Hybrid Herd For Lincoln College

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30553, 23 September 1964, Page 20

Hybrid Herd For Lincoln College

A policy change in dairy management at Lincoln College, by which cows of hybrid strain will be used in milk production, was approved yesterday by the college council.

The change is expected to result in an upgrading ’of the solids-not-fat content of the town tnilk sold from the college dairy herds, which could mean that the college would avoid penalties if the proposed payment-on-quality scheme were introduced. Results from pure Friesian cows would be compared in quantity and quality with the output of the hybrid strains; and a comparison would also be carried out of the potential of various crosses in beef production. •

The college’s herd of pedigree Friesian cows (44 mature animals) will he mated with Friesian bulls, to preserve the strain. The cows of the grade Friesian herd (about 75 animals) will be mated with Jersey sires in the case of the 50 or so best milk-producers, and to Polled Hereford sires for the rest. The progeny of the JerseyFriesian matings will be used for herd replacement. Until now, crossing has been restricted to the lowerproducing cows, which were mated with Polled Hereford bulls for beef production. The change was recommended by Mr M. G. Hollard, senior lecturer in animal science, and approved for the current year by the college farm advisory committee. All speakers in the council were in favour of a trial along these lines, although Mr J. F. G. Blakely and Mr A. 0. Wright had reservations about the necessity for moving away from pure breeds. Mr Blakely wanted to see an attempt made to up-gra.de the pedigree Friesian herd in respect of solid-not-fats content of their milk, and the council agreed that consideration should be given to selecting among the animals with this in view.

. The principal. (Dr. M. M. Burns) said there would

always have to be a certain number of breeders producing pure-bred stock, but the modern tendency with all domestic farm animals was to cross the classic breeds and so take advantage of hybrid vigour. The college should provide leadership in the matter.

“I can well imagine that the pure breeder will regard this development with a great deal of regret and a certain amount of concern; but what has been found advantageous with poultry and pigs must almost certainly prove so with cattle,” he said. Professor T. W. Walker asked if Charolais could not be used instead of Polled Hereford. Dr. Burns said the Government had previously tried to import Charolais semen but without success; however, the breed was now entering Australia and it could be that New Zealand might now be able to secure semen.

The chairman (Mr T. D. J. Holderness) said that in a recent beef-production trial in Yorkshire a Devon-Frie-sian cross had proved superior to a Charolais-Friesian cross as well as to Polled HerefordFriesian and other crosses.