champion cow in the summer herds competition 2014. ‘ The addition of the Rhaspody family to Whitgreave came with the purchase
of Riverdane Allen Rapture as a bulling heifer from the Summer Explosion Sale. Classified VG88 she has an Ex92 Goldwyn daughter in her third lactation and a second calved VG86 Mr Burns daughter with granddaughters by Braxton, Million and Alexander. An exciting genomic heifer in the herd is Drointon S W Explode Lila Z. Purchased privately, this May 2012-born heifer has a GTPI of +2209 with +2.86 for type and is due in October to Demon. She is an embryo born heifer out of the VG85 classified Willsbro Bogart Lila Z, her dam is Acecroft Goldwyn Lila Z who is out of the famous Lylehaven Lila Z. Some of the first families purchased were from Andrew McKellar with purchases from the Sally and Brianne families. Drointon Million G Sally is out of a Goldwyn daughter and goes back to Styche Leduc Sally. Drointon Atlas Brianne was purchased at the Black and White Sale, now classified VG86 she has three daughters in the herd by Hayden, Seaver and Lauthority. “I really enjoy buying in to proven families and it is rewarding when they breed and develop a strong family for me. I was fortunate to get the opportunity to get cows from Andrew Jones’ Rossett herd. Andrew is on an A2 contract and I exchanged A2 cows of mine for some new families from Rossett.”
One of Paul’s favourites from this deal is Rossett Goldwyn Sweet, an eleventh generation of Very Good or Excellent she is out of an Ex91 scored Dolman dam. This angular black cow was third at Nantwich Show
50 THE JOURNAL OCTOBER 2014
We have always had Shottle in the tank, however we did only purchase semen when it was less than £30
last summer as a heifer and looks even better in her second lactation. Other families in the selection of cattle at different ages are Amy, Avis, Shower and Roxy. Things aren’t all black and white at Whitgreave and there is the odd red cow, including the eye-catching Whitgreave Advent Brilliant Red. Classified VG85, this second calver is out of West Port Paradox Brean Red, a maternal sister to West Port Bookman Red. Brilliant was the only resulting heifer from four embryos purchased. However, she has a Retinue daughter in the herd and is due to calve her third in a few months.
’
So to take this strength and depth of family lines forward, Paul has used genomics cautiously so far with a small percentage of genomic sires used, as well as testing a few heifers.
“Having studied the progress of genomic young sires they seem to being doing what was expected, which is also what I have found on heifers that I’ve tested. So I feel I now trust genomics enough to take the next step and test all of my heifer calves.”
He will then use the genomic predictions to mate the heifers with genomic sires. “Any calves that come back with low genomics will be served to a beef sire or used as a recipient, this
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