Dairy Crossbreeding

by Dr. Ted Burnside, Technical Advisor, Geno Global

A survey of dairy farmer opinions on performance of pure Holstein first lactation heifers compared to contemporary Norwegian Red heifers was carried out from June to Sept., 2009. Sixty farmers on a crossing project in Canada, who bred and owned over 1000 F1 NR x HO heifers were surveyed and 37 responded in the busy harvest season. They rated the two heifer groups which had calved out for first lactations on a scale from 1=not satisfied through to 9=very satisfied. Over 600 of the 1000 heifers have calved.

White spotted heifer sired by Brenden: 1st lactation milk 21,194 lb, 858 lb fat, & 705 lb protein. Black polled heifer sired by Berge projected at 21,448 lb milk, 730 lb fat & 730 lb protein.

 The overall ratings for dairy merit were not significantly different for HO purebreds and NR x HO crosses, at 6.79 for Holstein heifers and 6.76 for NR x HO crossbred heifers in the same herd. When the two contemporary heifer groups were ranked and the rankings were analysed on their relative merit for 14 individual traits, Norwegian Red x Holstein crosses were significantly more satisfactory for calving ease, and four health traits, mastitis, digestive problems, feet and leg problems and reproductive problems. The NR x HO crossbreds were also rated significantly more satisfactory for feet and legs conformation. Purebred Holstein contemporaries excelled over the crossbreds significantly only on milk yield, udder conformation, and temperament. While not significantly superior the crossbreds had higher scores for fat and protein yields, for low stillbirths, for body condition score, and reproductive performance.  

This Berge daughter (also pictured above) carries the polled gene, as do 60% of Norwegian Red cattle! The two heifers pictured in this article were bred and owned by Henrik and Frida Van Dijk, Westlock, Alberta. Photos used with their permission.

The commercial dairy industry in the Republic of Ireland is dependent on annual calving of 100-150 cows per farm, and efficient milk solids production from grass. This industry has now accepted a fine research project carried out on 50 farms by Moorepark Research Centre on the Norwegian Red as a breed to cross over Holsteins, Holstein-Friesians and Jersey x Holstein crosses for commercial cheese production. The study has verified that the Norwegian Red crosses on Black-and-Whites are much more fertile, reduce mastitis problems and lameness, and last much longer than the purebred Holsteins. Farmers are now using Norwegian Red (NR) Elite proven sires in their across-the-herd AI breedings in very significant numbers in preference to Jersey sires, which started the crossing programs in Ireland, as well as across the board on their Holstein cows or Holstein-Friesians. They find the NR x HF cows are closer in size and yield to the Holstein-Friesians, than the Jersey x Holstein-Friesian crosses, bringing more at culling, that their bull calves are in demand for fattening, and that the cows have higher milk solids yield. No doubt some will opt to include the Jersey in a three-breed rotational cross, but it is also likely that many will settle on a two-breed rotation with NR and Holsteins used every other generation. Geno Global, the Norwegian AI Breeding firm trademarks this rotational cross the TWOPLUS cross!

Some farmers in Ontario and Western Canada and the USA are now expressing expanded interest in the Norwegian Red breed as a large trial in Canada reaches its third year. Over 450 NRxHO heifers are in milk, and they are actually milking within 70 kg at 305 days of their pure Holstein herdmates with 5-10 kg more fat and protein. Moreover the NRxHO crosses have substantially lower mastitis problems and breed back fast. Preliminary data indicate less than 1% death losses in the NRxHO during their first lactations, and this figure is now being compared to rather higher wastage rates for purebreds in the 60+ herds on the trial. Culling rates also look to be very low. Farmers are just beginning to realize that crossbred cows are trouble-free and they last longer with lower death and culling rates. One mid-western USA dairyman, who is also a veterinarian, tells me that since crossing his 850-cow herd to Norwegian Reds over the past six years, he is producing more heifers than he needs to maintain cow numbers, and has been able to expand his herd 10% per year over the past 3 years, and cull out problems cows at the same time. He and his brother have young family members interested in the business and are putting up new barns. Crossing to Norwegian Reds is a simple way to grow a dairy business without the capital outlay and health risks of buying in cows for herd expansion. With sexed semen now available from top proven NR sires, one can accelerate heifer production even faster!

Read more in April 18, 2009 Irish Farmer’s Journal article: “Norwegian Red crossbred – an Irish solution?”.

Livestock News | 9 April, 2009

Simon Wragg and Katie Lomas continue their report from the British Society of Animal Science’s (BSAS) annual conference.