Is Linear Assessment linked to production and/or longevity?

[Rob R]

At the moment I'm not too bothered about adding another fixed cost, but I've had experience of the assessments in Holsteins, and I'd need to be very sure that the investment would be paid back before I did it. I don't sell breeding stock so any advantage would have to come from production. I'm certainly looking at doing more of my own recording this year, to keep in mind which cows are more productive, as we get our yards more cow friendly and easier to move stock around, that should get easier.

If there are any LA events in the North of England in the near future I'd go along and see how it relates to Dexters, but I'm also watching with interest any LA'd bulls that come up for sale at the auctions this year, although I don't buy stock from 4-year TB areas either, so it's getting trickier.

I note in the latest bulletin the article from Carol Neilson mentions the dun cow 'seldom looks her best' yet achieved a VG87 - I'm particularly interested in Dun bull assessments as I, personally, have always viewed the red & black stock to be generally superior to the duns, and I wonder if that's a trick of the eye?

[Saffy]

Hello Rob,

Well I have only had 4 cows done as I've only had 4 cows eligible so far, the 2 highest scores were my 2 old dun cows at VG 88 and EX 91, so I think they looked OK, despite being a "funny" colour! ....the other 2 which are black were VG 86 and GP 80. I think the one that scored GP 80 will do better as she ages, she is a very young cow.

Stephanie

[ann]

, but I'm also watching with interest any LA'd bulls that come up for sale at the auctions this year, although I don't buy stock from 4-year TB areas either, so it's getting trickier.

Is that a miss quote Rob as I believe you have bought stock at York and you do imply that you will buy stock in to beef.

[Rob R]

Oh, sorry, yes, I meant 1 year!

[Mark Bowles]

Just a note, Australia, USA, South Africa and Holland all do linear assesment on dexters with great success, its not like we are doing something exclusive and revolutionary.

[Rob R]

Hello Rob,

Well I have only had 4 cows done as I've only had 4 cows eligible so far, the 2 highest scores were my 2 old dun cows at VG 88 and EX 91, so I think they looked OK, despite being a "funny" colour! ....the other 2 which are black were VG 86 and GP 80. I think the one that scored GP 80 will do better as she ages, she is a very young cow.

Stephanie

So do you agree that the duns, visually, don't look as good as the blacks, or is that just me? And how do they fair for production, versus their black counterparts, in your opinion?

[Rob R]

Just a note, Australia, USA, South Africa and Holland all do linear assesment on dexters with great success, its not like we are doing something exclusive and revolutionary.

Not at all, the article that started off this train of thought off was from the US, but I wonder if the other countries have more of a tendancy for cross referencing LAs with production records, that might give us an indication on this question.

[Saffy]

Well Rob, I think it might be just a matter of getting used to looking at them, there aren't that many of them about are there? Personally I like the colour, although I've never taken the same to the light dun colour. As for production the ones I know of and have owned have been extremely milky, good mothers and calved every year. I don't have enough dexters to be worth doing figures with, so cannot tell you about finished weights etc.

One of my dun cows has been both hand and machine milked in her lifetime...I assume she must have been a fair milker to have been worth the bother, also she has had and reared twins and multi suckled before coming to me.

I think I probably on balance prefer dun to black and think they look every bit as good, the nearest I can get to answering your question is to say that I have a 16 year old dun cow that has produced 14 calves and that is pretty good, she still looks amazing and is rearing the calf well. She would have calved 6 months earlier but I looked at her records and gave her an extra 6 month break, after which I turned her in with the bull and she caught straight away!!!

I know that doesn't really answer the question...

Stephanie

[Rob R]

For the reasons you've stated, I suspect I won't get an answer to the question at all, but it does provide a good indication, thank you!

[Saffy]

Thinking on this question....if money were no object, you had enough space and you were starting a new herd.

If you randomly bought in a large quantity of young, cheap dexter cows with calves at foot, say 4 times the amount you intended to keep and brought in the assessors.

Then culled hard after weaning on the strength of that assessment, you would I am sure have a much longer lived herd with less foot problems, especially if you read your assessments and looked to keeping the ones that scored best for legs and feet.

Actually if you kept them in reasonable condition and beefed the ones that you were culling you would probably do OK out of it and end up with a tidy starter herd that way.

Stephanie

[PorcPrunus NL]

Seriously though, those with good scores will tend to be more productive for a whole raft of reasons. good conformation will make more meat in relation to bone, good pelvic conformation will mean better calvings, good legs and feet will mean less lameness and arthritis. ...
Duncan

so lineair assesment is bad news for the vet

[PorcPrunus NL]

Just a note, Australia, USA, South Africa and Holland all do linear assesment on dexters with great success, its not like we are doing something exclusive and revolutionary.

Not at all, the article that started off this train of thought off was from the US, but I wonder if the other countries have more of a tendancy for cross referencing LAs with production records, that might give us an indication on this question.

true

these days we (Holland Dexter) are looking for cattle in UK. But when UK/DCS doesn't take lineair assesments serieus I think the next import of fresh blood will be Danmark or USA.

[Rob R]

Just a note, Australia, USA, South Africa and Holland all do linear assesment on dexters with great success, its not like we are doing something exclusive and revolutionary.

Not at all, the article that started off this train of thought off was from the US, but I wonder if the other countries have more of a tendancy for cross referencing LAs with production records, that might give us an indication on this question.

true

these days we (Holland Dexter) are looking for cattle in UK. But when UK/DCS doesn't take lineair assesments serieus I think the next import of fresh blood will be Danmark or USA.

So do you cross reference LAs with production records in Holland? And if so, do they correlate with higher scores being more productive/efficient animals?

[Saffy]

Earlier in this thread Mark suggested that if anyone was uncertain about the use of LA they should go and see one of the cows that had been classified excellent and high end vg. I think that is a good idea, especially if it helps to promote assessment as I am sure LA will be good for the breed.

If anyone would like to see mine I would be more than delighted to show them. This is a pic of - on the left Nutlin Ginger Spice VG88 and on the right Woodmagic Petrel EX91.



Thats annoying - I can't get the whole pic to show - it has cut the one cow in half!!! It wasn't the best pic of her but it was a way of getting them both together.....

Oh well here is the rest of Petrel!

If anyone would like to see them - in the flesh as Mark put it just PM me.



Stephanie

[Mark Bowles]

Nice one Stephanie, its a good opportunity. If anyone wants to see mine then they are welcome.....warts and all!! send me an email or pm me.