• A joint venture to identify potential bull mothers for Jersey New Zealand & CRV AmBreed
• To generate sires that will enhance the future of the Jersey Breed
• Marrying of technologies (Breeding and Science)

JerseyGenome is a  Joint Venture between Jersey New Zealand & CRV AmBreed

Introduced to the membership in February 2010 which effectively saw JerseyJET and Jersey Genes combined into one package to offer significant opportunities for breeders. 

• 2008 born heifers just finished testing
• 2009 born heifers just starting their testing season
• 2010 born heifers currently being genomically tested

Benefits for joint venture partners, members and breed as a whole

• Jersey New Zealand identify young females within registered Jersey population
• Breeders are invited to nominate Elite females for consideration
• Candidate group selected for Genomic testing
• JerseyGenome participants selected
• No host farm - females remain on the owners farm
• Minimum of five herd tests
• Participants will TOP and classify two year olds
• Weighed at least twice during the season
• Mating recommendations from CRV AmBreed
• Resulting bulls advance to the joint venture bull team selection
• If selected royalties will apply to those bulls graduating from the scheme
• Young bulls will be considered for CRV AmBreed Insire Teams
• Graduates income shared (Jersey New Zealand, Bull Breeder, CRV AmBreed and JerseyGenome participants)

• Report run to identify the top 1% of registered Jersey heifers
• Owners of those heifers contacted and asked to confirm availability for consideration
• Members asked to nominate any others for consideration
• List compiled of all eligible to advance to genomic screening consideration
• Heifers considered and short list compiled to advance for genotyping (Max 150)
• Genomic results analysed and team selected
• Outcross consideration
• Family performance history (female production specifically)
• Common bloodlines (co-ancestry) & inbreeding levels
• Indexes & Traits including Protein BV, Milk components, Size (considered as livewight/stature/capacity/body condidtion score BV's), Capacity, Dairy Conformation, NZMI & BW

A pdf pamphlet which explains the scheme in more detail can be downloaded below.

This is an exciting opportunity not only for you as breeders and for your association but for the breed as a whole – we encourage you to be a part of it.