| 2015-12-04 |    |
Cogent Brings World-Leading Genetics to UK Farms
Bull proofs published by AHDB Dairy this week have seen the newly expanded Cogent portfolio truly come into its own, bringing a wider selection of world-leading genetics to UK farms than ever before.
Amongst the headline names is a young, genomic bull which ranks ninth on the Profitable Lifetime Index ranking and transmits exceptional type as well as profitability. With a PLI of £648 and a Type Merit of +2.44, Cogent Peak Alex is perhaps the most complete package to rank so high on PLI, transmitting extreme components (+0.19% fat and +0.12% ptn), outstanding daughter health and fertility, and moderate-sized, functional type with excellent legs, feet and udder conformation.
OConners Vogue Main Time
Housed at Cogent’s Cheshire facility in the UK, Alex represents the very latest, cutting-edge genetics as a son of AltaBettman (himself by the renowned Robust) and out of the Numero Uno daughter, HFP Lucette. His exceptional dam was the former number one heifer in Europe (ranked on genomic TPI) which sold for over €100,000 and descends from the coveted Lou Etta family. As a young, October 2014-born bull, Alex’s launch to the UK market is imminent.
But Alex is not alone in bringing world-class genetics to UK farmers. Stantons Predator has similarly impressive credentials. Predator’s PLI of £618 and Type Merit of +2.22 combine to make him another complete all-rounder, while his thoroughly desirable pedigree (Predestine x Numero Uno) provides an opportunity to bring cutting-edge genetics into everyday use.
Predator specifically offers outstanding daughter fertility with low cell counts (SCC Index -24), high milk fat (28kg and +0.2%) and a well-balanced and moderate linear profile.
Originating in Canada – from Cogent’s recently purchased Canadian business, Foundation Genetics – comes OConners Vogue Main Time, a bull which is attracting widespread international attention. Already being heavily used as a sire of sons by leading studs around the world, the pedigree alone of Main Time is enough to demonstrate why this bull is considered elite. His sire is Stantons Main Event (himself a Mogul son), and his dam, Snowbiz N Uno Lena VG86 2yrs, is a daughter of Numero Uno and out of a cow by Snowman. Such illustrious bloodlines – along with a Type Merit of +3.01 – will appeal to any breeder who wants to keep ahead of the genetics game, but with 693kg milk, 27.1kg fat and good health and fertility across the board, it’s clear this bull could have a place on any modern dairy farm.
Back in the UK, Cogent’s stud has produced yet another high flier in the shape of Cogent Bill. This Ballisto x Epic has a PLI of £597, over two points for type and sky-high components (29.5kg (0.15%) fat; 22.9kg (+0.11%) ptn).
Another from across the Atlantic is Dupasquier Prizim, who again ticks all the commercial boxes. With a PLI of £526 and +2.8 Type Merit, this son of Delaberge Pepper (himself by Mogul) from a Numero Uno dam, offers high components together with health, fertility and dairy strength.
Wiltor Hurricane also enters the fray, as an early son of Flame with a Type Merit of +2.66, exceptional components and health, and a PLI of £573. With the Barbie family thrown into the package, his pedigree is just as desirable as his daughters’ projected performance.
Milk components specialist, Stantons Zion (Supersire) is yet another to bull to offer production (Predicted Transmitting Abilities of 625kg milk, 30.8kg (+0.07%) fat, 23.9kg (+0.04%) ptn), high daughter fertility and a non-extreme linear profile.
Cogent’s recent marketing arrangement with international genetics business, AI Total brings forth more outstanding genetics including the high type DT Lynnstar (TM +3.35); the exceptional component DG Albero Blooper (0.22% fat and 0.14% ptn) and the high daughter fertility DG HS Roman (+11.6 Fertility Index).
“We are thrilled with the quality and diversity of bloodlines we are able to offer following the December proof run, and feel our new partnership with AI Total and acquisition in Canada have helped bring the best range of bloodlines we have ever been able to offer UK farmers,” says Andrew Holliday, Cogent’s European Dairy Sire Analyst.
“Some of our genomic sires in particular have cutting-edge pedigrees
which would hardly have been imaginable just a few years ago, yet
today, we are able to bring the world’s most desirable bloodlines
to UK farmers at widely affordable commercial prices,” he says.
“We are confident these bulls will help to improve our customers’
herds, and we continue to be firmly focussed on delivering genetics
which will help to lift profits on UK farms – whatever the economic
climate or the farming system.”
