VikingGenetics Australia in Wodonga, Victoria | Agricultural service

VikingGenetics Australia

Locality: Wodonga, Victoria

Phone: +61 2 6024 5972

Address: 9/22 Stanley Street 3700 Wodonga, VIC, Australia

Website: https://www.vikinggenetics.com.au

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25.01.2022 One of the great benefits of crossbreeding is heterosis. Heterosis is the increase of favorable characteristics of a hybrid organism over those characteristics of its parents, when two unrelated breeds are crossed. Research has found that heterosis has the greatest improvement in traits like Vitality, Fertility, Health and Survival. Crossbred cows stay longer in the herd and lifetime production is increased. Learn more: http://ow.ly/a6dp50AW8E3

25.01.2022 Christmas Calendar Quiz is here! Let’s start our 24 days of trivia questions about cows and Christmas! Enter here: http://ow.ly/dhYC50CvB4U The Calendar Quiz consists of Christmas questions and questions about VikingGenetics. Don’t worry if you don’t know the answers, our Santa’s little helper will give you tips to find the correct answers. ... Every time you participate you will get 5 lottery tickets. You’ll get the tickets even if you answer wrong. More lottery tickets you have, the better are your chances of winning the VikingGenetics Goodie Bags. The raffle is held at the beginning of 2021 and the winners are published on VikingGenetics Facebook and they are notified personally too. Best of luck for the quiz!

24.01.2022 Rely on the proven crossbreeding concept and get a profitable and easy-to-manage herd. A three-breed rotational crossbreeding concept using VikingRed, VikingJersey and VikingHolstein is an easy-to-manage system; you can maintain the correct rotation of breeds using colored ear tags. Inbreeding is no longer an issue. The only thing to remember when choosing bulls is that you use the best bulls available within the breed. Your cows will remain healthy, fertile and produce for longer and this way the genetic heritage of your herd remains stronger. Learn more: http://ow.ly/rUXW50Cmwjo

24.01.2022 It’s Christmas Calendar Quiz time! Open the quiz to see the question. Good luck! Enter here: http://ow.ly/dhYC50CvB4U

23.01.2022 The BreedCast episode 03 is here, and the focus is on Jerseys The number of Jersey cows are growing around the world. But why are modern dairy farmers switching to Jersey? And why should you consider this smaller breed for your farm? We've invited a leading Jersey expert to share from his 30+ years of experience of working with Jersey famers around the world. Peter Larson gives you his best tips on how to breed healthy and profitable Jersey cows. A setup that can be a sol...ution to new climate regulations and sustainability goals. The BreedCast - Innovative Breeding in your ears Listen on Spotify: http://ow.ly/PEWS50F6dhl Also available on other podcast platforms!

23.01.2022 Our new website is open! We are proud to present our website. What do you think about them? Visit them here: http://ow.ly/SSpt50CvCl5

22.01.2022 Get the latest catalogue and take your herd to the next level See the digital version here: http://ow.ly/eHpy50Fdgt2 Contact us to get your physical copy: http://ow.ly/S0gm50Fdgt3

22.01.2022 Your focus is on making your farm profitable, as it should be. While you focus on this, we are working hard to make this easier for you. We are creating reliable tools to breed the next generation of high-yielding, trouble-free and efficient cows. Now our goal is to develop a Saved feed index that farmers around the world can trust. Dairy farmers in the Nordic countries deliver accurate, high-quality data. This provides reliable insights for research and development, as it is based on all kinds of commercial herds and not just a limited number of research farms. We will ensure the new data about cows feed efficiency will be collected and registered in the same reliable way, so that our new Saved feed index will help you make even more profitable choices for your farm! Read more: http://ow.ly/y4f050BdiY9

22.01.2022 VJ Quintana (BPI 136) is emerging through the BPI system as his daughters are coming into production in Australia. Reports of high-classifying daughters with nice stature and chest, udder depth and teat length are becoming commonplace. It is early days with 27 daughters in 10 herds here in Australia on top of his 1,065 daughters in Denmark. But just these few have almost doubled his BPI score (conversion) from the April proof run. VJ Quintana (VJ Rodme x DJ Zuma x DJ Prima) h...as recently been daughter proven in Denmark and he attracts a lot of attention with 1,100 milking daughters, and many more to come. VJ Quintana has been used heavily worldwide, ever since his first proof release back in December 2016. VJ Quintana breeds good production of milk solids. He is an improver of all health and longevity traits as well as for temperament. VJ Quintana is a breed leader for type. Daughters will be tall and stylish with very good width and depth. Based on 390 classifications, it is expected that daughters will have exceptionally strong and well-attached shallow udders. Along with that, daughters will have teats of ideal size and placement. In total you will get the whole package a cow you will love to milk and look at! VJ Quintana has 58% Danish genes, 20% Canadian, 18% US and 4% NZ genes. VJ Quintana will work very well in combination with pedigrees from US, Canada and NZ, because none of the top bulls from these populations are present in his pedigree and because he is one of the worlds best for udder depth in combination with high production of solids. The dam of VJ Quintana has definitely been contributing to the exceptional breeding profile of the bull. She is an extreme producer. She has been milking for 6.4 years with a yearly average of 11,870 kg (26,162 lb) milk with 5.5% fat and 4.1% protein. Beta Casein: A2/A2 Cappa Casein: BB JH1: Free Triple aAa: 243 See bull profile: http://ow.ly/byCz50BdoBs

22.01.2022 Evolution, Masterrind and VikingGenetics establish a new dairy and beef genetic cooperative Arcowin representing 53,000 farmers in Europe. The new cooperative will work on ensuring the most sustainable and the highest possible genetic progress, to the benefit of the farmers and customers worldwide. Read more on our website: ... http://ow.ly/sO7u50Czdac See more

22.01.2022 A study conducted by Dairy Australia, the national service body for the Australian dairy industry, compared the different crossbred and purebred herds on a pasture-based system. The researchers analysed data from more than 23 million lactation records from almost 900,000 cows on 18,207 farms. The study showed that in terms of the three-way cross, there is no significant difference in volume of milk. However, the protein and fat percentages, the survival (how long the cows ar...e in the herd), conception rate (CR), and the six weeks In Calf Rate (6wICR) of the three-breed cows outperformed the backcross animals (two-cross system). Learn more: http://ow.ly/sRjV50DnPjW

21.01.2022 Maximize your herds performance with a three-breed rotational crossbreeding system using VikingRed, VikingJersey and VikingHolstein. This combination has proved to be the most profitable cross, especially suitable for the herds adopting grazing systems or systems with seasonal calvings. The three breeds combine their strong points and compensate their weak points very well. On top of that, you get the benefits of heterosis. ... http://ow.ly/iJHY50BdfSw

21.01.2022 New sire catalogue is out now! Have a look at our latest bull lineup and find your favorite sires! Read the catalogue here:... http://ow.ly/keLA50B1ipJ See more

20.01.2022 Happy Valentine’s Day! We hope your day will be filled with love and friendship.

20.01.2022 How do we measure the feed intake of individual cows using the Cattle Feed Intake System (CFIT)? In the barn, feed bunks and tables are scanned by 3D cameras, and the visual image of the feed is converted to an amount of feed using artificial intelligence algorithms. The images are also used to identify the cows eating the feed. This is based on the distinct pattern of colours and body shape of each cow. By continuously scanning the feed bunks and tables, the amount of feed... consumed by different cows is measured. Read more: http://ow.ly/qiG950Cw9np

20.01.2022 I see a great value in including the Saved feed index into the breeding goal. This equips me with an excellent tool to optimize my dairy business and ensures that we live up to the expectations of consumers who are more and more conscious about climate change and sustainable food production. This is so important for the future of dairy farming, and I am proud to contribute positively and help solve this challenge. Anders Levring, Denmark 450 cows, VikingJersey Read more about Saved Feed index: http://ow.ly/FSqq50Bb0Md

20.01.2022 Are you tired of poor fertility and health problems in your dairy cows causing you too much work and draining your bottom line? Crossbreeding can help you tackle these problems. With increased lifetime production and reduced workload per cow, you optimize your dairy business. Learn more: http://ow.ly/PUAd50AWbTp

19.01.2022 Struggling with poor fertility in your dairy herd? As the production level of your cows keeps increasing, you might experience a negative impact on your herds fertility. Data shows that there is a strong negative genetic correlation between milk yield and daughter fertility traits: -33% for Holstein, -28% for Red Dairy Cattle and -20% for Jersey. With breeding as a tool, you can achieve genetic progress for production and daughter fertility at the same time. Simply ensure ...that you keep the consistent long-term focus in your breeding strategy on the traits that matter most for improving your bottom line. Learn more online: http://ow.ly/hTmF50AQgxk

19.01.2022 Decreasing the age at first calving is a big cost-saver at dairy farms. Heifers can be bred at a younger age and enter the milking herd sooner. That means they are quicker to generate income. Data from Denmark show that there has been a positive development for the age at first calving over the past decade. In 2019, the age at first calving for Holstein was 25.3 months - a reduction of 1.6 months compared to 2010. For Red Dairy Cattle, age at first calving was reduced by nearly one month and was 25.5 in 2019. For Jersey, we see a reduction of 1.5 months; with 23.9 months as the average age at first calving, Jersey heifers mature earliest among the three breeds. Learn more: http://ow.ly/QHnq50AVapv

19.01.2022 Are you looking to improve udder conformation in your cows and at the same time achieve an increase in production? VikingGenetics breeding programs for all breeds put a lot of emphasis on udder traits like Fore udder attachment and Udder depth. The result is a very high genetic trend that compensates fully for the effects that production increases have on udder traits. When looking at the genetic trends in cows for Fore udder attachment and Udder depth over the last five years, you will see that the increase has been stable for all three Dairy breeds, VikingRed, VikingHolstein and VikingJersey. These trends are impressive when you consider that production increased during the same period. Read more: http://ow.ly/JQ3V50F4efu

18.01.2022 Are you looking to improve health and fertility in your herd? Do you want long-living cows with super udders? VH NovakRC (BPI 269) can give you this! VH NovakRC gNTM +26 (VH NolanRC x Reflector x VH Gregor) breeds amazing female fertility and good maternal calving. Also, his health traits are fantastic with high udder health, general health and hoof health. Disease defense at its best! We specifically brought him to Australia as an extreme health sire, and if you want maximum... health improvement in your herd then VH NovakRC is for you. He gives you medium-sized cows with good width, good feet & legs, strong udders that are nicely attached and with good shallow depth. Production is average with good components. This all sums up to high longevity with healthy cows that are healthy and last a long time, which means of course that they make money for you longer than the average cow. His dam has an average yearly production at 11,100 liters of milk with 4.31 % fat and 3.81 % protein. She is classified 84. Her dam is a VH Gregor (VH Grafit) with high production also and classified 84. Beta casein: A2/A2 Kappa casein: AB aAa: 243 See bull profile: http://ow.ly/bY5450BdoRx

18.01.2022 Josh Philp, who milks 720 GoldenCross cows at Garvoc, in Victoria says: What I have seen, and I am confident to say, is that VikingHolstein adds the high milk production, VikingJersey increases the components (fat and protein) and VikingRed contributes the general health, hoof health, udder health and fertility, and continues, for me, the color of the cow is not important, it doesnt matter; what really matters is that they get in calf, produce milk (components and liters) and are healthy. Watch a video about Josh: http://ow.ly/7JRq50BdkId

17.01.2022 Knutby Prstgrd farm in Uppsala was named 2020 Herd of the Year in Sweden by VikingGenetics. Ulf and Liselotte Carlsson and their two sons run the dairy farm with over 500 cows. Read more online: http://ow.ly/GP6w50AV1yl

17.01.2022 Looking for the ways to improve daughter fertility in your herd? Here are the five most important management tips to improve reproduction performance in your herd: Visual heat detection should be systematic and well-organized Prevent overcrowding and heat stress Avoid negative energy balance in early lactation Have focus on disease prevention and treatment in transition period... Minimize stress levels and prevent body condition loss in the first 30 days after calving While good management and improving the environment for your animals are important short-term solutions for fertility problems in your herd, genetics is the most important long-term solution. Download our Fertility Guide: http://ow.ly/Db3v50AQffe

17.01.2022 If daughter proven is essential to you, then have a look at the VikingJersey international daughter proven proofleader, VJ Gislev (BPI 209). VJ Gislev NTM +21 (VJ Hihl x VJ Lure x Q Zik) is in the absolute elite when it comes to production and kilos of solids based on 1,100 milking daughters. Udder health and longevity are also amongst the VJ Gislev trademarks. The 640 classified daughters document that VJ Gislev breeds nice open-ribbed daughters a little higher than average..., strong legs with steep foot angle and very shallow udders. They also have strong ligament and ideal teat placement. VJ Gislev ranks #2 in USA among pure bred daughter proven bulls with 133 JPI (August 2020). The dam of VJ Gislev, Raastrup Lure Hanne, is a high yielding VJ Lure daughter now in her 6th lactation. Average production in her five 305-day lactations is 9,435 kg milk with 6.26% fat and 4.54% protein. Both maternal GD and MGGD had average productions over 8,100 kg milk. The breeder is Klaus Ole Jrgensen, Gislev, Denmark. VJ Gislev is the sire of: - VJ Gutz with NTM +24 - VJ Giant with NTM +24, - VJ Garant with NTM +20 - VJ Gates with NTM +15 Cappa Casein: BB Beta Casein: A2A2 JH1 Free aAa: 342 See bull profile: http://ow.ly/ob4W50Bdobn

16.01.2022 The daughter fertility index is a tool to improve reproduction in your herd through breeding. When you choose VikingGenetics bulls you get highly reliable breeding values to base your breeding decisions on. With 40 years of systematic data collection, our daughter fertility index is based on high-quality data. Today, 95% of cows in Denmark, Sweden and Finland contribute to registers for daughter fertility. Learn more: http://ow.ly/xzJ650AR7hh

16.01.2022 Are you looking to improve the production potential in you herd and are you aiming for long-living cows, then have a closer look at VH Booth (BPI 260). VH Booth NTM +17 (Beacon x Planet x P Shottle) is a proven bull with high potential for production (BPI 684 liters 28kg P) with great progress in milk volume and many kilos of both fat and protein. Lactation persistency is in the top meaning daughters milk strongly right through their 300 days. These numbers are proven on more... than 6,100 milking daughters. He will also give you cows with good maternal calving ease and fine young stock survival. Conformation information is based on 2,500 classified cows and shows that VH Booth breeds medium-sized cows with super feet & legs and with udders that are well attached in rear and with good teat size and with a calm temperament. This bulls strength is underlined by the fact that he continues to improve in longevity with more daughters added to his proof. Beta casein: A2/A2 Kappa casein: AB aAa: 324156 See bull profile: http://ow.ly/gywJ50Bdnm8

16.01.2022 Accurate and affordable 3D cameras! As a pioneer, we are exploring the missing link in the feed efficiency equation the individual cows feed intake. VikingGenetics has developed a Cattle Feed Intake System (CFIT) where the feed intake of individual cows can be monitored by 3D cameras in barns. Today we know the composition of the feed, but so far it has only been possible to measure the amount of feed that each cow consumes on experimental farms with expensive equipment. ... In VikingGenetics research project, the amount of feed that a cow consumes is measured with 3D cameras. The research includes the development of more affordable technology. Analyses of the data collected on cows weight, feed intake and milk production will contribute to identifying which cows have the most efficient energy intake. Read more: http://ow.ly/2wVv50AUZHh

15.01.2022 Are you a Christmas buff? We definitely are, we love Christmas! It’s a magical time of the year. To celebrate this time, we have made you a Christmas Calendar Quiz. Take part in the daily quizzes and you can win VikingGenetics Goodie Bags. Jolly good news, right? You can pre-register here: http://ow.ly/WSkQ50ClAbL... The Calendar Quiz starts on 1st December Be there or be square!

15.01.2022 Animal health is not only a key component of animal welfare but also of major importance to ensure efficient production. In addition, the world must address the challenge of ensuring food security and satisfy the growing demand for protein to support the growing global population. By 2050, over 70% more animal protein will be needed to feed the world. Read more about VikingDefence online: http://ow.ly/OGQl50AWaF9

15.01.2022 Save $75 per cow per year - choose VikingFertilityTM sires! That is the value of using the sire with a superior genetic level for daughter fertility. A VikingHolstein sire with EBV 120 for the Days from first to last insemination - cows subtrait reduces the insemination period by 16% - that is 8 days less than the population average of the breed. And a sire with EBV 120 for Number of inseminations per pregnancy improves the conception rate by 7%, meaning one pregnancy req...uires 1.86 inseminations (54% conception rate). That saves you approximately $75 per cow per year. For a herd with 300 cows that is $22,500 extra earnings per year (figures based on Nordic conditions). Genetic development is a long-term investment. Consistent focus on female fertility from generation to generation will steadily strengthen the fertility performance of your cows. Fertility performance is crucial for the profitability of your dairy herd; decisions made today have an impact on your bottom line in the years to come. Secure your future success today. Learn more: http://ow.ly/CTDi50AW9vg

14.01.2022 Saved feed has been added to the NTM in the August evaluation. This is another important piece in the puzzle that makes NTM the most efficient tool for dairy farmers in selecting for the most profitable cows. Read more about this online: http://ow.ly/Bjh550B7dYj

14.01.2022 Can crossbreeding be an opportunity for your herd? When switching from a pure-bred herd to crossbreeding, you dont need to worry about the production level dropping. With the right combination of breeds in your crossbreeding strategy, you can achieve improvements in lifetime production and, at the same time, reduce the costs and amount of work per cow. Learn more: http://ow.ly/MPiP50BcQLR

13.01.2022 #tiptuesday The sexual maturity of heifers is weight dependent. To get heifers in estrus and inseminated, so they can calve at around two-years of age, it is crucial that the animals enjoy optimal health and feed intake in their first months of life. If heifer feed intake is not assured in all age groups, this tends to typically result in a higher age at first calving. Too much nitrogen in the feed that increases ammonia concentration in the plasma, can possibly inhibit both... appetite and the secretion of reproduction hormones. Research has shown excess nitrogen has a negative effect on feed, on both follicle development, fertilisation, and embryo survival. Read more online: http://ow.ly/Tp1t50CvD0Q

12.01.2022 No. 1 Red bull in Australia! If you are looking for top bulls in Australia, you cannot miss VR Tokyo (BPI 291, TWI 277). VR Tokyo is on top for many traits and he will give supreme daughters for Australian conditions. He is number one for BPI with 291 and has set the record for the highest BPI ever for a red sire. He has 75 milking daughters and reigns supreme over all other bulls. The second-best daughter proven bull in Australia has a BPI that is 75 points lower. VR To...kyo (VR Tuomi x V Fske x Asmo Sale) is also great for the Type weight index where he is number 2 only beaten by VR Froerup. He will give you daughters that have super production and especially high protein production. At the same time, he has a very high index for survival, and to spice it up he has a very low cell count which proves the high natural health VikingRed have in their genetics. Beta Casein: A2/A2 Kappa Casein: AA See bull profile: http://ow.ly/oitW50Bdn0k

11.01.2022 This black beauty is Edelweis, the dam of VH Bolus, from Tirkkonen family in Finland. Two weeks ago, she passed the legendary 100 000 kg lifetime production. The picture is taken this autumn, just little bit before the special day. VH Bolus has been a popular bull and used in many countries around the world. Today, his grandsons are on the podium e.g. VH Benny gNTM +40. Tirkkonen herd has 74 Holstein cows and 30 of those are the same family with VH Bolus. The cow family e...xcels in longevity. Full sister of Edelweis has also milked over 100 000 kg lifetime production, and her younger sister has already milked 84 000 kg. VH Bolus has three full sisters in the herd who all have calved from four to five times by now. Edelweis herself is pregnant again, so still going strong. Congratulations Edelweis and Tirkkonen family!

11.01.2022 Are you struggling with poor fertility and health in your dairy herd? Would you like to improve lifetime production and, at the same time, have fewer problems with your cows? Crossbreeding can offer a solution to these issues. Learn more: http://ow.ly/hD8y50AV33e

11.01.2022 #tiptuesday Good fertility is a combination of factors related to management and breeding. A low genetic level for fertility means you will need a high level of management to achieve good reproduction results. It is therefore important to consistently use bulls with a high genetic level of daughter fertility. Please note that a breeding focus on reproduction is something that does not show through in the herd until three to seven years later. It is a long-term solution. Howe...ver, doing this will have a huge and gradual cumulative effect from generation to generation. Read more online: http://ow.ly/rESZ50BeziY

11.01.2022 #tiptuesday The normal heat behaviour of cows changes significantly in barns with slippery floors. Numerous studies show that the frequency and intensity of showing heat both increase in barns with soft flooring. The studies compared heat behaviour on concrete slatted floors with behaviour on rubber floors. In the case of rubber floors, cows have a much better foothold which means they do not feel uncertain when walking on rubber. The studies also reveal that the cows jump more frequently and slip less in that connection. Read more online: http://ow.ly/txp350BaZcz

10.01.2022 Animal welfare and environmental issues are of great importance to our business. From August 2020 the Saved Feed index will be included in the NTM, we will get a tool to include breeding for higher efficiency into our strategy. Feed is a huge cost and we look forward to breeding more productive and efficient cows. Sofia & Gustav Kmpe, Torpet Farm, Sweden 200 cows, VikingRed, VikingHolstein... Read more about Saved Feed online: http://ow.ly/Mdgn50Bex4Y

09.01.2022 We are aiming for the perfect balance of size and production. Bigger, heavier cows eat more to maintain themselves than smaller, lighter cows. From a feed efficiency point of view, lighter cows use less feed to maintain themselves. The breeding value for maintenance efficiency in NTM is based on different measures of live weight and size together with conformation breeding values. For maintenance efficiency, daughters of two bulls with a difference of 20 index units will have a difference of 60-80 kg in dry matter intake per lactation. Read more: http://ow.ly/TFUZ50AQmUi

09.01.2022 Recently, dairy farmers have shown an increased interest in lactation persistency as a management tool because flat lactation curves are believed to be associated with fewer health and reproduction problems. But how is persistency calculated? Read more here: http://ow.ly/MmY950Fdil5

08.01.2022 Do genomic breeding values work in practice? Christian Bengtsson, PhD student at The Swedish University of Agriculture (SLU) and one of VikingGenetics’ breeding specialist, has given answers to this trending question. It's positive to be able to show that genomic breeding values don't only work in theory but also in practice on real farms. Farmers can have confidence in using genomic technology on their herds for selection decisions, he says. Read more: http://ow.ly/zkdb50DnIIG

08.01.2022 Systematic data collection for health traits started in the early 1980s in Sweden and Finland and in 1990 in Denmark, the first countries in the world to do this. After 2006, registration was started on a smaller scale in other countries including Canada, France, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States. A huge amount of data has been accumulated over the last 40 years. For example, there are over 13 million cows registered for diseases other than mastitis for ...Holstein in the period from 1990 to 2017. Such a comprehensive data collection system makes VikingGenetics the pioneers in breeding for health traits. Read more about our innovative breeding online: http://ow.ly/eHUd50CmCzs

08.01.2022 If your main goal is to breed healthy and fertile cows with great production, then your answer is VR Froerup (BPI 247, TWI 282). This sire is set to feature heavily in the next generation of Reds in Australia. VR Froerup is right at the top of the best bulls for NTM and now rising fast in our ABVs. He has a super all-round profile. He will give you outstanding daughters with an excellent combination of high production through the whole lactation (lactation persistency), hig...h fertility and great naturally healthy animals for all health traits. As icing on top of the cake, his daughters have a strong growth rate and longevity together with great milking speed. Udders have super fore attachments and udder depth and rear attachment height is a feature. In Australia he is 247 on BPI and is on the top of the list for TWI with 282. VR Froerup NTM +34 (VR Faber x R Fanfare x R Gazelle) was born from one insemination of a good VR Fanfare heifer. His genomic NTM was not too high to start with, but high enough that he was on the daily AI plan. While he was waiting for his proof he just got better and better on NTM, which has now proven to be correct with a high NTM index as a proven sire. The dam of VR Froerup is still going strong and is today in her 5th lactation. Her average for 4 lactations (305 days) is 11,777 litres milk with 3.61% protein and 5.00% fat. On her third lactation she was classified 86-81-82-84. The granddam got sick after her 3rd calf and was only milking for 2.3 years, but the great granddam milked for 6 lactations so there is good longevity in the family. Beta Casein: A1/A1 Kappa Casein: AA See bull profile: http://ow.ly/JFgg50BdosD

08.01.2022 Our latest endeavour in making the dairy industry more sustainable is the release of the Saved Feed Index. With thorough research and by joining forces with leading research partners, we have been able to create a trustworthy index for how efficient a cow is in turning feed into milk. The Saved Feed index will eventually include two separate breeding values: one for maintenance efficiency and one for metabolic efficiency. The breeding value for metabolic efficiency is expect...ed to be launched later. Maintenance efficiency doesn’t tell you anything about how efficiently an individual cow utilizes the feed she eats. To be able to build a reliable index for this, a lot of information is needed on individual feed intake on a large scale. VikingGenetics has developed a Cattle Feed Intake System (CFIT) where the feed intake of individual cows can be monitored by cameras in barns. Until we have enough data from CFIT research, our metabolic index will be based on available CFIT data and feed intake data from research farms in the Nordic countries together with data from around Europe and North America. Read more: http://ow.ly/I1ty50F4n0w

07.01.2022 What a scenery! Our representative Darren visited this gorgeous farm and spotted a very good VH Booth daughter grazing. Thanks to Daryl Hoey for having us for a visit

06.01.2022 Are you worried about the level of inbreeding in your herd? Heterosis is created when two unrelated breeds with different genetic heritage are crossed together. The lower the relation between the breeds, the greater the degree of heterosis achieved. The effects of heterosis are the opposite of inbreeding depression, which is a decline in performance of dairy cattle. With crossbreeding, you dont need to worry about inbreeding. Rely on the proven crossbreeding concept and get a profitable and easy-to-manage herd. Read more: http://ow.ly/NONe50Bey8k

06.01.2022 Maximize your herd’s performance with a three-breed rotational crossbreeding system using VikingRed, VikingJersey and VikingHolstein. This combination has proved to be the most profitable cross, especially suitable for the herds adopting grazing systems or systems with seasonal calvings. The three breeds combine their strong points and compensate their weak points very well. On top of that, you get the benefits of heterosis. Read more: http://ow.ly/I2OF50CmE4S

06.01.2022 #tiptuesday In cases of overcrowding, opportunities for the cows to fulfil their need to lie down will be affected. Studies show that the behaviour of lower ranking cows is already significantly altered with an occupancy rate of 125%. As a result of a lack of rest, stress levels in the animals increase. Read more online: http://ow.ly/rKYH50BcYGy

06.01.2022 Do you have maximum focus on getting better female fertility and hoof health? Do you aim for higher solids in the milk? VH Sparky (BPI 293) is the solution for you. VH Sparky NTM +21 (VH Suarez x VH Salomon x T Funkis) is a fantastic and popular proven bull with more than 4.000 milking daughters in the Nordic countries. They confirm that VH Sparky is the champion for female fertility (BPI 117) and is the highest ranked daughter proven sire that is also A2A2. Improving hoof he...alth is his forte. He is a game-changing bull in more ways than one, as he has the highest resistance to white line separation and sole hemorrhage of any Holstein sire in the world. These are the two most common problems for Holstein hoof issues in Australia. Production is good with good components and conformation is optimal medium-sized cows in perfect balance; good feet & legs that are bit curved, and super udders that are nicely attached, good ligament, with good teat size and placement. High longevity is a key feature of his cow family. The VG86 VH Salomon dam is now at 82,000 kg milk in her lifetime and her dam the VG88 T Funkis daughter reached almost 120,000 kg in her life. Beta casein: A2/A2 Kappa casein: BB aAa: 342 See bull profile: http://ow.ly/QUOh50BdoGp

05.01.2022 Using sexed semen is an excellent way to optimise your herd’s performance both from a genetic and management perspective. How can you achieve higher genetic progress in your herd and maximise the return on investment? When using X-Vik semen on your best animals, you ensure that your next generation is from the best cows and exclude the poorest genetics from the future production animals. Read more online: http://ow.ly/RWuw50ChH9X

05.01.2022 VikingHolstein is a source of high production and the world’s highest female fertility. A large study, based on around 55,000 bulls with Interbull proofs, investigates the genetic level of daughter proven bulls, containing bulls born between 1995 and 2015, when the latest daughter proven bulls were born. The genetic level of the bulls from VikingGenetics clearly shows a very superior level for the trait first to last insemination for cows, which is the most economically important trait in the female fertility index. For the production index, the genetic level for Holstein is the same, no matter which country the genetics originate from. See the detailed results of the study here: http://ow.ly/eO8X50DnAkR

04.01.2022 Congratulations Peter Young His herd is a good example what you can achieve with our genetics! His Aussie Reds already rank as the number 10 BPI herd in Australia and, according to The Australian Red Dairy Breed association, his passion for his cows and attention to detail will see him move quickly up the ranks. Peter was stoked by the win and is more than happy with his decision to change the majority of the herd across to Aussie Reds. https://www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au//aussie-reds-are-win

04.01.2022 The strength of the registration system in the Nordic countries is that the data are based on a very high proportion of cows rather than certain selected herds. 90% of cows provide data for General Health and Udder Health, while 40% of cows provide electronic data from hoof trimmers. For registrations made by veterinarians, more than 80 different disease codes are used to describe the diagnoses. Read more about VikingDefence online: http://ow.ly/10Lc50AV3XV

04.01.2022 The world is changing, and without sustainable development we will face serious challenges in the near future. At VikingGenetics, we have always focused on the sustainability of dairy farming in our breeding programmes. We know why health and longevity in your herd is so important to your success as a dairy farmer. Healthy cows not only live longer, they also provide sustainable and profitable business opportunities. Learn more: http://ow.ly/3vLs50AV0Na

03.01.2022 One for all and all for one! Dairy farmers in the Nordic countries have always had a strong commitment to register the performance of their cows. Farmers are not paid for delivering the data, but they see the value in sharing the data. Farmers get the best management tool that allows them to benchmark their own herd with similar herds. This is a great tool for developing a long-term strategy to optimize the business. Data sharing has enabled us to create an extensive registr...ation system combining all data from Denmark, Sweden and Finland. The data are available from different production systems at all management levels, rather than certain selected herds. This system ensures highly reliable breeding values and provides important insights for research and development. This cooperative spirit is a strong advantage of the Nordic system. Read more: http://ow.ly/Q76w50APiVN

02.01.2022 The August index round showed again that VikingRed genetics work in many conditions. In all the main red populations, VikingRed is on the top of the lists. VR Thiago is doing great in many countries, and his half-brother VR Tokyo is performing well in Australia. Read the story and take the tour around the world together with VikingRed. Read more about the proof run online: http://ow.ly/J11350BgCTF

01.01.2022 #tiptuesday Multiple studies have shown that a day length of 16-18 hours and darkness of 6-8 hours have a positive influence on growth and age of sexual maturity in heifers, with no negative influence on the yield potential of the animals. Furthermore, this combination of lighting is thought to affect the dry days and the number of services in a positive way. Read more online: http://ow.ly/Hsry50AQjjI

01.01.2022 #tiptuesday Implement change of feeding routines over 2-3 weeks’ time. Even smaller changes in feeding can lead to unbalance in the herd and that results in more mastitis cases and increased SCC. High-producing herds are more sensitive to change in feeding. It is beneficial to have as few changes in feeding routines as possible. Read more: http://ow.ly/676b50DhmDe