Get a jump on genetic gain with Jersey bulls for yearling matings

Using Jersey bulls for yearling matings is a good way to quickly increase the Jersey genetics in your herd while also maximising genetic gain. 

The offspring of these matings will be of high genetic merit – getting the double benefit of being out of your highest genetic merit animals (your heifers) and from high BW Jersey sires (see example below).

Unlike when you AB heifers, there is no additional costs for heifer synchrony programmes, and no additional work in picking heats. Many farmers also report superior in-calf rates for heifers when naturally mated vs AB.

DNA testing offspring is an easy and cost-effective way to confirm the parentage of the heifer calves where multiple bulls are used.

And when using Jersey bulls over your yearlings you'll also benefit from easier calving, lower pregnancy energy requirements, and a shorter calving to first service interval (e.g. faster recovery and return to oestrus).

What's not to like? Talk to your stock agent about using Jersey bulls this mating.

Example

Average herd BW: 98
BW of top 10 bulls by breed on RAS list: 
Jersey - 321 BW
Crossbred - 281 BW
Friesian - 226 BW

Based on the figures above if an average herd was mated using the top AB bulls, the progeny would average:
Using Jersey AB sires - 209 BW
Using Crossbred AB sires - 189 BW
Using Friesian AB sires - 162 BW

Assuming an average yearling group is 150 BW, when mated to a high BW Jersey yearling bull of 280 BW the offspring of the yearling matings will be 215 BW.