Proper calf selection is crucial for your 4-H dairy career. Creating your desired calf through strategic breeding is an approach to consider when choosing your show heifer.
Brian Carscadden, sire analyst at Semex and an avid 4-H supporter and world-renowned judge, advises what to look for when selecting your 4-H calf.
Creating your calf
When beginning your calf selection from a breeding perspective, a review of genomics is a good place to start. As genomics has been the most important development in A.I. since frozen semen, along with its 65 percent prediction reliability, genomics has revolutionized how the next generation of bulls are developed and acquired. Carscadden stated, “At Semex, 55 percent of sales in 2015 was from young bulls. My advice is to use a minimum of 50 percent genomic bulls in your herd because it works.”
Choosing your calf
Carscadden highlighted five important factors to take into consideration when selecting your calf:
- Consider its size. A size appropriate heifer can make all the difference in the show ring. For example, is the calf well-grown for her age? Will the calf be too big for you by the end of the 4-H season?
- Review confirmation. Does the calf have a long neck? Sound feet and legs? Balance and dairyness?
- Look at other influential attributes. Does the calf show signs of poor attitude? Does she have depth of body?
- Use high-type bulls – it works! Genomics can play a positive role in calf selection, so don't hesitate to use young genomic bulls with confidence.
- Research families. Pay attention to bloodlines in regards to feet and legs and dairy strength. Take into consideration commonalities between calves from the same sire and calculate the probability of your calf to carry these same traits.
So how important are feet and legs on a 4-H calf? Carscadden explained that the majority of points on the dairy cow judging scorecard come from the mammary system and feet and legs. He explains, “When a judge is looking at the calf, they’re paying a lot more attention to feet and legs because they are worth a lot more points.” He reiterated that without a mammary system to judge, the extra points have to go somewhere and therefore go to the feet and legs, rump and overall frame of the calf. “I’ve seen a lot of 4-H members struggle with a calf that cannot keep her legs up under her or that has a lot of set to her leg. It’s just very difficult to do well with that calf,” he added.
Catching the judge’s eye
A calf with overall “dairyness” balanced with strength and style is sure to catch the eye of the judge. Carscadden stressed, “You’re going to have more success with a calf that has dairyness with an adequate amount of strength. You don’t want a calf that’s thin or frail because a judge will want to see strength, and that frail calf would not survive in a lot of environments.”
The judge is also looking for a balance to see that all of the parts “flow together.” Questions to ask yourself include:
- Are you going to be struggling all year to make sure there is enough body on the calf?
- Will you be feeding hay throughout the year to give the calf the appearance of more body depth?
- Is this a calf that you are going to have to grow more hair on the top line to make her look balanced?
Color is unfortunately a consideration Carscadden admitted. “Color shouldn’t matter to the judge, but if you look at the trends over the last five years, what color are the calves that are winning? Black. This has to do with bloodlines.” Popular bulls such as Goldwyn, Atwood and Sid, who have been dominant in the show ring, predominately sire black colored calves. “However, this will change. For example, with Doorman, he sires correct calves of all colors,” he added.
The use of high-type bulls is recommended; however, if you are using young genomic bulls, and if you are comfortable and like the bloodlines, then use them with confidence. Carscadden said, “We see it continuously; the bulls that are above +15 for type on the Canadian scale and they have the proper bloodlines, then they are going to breed the right kind.” When selecting your calf based on bloodlines, it is a good idea to look at other calves that have been sired by the same bull and determine if you like or dislike their common characteristics.
Sometimes stature can be overrated, as the trend is now back to cows that are balanced and correct. Carscadden said, “We’re seeing trends in the show ring where not always the tallest one in the class wins, and I’m happy with that – it shouldn’t be that way. We need cows and calves that are the appropriate size because most facilities can’t handle the big cows.”
Continuing along the scorecard, Carscadden touched on some key traits to look at, including the height of the front end. For example, calves that walk downhill tend to lack style and don’t catch the judge’s eye. Also, a weak loin most likely means high pins as well as a rump that is not “100 percent correct” and therefore should be avoided. The proper foot angle along with plenty of heel depth are both key, proving the importance of keeping on top of hoof trimming with calves. “When you see that calf walk from behind, does she walk straight or like a penguin with her hocks turned in? You want to see enough space in between those hocks,” he added to the rear legs or rear view trait assessment.
Carscadden discussed top genomic bulls and well-known bloodlines to demonstrate how managed breeding for traits can influence the performance of your herd and therefore your selection of animals to choose from. “You want to be careful to not breed bloodlines too closely,” Carscadden cautioned, adding that inbreeding can lead to problems with fertility and confirmation. “If you can keep inbreeding in your herd below 12 to 13 percent – or if you are trying to breed a 4-H calf, then maybe even 8 percent – it can be easily managed.”
Using herd management tools and consulting industry professionals are great ways to gain dairy knowledge in order to breed that perfect calf. By taking tips from an expert in sire analysis, who has judged both the Royal Winter Fair and the World Dairy Expo, along with developing your dairy “cow sense,” you are bound to succeed. It is worth the time and effort to research and find the calf that is right for you. PD
Brian Carscadden spoke on this topic during the 2016 London Dairy Congress in London, Ontario.
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Lora Bender
- Editor
- Progressive Dairyman
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PHOTO: In the show ring, judges like Brian Carscadden are looking for calves that exhibit “dairyness” and traits that “flow together,” like this Doorman daughter, Cerpolait Doorman Roselyn. Photo provided by Semex.
