Accelerated Genetics announced a joint venture with Normande Genetics, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, to market a lineup of Montbeliarde and Normande sires imported from France.

Montbeliarde and Normande are both major dairy breeds in Europe, known for their fertility, longevity and high components. The Montbeliarde are red and white, with solid white faces and a large stature similar to the Holstein. Normande cows are a tri-color breed, with red and white markings and occasional brown hair, often creating a brindle color pattern. Furthermore, Normande cattle have exceptionally high components very well suited for high quality cheeses.

Gary Fassett, Accelerated Genetics vice president of sales and communications, sees this as another way to offer a new product line to our customers. “We brought in these genetics for two reasons, grazing herds and those that implement crossbreeding. And there is a growing niche market for this kind of herd,” Fassett said.

Crossbreeding systems with Montbeliarde and Normande genetics on Holstein or Jersey cows has been said to improve fertility, longevity, body condition and components in their offspring.

Jerome Chateau, president of Normande Genetics, is the distributor for these breeds in the U.S. He, along with the sales staff at Accelerated Genetics, chose two bulls of each breed for the first offering: 180NM00012 Royal Holl and 020NM00012 Redondo for the Normande, and 217MO00014 Onze JF and 217MO00020 Vibrato JB for the Montbeliarde. PD

—From Accelerated Genetics news release