Breeders reject ICBF bull list
Their action has drawn a warning from ICBF Chief Executive Brian Wickham that the breeders could be in breach of ICBF’s copyright on the list.
CHFBC chairman Peter Kingston said they “filtered” out bulls with low reliability, because insufficient numbers of their daughters had been assessed, and they “filtered” out bulls rated poorly for “legs and feet” and udders.
The list they have recommended to their members only has bulls whose EBI ratings are at least 60% reliable, and which are rated no worse than minus 0.5 for feet and legs and for mammary traits.
Mr Kingston said the CHFBC were unanimous in their decision to take this course.
“Someone had to stand up and be counted”, he said.
He said ICBF are “dealing only in numbers”, and he warned against “rubbish” cows in five years time because of farmers using unreliable bulls, poorly rated for feet, legs and udders.
ICBF’s new EBI system is evolving, but there are no safeguards for farmers, he said.
But Mr Wickham said he was worried that the CHFBC move will cause confusion among farmers. He said CHFBC want to put too much emphasis on traits not scientifically established as being economically important: in other words, following the revised list could cost farmers money, he warned.
ICBF are the organisation approved by the Department of Agriculture and Food for the testing, genetic evaluation and publication of evaluation results for dairy, dual purpose and beef animals.
