Jersey Future Team – Nominations for 2023
A joint programme
We are once again on the lookout for diverse high genetic merit bull calves. We are aiming for a team of up to eight young bulls represented by eight different sires.
The team concept is very important. We can only take the best young bulls from each sire. When nominating, be mindful that bull calves offered by high-ranking young diverse sires have an advantage with higher chances of final selection over popular proven bulls where we get offered larger numbers of calves.
This team concept allows us some movement across traits if necessary.
Strong maternal families have been a strong focus. Cows criteria includes:
- Three generations of registration and classification. We prefer bull dams to have minimum 8 udder overall score but we will consider scores down 6. The 2022 team had an average UO BV 0.84. Our preference is to have all bulls above 0.50 UO BV.
- Three generations of high performance indicators with PW and LW indexes 350 or higher. Setting strong criteria for production and non-production traits has been a winning formula resulting in very good return to service results for Jersey Future bulls.
Bull calf criteria:
- Minimum 360 BW for bulls with common NZ breeding.
- Outcross and polled bull calves will be considered if above 250 BW.
- Full three generation pedigree J16 breed is strongly preferred.
Outstanding females sired by overseas sires is a great way to bring genetic diversity to our program.
Setting the bar high on BW is important from a marketing point. Most of our Jersey Future users are focused on high genetic indexes and we need to sell a minimum 1000 straws per bull to have enough reliability to market as a proven sire.
- We will always consider outcross bulls on their own merits and what they can bring to the team.
- Polled bulls are of particular interest going forward. There are several very useful polled Jersey bulls available today. Our breed needs development in this area if we want to compete with other breeds as the industry progresses down this path for animal welfare standards. We need polled genetics to be at similar levels to horned genetics going forward to be a viable option for farmers. We encourage the use of polled genetics over high-ranking females to develop great polled families.
- Fertility BV is important from a marketing perspective, negative fertility BV is hard to sell and we should be moving fertility in a positive direction. We are reluctant to genomically test bull calves with less than -2 fertility BV
- The industry values A2A2 as a preferred choice. We aim to have a full A2A2 team unless an exceptional A1A2 bull is offered. We will not consider A1A1 bulls.
We will genomically test all bull calves who pass the first selection phase. We select and market on genomic BVs for all traits, and of course take into consideration all the criteria mentioned. Bull calf indexes and BVs can shift significantly on genomics.
Unfortunately, we cannot take bull calves sired by CRV sires again this year. We are potentially able to test bull calves sired by Samen NZ and a few other AI companies.
The ultimate ability for Jersey Future to deliver outstanding Jersey genetics to the industry, starts and stops with the quality of bull calves offered.
Process
- Annually up to 8 bulls will enter the Jersey Future scheme
- Members are asked to nominate elite bull calves, born before 10th September, 2022
- JNZ will accept nominations and pass those nominations onto the Jersey Future selection panel. The selection panel consists of up to three JNZ members and up to two LIC representatives. JNZ and LIC have 50% voting rights
- LIC will provide BARs and 3GPs for consideration
- Nominations will be considered for Genomic testing fortnightly from 1st August to 10th September. LIC will genomically test up to 50 member nominated bulls annually.
- Some members will have elite females represented in LICs breeding scheme and the Jersey Journey project, we see opportunity to bring some of these genetics to the Jersey Future programme also.
- LIC field assists will contact you to sample bull calves.
- LIC will inspect Jersey Future selected bull calves and dams as part of their scheduled bull buying round commencing in November.
- Bulls will be selected by late November. Owners willing to sell a Jersey bull to LIC pursuant to clause 4.6 will be required to enter into a sale and purchase agreement with LIC in a form that is acceptable to LIC in all respects, for the sum of:
- $4,000 (plus GST) per Jersey bull; or
- $5,000 (plus GST) per Jersey bull where that Jersey bull has been created by embryo transfer; or
- $1,000 (plus GST) per Jersey bull plus $0.60 (plus GST if any) per straw of Qualifying Semen and $1.20 (plus GST if any) for sexed semen; or
- $2,000 (plus GST) per Jersey bull where that Jersey bull has been created by embryo transfer plus $0.60 (plus GST if any) per straw of Qualifying Semen and $1.20 (plus GST if any) for sexed semen, and
- where LIC has made payment to an Owner pursuant to 4.7(a) or 4.7(b) and where LIC (in its sole discretion) has accepted the Jersey bull under one of its Premier Sires® or Alpha® brands or the Jersey bull is accepted for the sale of semen outside of New Zealand, an additional payment of $10,000 (plus GST if any)
Helpful hints for bull selection
- We require bulls from strong maternal lines with a minimum three generations of outstanding cows
- Less than 3 generations of full J16 pedigree will only be accepted with exceptional circumstances
- Jersey Future provides opportunity to prove some elite diverse genetics – nominations of outcross bulls are encouraged and will be seriously considered for inclusion into the Jersey Future team.
We emphasise the opportunity for genetic outcross potential within this program
Once bulls are selected:
- JNZ will graze and manage the bulls until they reach graduation
- Up to 2000 straws will be collected by LIC
- LIC and JNZ will promote and market the team
Jersey NZ’s responsibility:
- JNZ has the responsibility to ensure 70 herd tested daughters in 35 herds from each bull. Incentives will be offered to the owners of Jersey Future sired two year olds ensuring we meet our obligations
- LIC will market elite graduates in ALPHA nominated and PSS bull teams
- LIC will pay JNZ agreed Royalties which will cover JNZ costs and any surplus will be invested back into your organisation
In conclusion we encourage you to offer your very best genetics. Our success depends on you.