There was plenty of cause for celebration this week at Cogent when Mr Moviestar Mardi Gras propelled himself to the top of the Type Merit rankings boasting the highest score of any proven or genomic bull at +3.64 TM. His chart-topping position coincided with the change of emphasis within the UK Type Merit formula, where the composite score now better rewards a balance between strength and stature and promotes ideal leg set and teat length. With a stature score of only +0.4, Mardi Gras daughters are proving to be very close to the national average for stature, changing the theory that cows must be big to have high Type Merit values. Daughters on farm in the UK, and across the world, are seen to be of average stature, with added chest width and near perfect leg set. His figures are even more impressive when it is considered that they are based on a substantial number of UK daughters in UK herds and are therefore reflective of his qualities on UK farms where he averages over 95% GP (good plus) or better. Whilst it would be easy to think of him as just a type bull, it shouldn’t be forgotten that he also ranks high on the production indexes, offering positive percentages for both fat and protein and is a fertility specialist at +10.2 making him one of the most in-demand bulls of the breed.
In a similar fashion, Cogent’s own TW Goodwhone also saw a significant leap in his overall Type Merit, and is now the No. 2 bull on all UK type listings. His profile perfectly represents the daughters seen on farm, being smaller statured heifers (+0.09), with moderate body traits that develop towards the end of the first lactation. There is no doubt that the mammary is a key feature on Goodwhone daughters, displaying long lasting qualities and of particular note is that he is a teat length improver. Goodwhone saw further improvements in his fat (+0.3%) and protein (+0.12) and remains known for his easy calving ability at +1.3.
For those looking for a significant offering of milk with their type scores, then EDG Rubicon offers the complete package combining an impressive type score of 2.92 with 656kg milk and an overall PLI of £612. Making him unique in the market place, he is the only proven Holstein bull that combines over £600 PLI and over 2 points on Type Merit. He also offers lower stature and significant chest width improvement and from a production stand point offers positive percentages for both fat and protein and is a fertility specialist.
New to Cogent’s proven line up is Supersire son Butz-Hill Megasire who hails from the widely respected Missy cow family. Selected for his daughters’ suitability in cubicle based herd environments, Megasire brings positive fat and protein percentages with over 400kg milk and is a calving ease specialist. From a functional type stand point, expect Megasire to offer plenty of strength with wide rumps and longer than average teats (+1.45).
Cogent Supershot saw a further increase in his type score because of the added strength that he transmits, together with a near perfect leg set and his teat length profile, bolstering the qualities customers are witnessing in the hundreds of daughters in his international daughter proof. From a production standpoint, Supershot remains one of the breed’s leaders in terms of milk production, with a milk figure of +1138kg, and he combines this with offering fertility and lifespan improvements.
Now with over 8,000 daughters contributing to his daughter proof in the UK alone, Cogent Twist has been no stranger to the limelight over the last 10 years. This proof run saw him justly rewarded for the contribution he has made on farms throughout the world, with a substantial increase to his Type Merit score now sitting at +1.5. His production profile remained stable as expected with him being 99% reliable. However, he did see an improvement to his Fertility Index.
