Lloyd Peters, ICSA Field Officer, has written the following paper to discuss the merits of giving full registration rights to the Danish bull, Syd Abru.
"For some years I have been lauding the virtues of Syd Abru. As a breed Society I consider we have let a very beneficial genetic source slip through our fingers. As a breed classifier for 20 years there has been no other European genetics that has impressed me more than Syd Abru. Now, looking back I have no doubt in my mind that we should have introduced him through our GIR system with full registration rights.
I do not expect we have a herd that has used more European genetics than Myrtleholme. I recently asked Shane Bourke which was the best Euro bull he had used. He replied, “I do not have to think, no doubt, Syd Abru”.
Our database indicates we registered just 16 daughters, and one bull by Syd Abru. My assessment of Syd Abru genetics has been they have excelled in angular frame structure, which goes hand in hand with herd health, longevity and reproduction, and that these traits are continuing on more than one generation.
Let us look at what Syd Abru has achieved:
Of his 16 daughters 6 were at Myrtleholme, - Charity 13, Empress 29, Stella 3, Topsy 14, Model 14 and her full sister Model 16. These cows were all born in 1997 and 1998. Charity and Empress still in herd.
Charity 13 EX was exhibited at Brisbane Royal in 2011, where I suggested she was the most correct framed cow in the shed. Although she was 13 years old she was placed 2nd in her in-milk class. A few weeks later she made the arduous trip to NSW Dairy Spectactular to win the aged cow in milk class. A week after this she won Champion Darling Downs OFC, also best udder. For a 13 year old to compete so outstandingly in itself is remarkable. However, she also had a lifetime milk production of more than 90.000lts milk. To have had an udder so well attached to compete in the showring is tremendous. She has 9 registered daughters, most of which are young. A daughter was 2nd in her in-milk class at Toowoomba this year. Her two more mature daughters have produced 4 and 3 registered daughters respectively. Late News: Charity 13 Ex calved a heifer calf on 29th May 2013.
Empress 29 EX I could make just a simple statement on this cow which will shock most of you. Myrtlleholme, themselves have registered more than 200 descendants of this great cow. No doubt she is held in high regard by her owners. She has 7 Handsomes Tulip daughters yet to be registered. Yet the Bourkes want more, two weeks ago she was flushed to sexed semen, but unfortunately she had 30+ unfertilised embryos. Her most famous daughter would be Myrtleholme Empress 32 Ex. Unfortunately she was never shown in her peak years. Empress 32 is the dam of the bull in high demand, Thorpe. Also, of young AI sire Mitch, who in his first year in AI has 66 registered daughters.(not included in the Myrtleholme list of descendants) He is a wanted bull.
Stella 3, has 4 registered daughters, who in turn have produced 2,5,3,1 daughters to date.
Topsy 14, has two registered daughters who have had 3 and 4 daughters to date.
Model 14 and Model 16 have no registered progeny, although I note that Model 14 produced 655 f+p in 305 days. Obviously they did not want to have “girls”
Two daughters of Abru were bred by Neville & Marie Mueller. Glenhaven Thorn 20 and Glenhaven Kitty 11. Both were sold into Victorian herds as springing heifers when Glenhaven gave up active dairying. Kitty 11 I can find no info her, but Thorn 20 is a different story.
Thorn 20 VG is now back in South Australia in the Glenbrook herd. Anyone who knows Ian Mueller as well as I do, knows he does not have much respect for Euro genetics. For him to get that cow into his herd with some Johnes problems to get her out of Victoria, in my mind it means she is a special cow. Ian has flushed her several times and has 9 registered daughters, the oldest of which are now performing well in the milking herd. Speaking to Ian several weeks ago, Thorn 20 was in the springer paddock, and despite her 12 years still carries an extremely good udder.
Six Syd Abru daughters and 1 bull were registered by Doecke’s Springvale Stud. Springvale Primula 7 was born in late 90’s, and was exhibited successfully for several years at Adelaide Show. She had two registered daughters who in turn had 5 and 4 daughters registered. The other Abru daughters are younger and several are still in Springvale herd. I noted in one recent year a Syd Abru daughter was top producer in the herd. Springvale also used a son, and when classifying the consistent angular frame of his heifers impressed me. He certainly put his stamp on them. Late Information: Warren Doecke phoned me on 7th June and advised me of his recent Excellent Classification of a daughter of his Syd Abru bull, Springvale Fussy’s Future. Warren also advised he has several cows due to calve to this bull in the near future, and that he has “earmarked” one cow hoping she produces a bull calf for future stud use. He also advised he has just 3 straws left of this bull.
The other Abru daughter was in the Farrer herd. There is no database info on her.
For the small number of daughters Syd Abru has done an outstanding job, and to give this bull full registration right will no doubt be of much benefit to our Society.
It has been suggested by making such a decision will open a “can of worms”. If any other Euro bull can produce similar evidence we can do the same for him.
I have checked out several of what I consider better Euro bulls, and although they left some very good cows they cannot match Syd Abru even though they hard much larger numbers to work with. I do not want to bore with figures but I will quote several of them:
Backgard – 99 progeny, 10 sons registered including 2 in AI
T Bruno 907 – 103 progeny, he was also the sire of Jurist, Talebo, Fyncent. Peterslund, T Moberg
Stenjo – 103 progeny. In his 10 registered sons was WP Stenjo AI
We granted recipricol rego to Milking Shorthorn based sires from USA. Canada and New Zealand. Outlaw was probably the best of these with 142 daughters.
I consider all these bulls, although leaving some very fine cows, have had ample opportunity to prove their worth. Offhand I cannot recall any classified Ex daughters amongst their ranks.
As most of you know I have no vested interest in Syd Abru. And have no reason to promote him, except for the betterment of our breed. Promoting him to full registration will give us greater opportunity to take best advantage of his genetics."
Lloyd Peters (Field Officer)
