Newsletter September 2024

‘Everything that has ever lived has been the product of natural selection’ - New Scientist ( Feb ’24 )

We realise that this is a constant theme in our Newsletters, even though it is surely common sense that farmers should be the deciders of their breeding policy, specific to the farm. Working from an Index system that speeds up genetic gain by breeding from younger and younger animals is fundamentally contradictory to the laws of evolution, i.e., Survival of the Fittest.

We can see the consequences in shorter Herd Life. The latest figures for the age of the national milking herd continue to fall, indicating that if calving age is approx. two years, the national herd does not calve for a third time. A very questionable carbon footprint.

It also follows that the in-breeding % continues to increase with loss of valuable biodiversity. Competition is fierce among the AI Companies for that very lucrative market and if patented gene editing comes about, this could result in a worrying loss of farmer control, as well as the marginalization, or possible obsolescence, of the Breed Societies.

Strong words indeed, but we need to think of the future of milk production in the UK. The market will always dictate and currently the signs are for a more regenerative agriculture. For grass -based systems, this will involve herbal leys and a change in grazing practice, sometimes referred to as Next Level or Cell grazing. Our cow is perfect for the system, being larger for more consumption from forage and heavier than the Kiwi-type, for the all-important treading in of residual grass. Some milk pools are now able to offer extra payments for qualifying farms.

Not only is the British Friesian important as a solution to changing environmental conditions and priorities, but it is also an obvious choice for Holstein Breeders to restore hybrid vigour without losing pedigree status or valuable breed-specific data. It is somewhat ironic that even with the first cross resulting in a 50/50%, the Holstein retains its breed code 01. Not so for British Friesians with a requirement of 87.5%.

And that is why, even though the inbreeding % remains comfortably low, British Friesian Breeders are focusing on identifying and preserving the best ‘foundation’ bloodlines still currently available. Whilst this is more of a long-term project, it should, in conjunction with the Dutch and Irish offerings and the Genetics Committee’s Outcross project, help to guard against further loss.

There appears to be no shortage of foreign breeds available for non-pedigree herds to use if they need to cross but we need reliable breed specific data from our native breeds as well.

September 11th : UK Dairy Day HUK Stand H226

Telford, Shropshire. The Club will be represented on the main HUK stand beside the Show Ring.
With ever fewer dairy farmers, we need to support our great organisations and pedigree breeding with its valuable real time data, British Friesians with their proven superior fertility and lifespan can add benefits as can the Holstein cow with her superior yields, building a UK pedigree black and white cow to suit the very differing farming situations.

BFBC’s Facebook Page

Thank you very much to everybody who posts comments or likes on our Facebook page, creating a lively and dynamic forum for British Friesian enthusiasts of every ilk. Whilst social media doesn’t always come naturally to every generation, our Club’s Facebook page seems to defy convention and we are especially grateful to those contributors who have provided unusual, and often fascinating insights, into aspects of the history of the Breed.

August Evaluation Run

We are now beginning to see a sprinkling of the outcross bulls coming through. Please be careful and check the type figures where the bar chart or prediction looks poor, click on the Type information and distribution as, if proven in Ireland, they will have been compared on what is, in effect, a Holstein base. For information in the UK, go to progeny of the bull and see if there are daughters classified in the UK, for an early indication. And don’t forget that over the years the Index system for lifespan works against the older breeding cows despite their many lactations.

September 20th – 22nd : All Breeds All Britain Calf Show Staffordshire County Showground, ST18 0BD

Schedule and Entry Forms are now available for All Breeds All Britain Calf Show. Note new venue of Staffordshire Showground and change of date to 20th to 22nd September. It would be great to see lots of British Friesian calves and handlers there. Any questions please give Adam a shout - lismulligan@btconnect.com The ABAB as it is usually known, provides a great opportunity for the Young to gain experience in the show ring and meet up with likeminded friends from all around the UK!

Treasurer’s Update

I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your patience as I’ve transitioned into the role of Treasurer on the committee. I apologize for any mistakes made during the commissioning process, but I’m confident that we’ve learned from them and are working to make the payment process for memberships as simple as possible this coming January.

There are a few important updates I’d like to share:

  1. New Email Address: Please direct all correspondence related to treasury matters to our new email address: treasurer@bfbc.co.uk.

  2. Payment Options: A payment link is now attached to the invoices sent by the club, allowing for direct payment. If you’re making bank transfers or BACS payments, please remember to quote the invoice number as a reference.

  3. Direct Debits: If you already have a Direct Debit set up and prefer this method, please continue using it.

  4. Cheques: While we still accept cheques, we prefer alternative methods if possible. If you must send a cheque, please mail it to: Yeo Valley HQ, Rhodyate, Blagdon, BS40 7YE.

Lastly, a repeated plea for those not currently receiving our newsletter via email: please provide us with your email address. This will greatly reduce administration efforts and help the club save resources.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support.

Best regards,

Will