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JerseyGenome™ is a  Joint Venture between Jersey NZ & CRV AmBreed. The programme was introduced to the membership in February 2010 which effectively saw JerseyJET and Jersey Genes combined into one package to offer significant opportunities for breeders.


What is JerseyGenome™

  • 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).

How does JerseyGenome™ work?

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 four herd tests
  • Participants will TOP and classify two year olds
  • Weighed at least once during the season
  • Mating recommendations from CRV AmBreed
  • Resulting bulls advance to CRV Ambreed
  • 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 NZ, Bull Breeder, CRV AmBreed and JerseyGenome™ participants)

JerseyGenome™ Process

1. JerseyNZ and CRV Collaboration (nothing required from members)

JerseyNZ are working collaboratively with CRV to identify animals that are J16 in JerseyNZ member herds and these animals will automatically be considered for selection into the JerseyGenome™ programme once genomic results are received.

In addition to these animals, we are still asking for your nominations. If you haven’t been contacted about an animal in your herd that you believe should be considered, please follow the process below for nominating your animal(s):

2. Nominations and DNA testing – from October

Nominate and DNA sample your animals by 10th January 2025

  1. Download and complete the Genotype Request form below
  2. Take a wet tissue sample and ensure each DNA sample corresponds with the barcode on the side of each unit
  3. Places samples in a ziplock bag before placing in an envelope
  4. Post to JerseyNZ, PO Box 1132, Hamilton 3240 or courier to JerseyNZ, Level 1, 290 Tristram Street, Hamilton 3204
Please ensure you include the Genotype Request Sub Form —–> Link to PDF Here

3. Selection – March/April

Members will be contacted in March/April 2025, advising them if their animal(s) have been successful in the 2025 team. Sire recommendations and expected progeny reports will be sent for approval.
A mating contract will be sent for all successful animals in the 2025 team.

If you have any queries regarding the JerseyGenome™ programme, please contact us here at the office.


JerseyGenome™ Graduating Criteria

Graduate criteria: 

    • Recorded In calf on national database and confirmed by owner

    • Heifers completing a minimum of four (4) Herd Tests

    • Minimum score of six (6) for Udder Overall

    • Minimum score of (6) for Dairy Conformation

Merit Graduate criteria: 

    • Recorded In calf on national database and confirmed by owner

    • Heifers completing a minimum of four (4) Herd Tests

    • Minimum score of six (6) for Udder Overall

    • Minimum score of seven (7) for Dairy Conformation

    • NZMI in the top 25% of the JG graduate contemporaries

Elite Graduate criteria: 

    • Recorded In calf on national database and confirmed by owner

    • Heifers completing a minimum of four (4) Herd Tests

    • Minimum score of seven (7) for Udder Overall

    • Minimum score of seven (7) for Dairy Conformation

    • In the top 1% for both NZMI and BW for all Jersey 2 year olds milked in NZ

    • Minimum of J16

ONE OFF AWARD

An award to one heifer. This heifer must meet the graduate criteria and have the largest lift from her ancestry NZMI to NZMI post 4 herd tests.

This award is to acknowledge the heifer who performs well above her expectations, this may not be the highest indexing heifer and gives the heifers with low ancestral (parent averages) starting points an opportunity for an award. Often these heifers are less related to the more common bloodline.

Performance Award improved

    • Recorded In calf to AB sire and confirmed by owner

    • Heifers completing a minimum of four (4) Herd Tests

    • Minimum score of six (6) for Udder Overall

    • Minimum score of seven (6) for Dairy Conformation

    • The highest NZMI increase from; Ancestry to Completion of her first season


JerseyGenome™ News

The Tucker Family

“Since the inception of the JerseyGenome (JG) programme several years ago, we were keen to support the idea but have only participated in the years since the animals stayed on their home farm (rather than going to a host farm) due to concerns such as biosecurity.

Over the years, JerseyNZ together with CRV, have identified heifers for possible inclusion in the programme, and we have also nominated females that we think may have potential.

After parentage, and lately genomic, testing are completed, we receive the final list of candidates and have the right to negotiate recommended sire matings as suggested by CRV, or decline any heifers that we felt were from dams whose type or production would not be up to an acceptable standard.

As with most breeding decisions, the results have been variable, with some progeny not meeting expectations, while others exceed them – the challenges of breeding! Genomic testing is designed to reduce the variability and result in more accurate predictions of type and production. The genomic results from heifers tested for the JG imitative are sent to the owners for their information.

The JG programme has resulted in successful outcomes, both bulls and heifers, for many Jersey breeders. It came as a huge surprise and honour to have our bull, Glen Kaycee Sherlock JG not only make it to the top of the RAS list, but also win the JT Thwaites Sire of the Season award in 2024. His dam Glen Kaycee Skallywag JG is, and grand dam was, of good type with large frames and above average production. Sherlock is the result of a recommended mating by CRV staff at the time, and his sire, Pukeroa Gun Walker JG, is also the result of work within the JG programme.

The JG programme is important for Jersey breeders as it not only results in successful bulls, but also promotes and identifies the female side of the breed, which to us, is just as important and sometimes overlooked in the pursuit of the ideal bull. JG offers another avenue of adding interest to breeding and the dairy industry as a whole, and we would recommend any breeder give serious consideration to participating in this exciting and successful scheme.

“Glen Kaycee”

 

Richard & Christine Lansdaal Lynrich Jerseys

“Since registering our Lynrich Jersey herd we have been able to put forward a selection of heifers into the JerseyGenome™ programme. Over the past 4 years we have had 10 – 15 heifers selected each year for JerseyGenome™ mating’s. They are contract mated for 2 years.

161 is the dam of our JG progeny, FMHM-20-420 (Lynrich Omnibus Yahoo). She is an exceptional producer with a current PW of 395 and LW of 430 for the 2020/21 season.

She is in calf to Quiz for next season and her dam was one of our best producers but unfortunately we lost her after she broke her hip after calving in 2019.

161 comes from a line of very good looking, good producing cows and we are very keen to continue her family lines. They all have great capacity and strong udders. We are hoping for a replacement heifer next year as she has given us 2 bulls so far!

We are very excited to see how Lynrich Omnibus Yahoo progresses through the JG programme and hope to have another in team in the future.”


2024 JerseyGenome™ team

The 2024 JerseyGenome team can be found below

Download the PDF Now: 2024 Jersey Genome Team PDF


JerseyGenome™ Graduating Class 2022 Team – coming soon

Jersey NZ are delighted to announce the graduates from the 2022 JerseyGenome™ team (2021 born)

Download the PDF Now: