Trained inspectors will visit hundreds of farms to assess each cow’s characteristics and traits.
“The data we collect is hugely important,” Holstein Friesian New Zealand inspector Tony O’Connor said.
“It helps shape the genetics powering our multi-billion-dollar dairy sector.
“We record the cow’s height and weight and score her udder, legs, rump, capacity, condition and behaviour in the milking shed.”
The data is combined with milk production records and is used to evaluate the performance of the country’s top bulls.
South Taranaki sharemilkers Dean and Aimee Perrett milk 260 cows and are among 400 Holstein Friesian breeders whose cows will have the traits other than production (TOP) assessment this season.
“It’s a really important information-gathering exercise for our business.
“It gives us more data to help improve our mating decisions,” Dean said.
“Our cows have great udders but the TOP assessments have highlighted rump angle as a weakness we need to consider when selecting bulls at mating.”
The Perretts have all their two-year-old heifers and a handful of older cows assessed under the TOP system every spring.
They have sought-after genetics with breeding companies seeking to contract mate almost 40 of their cows this season.
The couple didn’t mate the spring calving portion of their herd this year. They are in the process of transitioning to a fully autumn-calving system.
“Our goal is to lower our stocking rate and have cows producing close to 600 kilograms of milksolids each.” Dean said.
Holstein Friesian NZ TOP inspectors will assess more than 31,000 cows and two-year-old heifers this season.
Registered pedigree animals receive a classification score awarded as part of the assessment. Last season 413 Holstein Friesians achieved excellent or better.
Other breeds of dairy cows will be assessed by inspectors from their breed societies.
