Noranda a son of BT Ultravox 297E topped the sale; whilst at Vermont a B/R NEW FRONTIER 095 bull sold for $9,000 as did a son of an old Agri-Gene sire Papa Equator. An Equator son also sold for $20,000 at Alpine Angus.

Other bulls that led the way at Weeran and Rossander were HYLINE RIGHT TIME 338 and BT TOUCHDOWN. HYLINE RIGHT TIME 338 also stood out at Coolana – topping the sale at $12,000 and having 27 338 sons averaging $800 above the sale average.

At the Blackmore Angus Herd dispersal the top price was a daughter of SITZ ALLIANCE who had a superb BT EQUATOR 395M bull calf at foot, this unit made $7,500. One of the standouts of the Blackmore sale was the excellent progeny who were calves at foot BT EQUATOR 395M who is destined to follow his famous father Papa Equator.

CHAROLAIS
Not to be outdone were also the progeny of French Charolais sire EXCLUSIFand IJOUFFLU which sold for $18,000 at the Queensland Palgrove stud.

LIMOUSIN
New Release Sire - Also new the Agri-Gene’s Limousin line-up is KENSAL BACK IN BLACK B04 who has style, muscle, superb structure with the docility to match. He has never been beaten at a show in his class. Incredible 134cm EMA at 18 months.