Crossbreeding study commences

The arrival at Teagasc Moorepark of 400 purebred Norwegian Red heifer calves has signalled the start of a major new crossbreeding study.

Norway’s breeding programme for more than thirty years has succeeded in incorporating improved female fertility and traits such as mastitis resistance and calving ease.

A study to examine if the same merits can be bred into the Irish dairy herd began with the arrival of the calves in Moorepark.