Linear Classification and Animal Health day, 16th July

[Mark Bowles]

Just a reminder of the Linear Classification and Animal Health Day at Stoneleigh on Saturday 16th July 2011, 10.30 to 4pm.
The Linear Classification is in the morning and Animal Health in the afternoon after lunch.
I am personally involved in the Linear Classification presentation. I have not brought up the subject before on this site as it is an indepth subject, although not complicated, and i didn't want to get into lenghty subject matters that can't be explained properly without diagrams.
Linear Assesment will be voluntary, if you don't want to do it thats fine.
The advantages for having your cattle classified will become apparent when they are done, to yourself and everyone else that reads the classification scores. In the fullness of time if you continuously classify your cattle you will get your own herd averages and trends so you will be able to see if you have a common fault in your herd, ie locomotion, feet,conformation, udder problems etc. By using this information you will then be able to use the classification of a bull to improve,rectify or better the faults your own cattle have.
I have spoken to a number of people who think that dexter people will be carrying out the assesments, this is incorrect. Holstein uk classifiers will do the job working to the DCS breed standard and under DCS instruction.
This is a forward movement by the society which should be embraced by breeders wishing to improve their stock through informed breeding.
The Animal health part of the day should be of use to everyone, we all have problems, some hidden waiting to surface and some self evident. This talk will hopefully help you avoid some of the contageous deseases or at least minimise the risk of them.
The charge for the day is £10 which will be returned to you when you attend, its a way of making sure you are committed to attending.
Please contact the secretary for any more details, there was a orange form with the last mailshot that needs completing and returning to the DCS office if you wish to attend.
see you on the day.
Mark

[PorcPrunus NL]

In Holland we have lineair assesment during 2 years now. We copied a lot from the USA (ADCA) but our judge (a Holstein judge who judges Holstein Cattle as a fulltime job) had a great invluence on the scoring tables.
Last spring Mary Kay has visited our AGM and scored some cows together with our judge. Everyone was very enthousiastic about lineair assesment.

In Holland at this time 16 from the 19 active bulls are classified (voluntary!).
I think about 60% from the active breeding cows are also classified.

The greatest advantage we think we made:
- some bulls are culled because they are to poor
- some bulls have been change by owner, because they could bring what the other owner needed (vice versa)
- some bulls are not culled because the became a good score, unless his parents were not superb.
- most important, people get another vieuw on their own cattle. Everyone has his favourit cow, but they don't know how high it's standing on the stairs.

sorry for my poor englisch
Nico Steintjes - Holland Dexter

[Mark Bowles]

Well done on your societies forward thinking, it puts the UK society to shame.
Linear Classification is carried out in various ways in dexter societies around the world, the UK should have been the leader, instead we are one of the last societies to do it.

[LarryMag]

Hi Mark

Is that Stoneleigh, Surry or Stoneleigh, West Midlands ?

Regards

Larry

[Mark Bowles]

RASE, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.
Are you thinking of coming?

[LarryMag]

Hi Mark

Thanks for that , I am considering it but I will not be able to know for sure till next Wednesday, so I was just checking the detail.

Regards

Larry

[springwater]

A shame - I would have been interested in attending, but I'm already attending an event at Stoneleigh on the same day (a dog show )

[monica a waltho]

bring the dog- perhaps he/she can be assessed as well !!!

Mark do we asssume that if we have sent form and cheque we have a place or will we get confirmation?

[Mark Bowles]

Hi Monica, not sure if you get confirmation, ring Sue in the office and she will check if she has recieved the cheque if you are concerned.
Springwater, is it Carina?, drop in anyway at some stage and pick up some info on the subject, silly not to if you are there anyway. We are in the Charolais building which is around the livestock showrings, you can't miss it.

[LarryMag]

Hi Mark

Can't go Saturday, things too busy at this end. Maybe next time.

Regards

Larry

[monica a waltho]

had my confirmation slip through the post this morning

[Denise]

Mark good luck with the presentation on Linear Classo on the upcoming weekend. Hope it and the health seminar go over well with members.

In Australia - we are quite happy with the Holstein derived linear classo system we use, and now we have the scoring done in a more modern and technical way - there is less room for the classifiers personal preferences showing up and either upgrading or downgrading an individual animal more than should be the case.

Holstein Austr. are also offering this service to non-registered animals as well now - an interesting extension of their stud herd work!

most certainly a very useful tool for us.

regards

[springwater]

All being well, I'll pop over when the Ridgeback judging breaks for lunch

[Mark Bowles]

Look forward to seeing everyone there, don't be late!

[ann]

I would just like to say thank you to Mark and the rest of the committee and staff for organizing such an enjoyable and educational day.

I think we all came away with a lot of food for thought.

For the members who missed it, try to attend the next one as it is definitely the way forward for Dexters, especially the bulls.

I think the talk about health program was also excellent, but this certainly leaves you with some interesting dilemma's