Mark and Tania Nevill from Mepunga East are wanting to breed a robust, no-fuss and shorter stature cow led them to Ellis-PP.
Dairy farmers don’t have to compromise to breed for polled animals anymore - ABS has proven it.
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The gap between homozygous polled and performance is gone, and the proof is 29HO20629 TTM Ellis-PP, now sitting at the pointy-end of the Australian Breeding Values proven rankings.
ABS holds the top seven homozygous polled bulls in Australia - with an average of 701 Balanced Performance Index - the genomic and proven sires deliver in the vat, and on longevity, health and strength.
ABS business operations manager Bruce Ronalds said Ellis rise was expected.
The company’s top-selling Holstein has led the polled pack since arriving four years ago as the highest-ranking homozygous ‘double P’ genomic bull.
“He’s pretty much everything you want in a bull - for anyone that hasn’t tried Ellis-PP yet, know you won’t be compromising on anything to breed cows without horns,” he said.
“At 105 for daughter fertility - 112 for mastitis resistance - high semen fertility, good teat length, calving ease and 228 lts for milk, he’s the whole package.
“Not many ‘double P’ bulls have milk - Ellis-PP does, while also adding strength without the frustrating challenge of breeding taller cows,” Bruce said.
Ellis-PP also scores below zero for the new stillbirth ABV, placing him above the breed average and reducing the risk of calves born dead or dying within the first 24 hours.
He also records -4.1 for maternal stillbirth, which reflects the same risk in calves born from his daughters.
Now at 635 BPI, Ellis-PP has 152 daughters milking across Australia in 22 herds, demonstrating how his genomic predictions are delivering on Australian farms.
“Those who have already used Ellis-PP, and have calves on the ground, are keen to use him again,” Bruce explained.
“And as a bull bred for the Australian and New Zealand industry, we’ve got plenty of supply.”
Mark and Tania Nevill have 25 Ellis-PP daughters in their herd of 800 cows at Mepunga East, Victoria.
Wanting to breed a robust, no-fuss and shorter stature cow led them to Ellis-PP.
“For some time now we've been aiming to shorten the stature of our herd, breed a more robust sort of animal and focus on positive fat and positive protein” Mark said.
“We believe a more robust cow doesn't have walking issues and by focusing on health traits, we are ensuring cows get in calf, year after year, and they seamlessly float through the herd. They go unnoticed.
“These are a nice group of heifers - a pretty even group - time will ultimately tell.”
Ellis-PP rounds out a remarkable top seven Australian homozygous polled Holsteins in the ABS Australian stable.
The group - including top genomic bulls such as 29HO22185 Denovo 23176 Highfert-PP-ET and 29HO21056 Denovo 4798 Estate-PP-ET - average 701 BPI - and an exceptional 109 for survival, 107 for mastitis resistance and 106 for daughter fertility.
For Bruce, this is proof there’s all upside when using ABS double P bulls.
“You aren’t forfeiting any BPI and you are building animal welfare and sustainability outcomes,” he said.
“This is because the ABS program has concentrated on breeding longer-lasting cows - those that stay in the herd for a long time - and don’t cause any trouble. The cows' farmers like to milk and manage.”
Other notable Holsteins in this ABV release include farmer favourite 29HO18698 ABS Jeronimo-P-ET, who has 2700 milking daughters and sits inside the top 10 proven rankings at 593 BPI and new graduate 29HO20622 Denovo18125 Woodrow-ET at 608 BPI. Woodrow was a top 10 genomic sire in 2022 and is now a top 10 Australian proven sire.
ABS also introduced two new Pen-Col Whoops-ET sons – 29HO22673 Donovo 2470 Wales-ET and 29HO22471 Denovo 24048 Waverly-ET at 863 BPI and 802 BPI respectfully.
These lead the next wave of Holstein sires offering survival and daughter fertility, something ABS has been concentrating on as part of its breeding programs to produce longer lasting cows.
Jersey Joy
Milk in the vat, strength up front and health through the herd - that’s the promise of Murray Brook Kirky (CSCKIRKY), one of the most sought-after young Jersey sire from the 25 year relationship between ABS Australia and Central Sires Co-Operative.
Murray Brook Kirky (CSCKirky) is one of the most sought-after young Jersey sire’s.
At 519 BPI, genomic bull CSCKIRKY combines positive milk with strong type, fertility and survival traits, backed by a pedigree featuring Pilgrim, Sturgis and David for valuable genetic diversity.
Strong health bull 29JE4444 Cal-Mart Dino-ET at 539 BPI and his son 29JE4561 ABS CF 8059 Daytona-ET at 565 BPI tick all the boxes with strong daughter fertility, mastitis resistance and above average type.
The son of strong health bull Dino at 539 BPI, Daytona sits at number four on the ABV genomic rankings - bulls without any daughters.
Red Rewards
Former top total merit index bull 252NR12222 NR Skoien, out of Norway, has transitioned strongly into Australian conditions, now ranking nine on the ABVs, with local daughters and a 431 BPI. This bull was first brought to Australia for his high country of origin proof.
Skoien has transitioned strongly into Australian conditions, now ranking nine on the ABVs with local daughters and a 431 BPI.
Photo by
Jan Arve Kristiansen
“We knew this bull would perform well here in Australis,“ Bruce said.
Leading the breed for daughter fertility 107, he sits fourth for mastitis resistance 108, and delivers on-farm with quiet, easy cows - confirmed by 105 Temperament.
All these traits bringing Skoien to a bread leading position for his health traits resulting in long lasting cows.
ABS is also excited to bring more than 15 Homozygous polled bulls to Australia again, supporting farmers in building Australian herds for animal welfare and sustainability.
“We are confident these sires will perform here because, like Skoien, they are at the top of the total merit index in Norway with the huge bonus of being 100 per cent polled,” Bruce said.
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