Dovea Genetics and Lely Center Mullingar are set to host a genetics and breeding event on the farm of Michael Callan and sons next week.
The event is set to examine current breeding decisions and practices that can improve cow lifetime efficiency within dairy herds.
The genetics and breeding event will take place on Thursday, August 31, in Co. Louth on the Callan farm from 11:00a.m to 13:00p.m.
The Callans milk 330 Friesian-cross Holstein cows in a robotic grazing system.
The herd has excellent production figures of 7,320kg of milk and 596kg of milk solids, with fat at 4.46% and protein at 3.68%.
The farm also calved 96% of cows in six weeks while using only sexed dairy semen and beef.
Breeding
The event will see representatives from Dovea and Lely Mullingar discuss a number of key areas including sexed semen, breeding strategy, dairy beef and grassland management.
Attendees will be given an outline of the Callan farm and its performance, along with fertility management techniques used.
They will also get an outline of the sexed semen usage performance for 2023 and how to go about selecting animals that are suitable for sexed semen.
They will hear about breeding strategy for combined longevity and production; cow and heifer selection; sire selection; matching bulls to cows; heifer development; and nitrates banding.
Lely Mullingar representatives will also be on hand to explain the best management practices for successful robotic milking systems focusing on grass management and infrastructure.
On the day, daughter groups will be on display with production performances and indexes to offer a taste of what Dovea Genetics has to offer too.
This will include daughters from bulls such as:
- Glenaboy Ronald (FR4785);
- Jeanjo Art (FR4428);
- Killalough Smir (FR4439);
- Scorduff Neart (FR4788);
- Bannahow Ferdinand (FR4709).
There will also be a focus on dairy beef, with the farm recently starting to rear dairy beef calves.
Dovea representatives will also be there to explain the best beef breeding practices for weanling, stores and finishing systems.