One Fine Acre - 2023 4H Steer Project Update

[babsbag]

Growing any crop that is at the mercy of the weather is tough. Fortunately in CA we seldom have summer rain so we might lose a cutting of alfalfa but not likely that we will lose the entire year. We may have just lost the first cutting this year.

 

[OneFineAcre]

We are doing the ADGA DHIR (Dairy Herd Improvement Registry) testing this year. We are testing with a company called Dairy One.
So far our results look good, at least I think they do since we've never done this before.
Clara Belle (2nd freshener) was off the last test. Shea( 1st Freshener) was really on.

First figure is days in lactation, second is milk produced to date in pounds, third is fat percentage, fourth is protein percentage.

Clara Belle 50 151 5.3 4.0
Cocoa 61 195 4.1 3.1
Ginger 59 169 4.1 3.6
Opal (FF) 77 138 5.1 3.5
Rosemary 68 156 5.8 3.8
Shea (FF) 36 91 5.5 (not reported)
Taffy 56 185 4.3 3.8
Zamia 54 191 5.2 3.7

They also give you a figure as to how many pounds they are on pace to produce in 305 days based on typical lactation curve.

Clara Belle 672
Cocoa 747
Ginger 779
Opal 536
Rosemary 672
Shea (too early in lactation to estimate)
Taffy 812
Zamia 888


We get like a 20 page report from Dairy One. If anyone is interested in seeing what it looks like, let me know an I can scan and send you a copy.

 

[Ferguson K]

Those seem like large amounts of milk to me.

 

[Latestarter]

Not sure if the results are good or bad, but they look pretty good to me I'd want kids from Rosemary or Shea or maybe Clara Belle based on production/fat/protein... Opal and Zamia don't look too shabby either.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Those seem like large amounts of milk to me.

For reference Zamia produced 3.6 lbs and Taffy 3.5 lbs on their last test. That's 2 milkings 12 hours apart in a 24 hour period.
2 quarts is 4 lbs.
The others were 3lbs, I think Opal was 2lbs.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Not sure if the results are good or bad, but they look pretty good to me I'd want kids from Rosemary or Shea or maybe Clara Belle based on production/fat/protein... Opal and Zamia don't look too shabby either.

The results are good. A 1-2 year old Nigerian has to produce 600 lbs volume to get a star. It goes up for 2-3, 3-4 etc. I think the top is around 670lbs or so.
Zamia and Taffy are going to have to take dive off of a cliff to not get milk stars.
Ginger and Cocoa after seeing Zamia and Taffy dive off the cliff are going to have to follow them to not get stars.
Clara Belle and Rosie are borderline, but Clara Belle was off on the last test and Rosie has higher fat.

Zamia and Taffy are not top 10% producers, but in that area. I think that is north of 900 lbs.

That is of course based on what they are on track for.

 

[Ferguson K]

Okay, my tired brain is keeping up.

Because a gallon is roughly 8lbs.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Topy 10% producers for Nigerians are north of 1000 lbs.

This was the number one Nigerian for 2014. SGCH Rosasharn GX UDiamond (Owned by Farm Olde South)
I'm planning to get some semen from her son Marquis.

 

[Hens and Roos]

That's cool, so does someone come out to your place at milking to take information?

 

[OneFineAcre]

We weigh the milk and take samples from each milking. We send mail the samples with the weight data to Dairy One. They analyze the milk.
You can self report, but you have to do one "validation" test with an independent tester during the 305 day cycle.
We have a 24 hour milk test at our show in Rocky Mt and most of the people in Eastern North Carolina use that test as their validation test.
I don't think that we are going to do that because last year our girls did not perform very well at the test.
You transport them, put them in pens. They don't want to drink as much water.
How closely in line your validation test is with your other results effects the validity of your entire test.
We are going to get someone to come to our place for our validation test.