One Northern Ireland-based producer’s British Friesians are meeting both his and other pedigree and commercial herds’ needs. We find out more about why his British Friesian bloodlines are in demand.
TEXT RACHAEL PORTER
It may be surprising to learn that a Premier Holstein herd could also be crowned British Friesian Herd of Year. But that’s exactly what Jim Morrison and James Cleland achieved in 2023 with their 30-cow elite pedigree Inch herd.
Based at Downpatrick, in County Down, the herd is run alongside 100 Holstein and Swedish Red cows, and the breeds work together well to meet the requirements of commercial producers.
Inch was named as 2023’s British Friesian Herd of the Year. This award, now in its third year, was introduced to recognise the UK’s top performing British Friesian herd, based on a combination of classification and production. But Jim says the breed offers so much more. The Morrison’s British Friesian herd is managed on a simple grass-based system with buffer feeding (grass silage) and concentrates fed through milking parlour. Herd average yield is currently 8,343kg, at 4.87% butterfat and 3.62% protein, with 61% of the cows in their fifth lactation or more.
Award winner: Jim is thrilled with his herd's prestigious accolade
Good fertility
This milk yield is lower than the Holsteins’ average, but Jim says this is compensated by good fertility with a calving interval of just 368 days (six-year average), and a myriad of health benefits.
The entire 100-cow herd, plus 150 followers and 35 young bulls, is owned and run in partnership by the Cleland and Morrison families. James and Sarah Cleland manage the milkers on the home farm, while Jim and Jeannie Morrison look after young bulls and heifers on a unit five miles away. We went into partnership in 2015 and it works extremely well,” says Jim, explaining that he and Jeannie were keen to encourage the next generation of producers into the industry. This arrangement allows them to remain in dairying but at a ‘slightly slower and more enjoyable’ pace.
Jim’s parents, Tom and Marion Morrison, began milking Dairy Shorthorns at Inch in 1949. Eight years later three British Friesian heifers were added. “These heifers were exceptional and expensive, costing an average of £200 each at a time when an acre of land cost £100,” says Jim. “But it was a good investment. They proved to be an invaluable addition to the herd, and we have bred more than 3,000 bulls and heifers from the original bloodlines during the past 65 years or so that have been registered with the Inch prefix.”
Stronger cows
Jim adds that the herd was one of first to embrace Holstein genetics in the 1970s: “It was not a popular thing to do at the time,” he says.
In 2004, Jim decided to revisit the British Friesian bloodlines. “I could see that there was a demand for stronger, easier-to-manage, medium-sized cows with greater longevity. Holsteins were losing some of their robustness,” he says. “We saw that Holstein herds were struggling with fertility and other issues that were contributing to increased replacement rates.”
He adds that today the demand for British Friesians from commercial producers is for medium-sized high-fertility cows, with good longevity and milk components. Holstein breeding is important to increase the production and adding Friesian bloodlines can help to reduce stature and add strength, fertility and longevity to complement this.
“Producers can select the genetics to breed cows that are best suited to their system and set-up. Another important benefit of using ‘complementary’ breeds is heterosis, or hybrid vigour.”
The resulting British Friesian hybrid cows from his first foray into crossbreeding ‘ticked all the boxes’, according to Jim, and there was great demand from other producers for British Friesian bulls for cross breeding.
Bull trio: home-bred sires are used on the herd
Top cow
One cow, Inch Jed Daphne EX 93 4E 40 star, was used as the cow to start a British Friesian line. She had already bred Inch Counselor Daphne EX 94 – the only cow in the British Friesian herd book to classify EX 12 times. Another daughter Inch Storm Daphne EX 95 was Irish National Holstein champion and has twice been crowned Northern Ireland Cow of Year.
“Inch Jed Daphne has exceptional butterfat and protein. She will be in the top three for fat and protein percentages in the history of breed. She has produced 13 UK daughter-proven sires with fat and protein averages of +0.31% and +0.10% protein, which confirms the strength of these traits in the Daphne family,” says Jim.
When bred to a Friesian sire, her daughter Inch Sem Daphne 2 VG 88 became an important cow in the herd. This line has been extremely influential in black-and-white breeding through 18 Inch sires at AI studs, including those of Cogent, Genus, AI Services, Mastergen, Semex, UK sires, Dorset Cattle Breeders, and in many renowned dairy herds.
Jim’s passion for British Friesians stems for a desire to add strength to Holsteins: “Many Holsteins have become too ‘extreme’ and performance like health and fertility has suffered, which has impacted on their longevity.” Only 10% of black-and-white semen in the UK is British Friesian, according to AHDB. “And that’s supplied by just a handful of British Friesian breeders,” says Jim. “Contrast that with the 90%, which is Holstein, which is from a global supply as opposed to being UK specific.”
Commercial demand
Inch’s genetics are certainly in demand from producers and AI companies alike. A lot of sires from the herd are used on herds in the UK and Eire, and semen is also exported. “Some producers are using British Friesians for one cross and then going back to Holstein, and that works for them. And I’m happy when I know it’s being used in a Holstein herd – I know our genetics will do a good job and offer plenty of hybrid vigour.
“I see our role as providing tools for producers to breed good commercial cattle,” he adds.
When selecting British Friesian sires for use on the elite herd, James and Jim are looking for a good all-rounder – a complete package without extremes. “Milk yield and quality are important. But so is health, fertility and type, and we keep a close eye on PLI too.”
“Because we have a small elite herd, we’re able to make individual breeding decisions and match sires closely to our cows and heifers.”
The pair have also been using genomic testing to support breeding decisions – and to add some interest. “What we’ve seen in the test results has been fairly predictable, although there have been some outliers that have surprised us.”
They use home-bred sires and some from southern Ireland, as well as the rest of the UK. “It can be difficult to find sires that will improve on what we already have here. It’s not easy to find bulls, but there are some out there.”
Jim says that some believe that because a first cross has worked well that they should continue to cross with British Friesian bloodlines. But for many this second cross may not be the best decision. “They think it’s the way to go, but nothing can beat that first cross due the initial hybrid vigour. So I usually urge producers to sit back. That first cross has ‘done its job’, so to speak. A second cross may not be the best answer.”
Hybrid vigour
British Friesians have certainly been gaining traction in recently years, partly due to cross-breeding heterosis effect. The breed’s registrations have increased by 12% during the past three years. “First crosses can still be registered as Holstein. Only cattle that are 87.5% or more British Friesian can be registered as such. This aspect appeals to some breeders because they continue to cross with British Friesians and not lose their herd’s pedigree status.”
The aim at Inch is to enjoy providing both Holstein and Friesian cattle to meet the ever-changing and varied requirements of commercial dairy producers. “British Friesian genetics can complement Holstein bloodlines and produce a medium-sized, easy-to-manage cow. And, combined with heterosis, good results can be achieved.”
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