IHFA says never a better time to go pedigree because of shortage of dairy replacements

PEDIGREE breeding can be the route to financial benefits and easier dairy farming, according to the Irish Holstein Friesian Association.

And there may never be a better time to get involved, due to the current shortage of dairy replacements and strong export demand for quality milkers — which led Teagasc dairy programme manager Matt Ryan to point out recently that rearing replacements is the second most profitable enterprise on dairy farms, after milk production.

“If good farm records are available, upgrading a herd to pedigree status is easy, can be done quickly and costs very little. Animals can be registered with the Irish Holstein Friesian Association, and our field officers would be delighted to call to interested farmers to discuss matters further,” says IHFA chairman Richard Whelan. “Pedigree herds are more fertile, enjoy greater longevity, produce higher milk solids, use feed more efficiently, and not surprisingly, their owners make more profit per litre and per hectare. For example, in Britain, registered Holstein Friesians average 3.42 lactations, compared with 3.05 for all milk recorded animals.”