By Gary W. Rogers
No important changes were made in the genetic evaluation models since the April 2022 genetic evaluation run so changes in breeding values (BV) since April are due to additional data.
Most markets should have access to genomic selected (GS) sires as well as daughter-proven sires. Some markets have almost exclusively moved to GS sires in recent years but many markets still offer some daughter-proven sires. Breeding values for Norwegian Red GS sires have proven to be excellent predictors of future daughter-based BV so some markets have dropped all daughter-proven sires from their active sales. Local distributors should have details on which Norwegian Red sires are available in specific locations.
Sales of REDX (NR sexed semen) have grown dramatically in several markets and this trend is expected to continue. REDX semen production continues to ramp up so it should be readily available in markets where is it requested. If REDX is interesting to your herd, please make sure to check with your local distributor or directly with Geno to get information on current and future availability. Many NR sires are now available in REDX.
Norwegian Red sires available to global markets
Many outstanding NR sires are currently available or soon will be available in most global markets. The current list of globally available NR sires is one of the best in Geno’s export history. The list includes many sires with very appealing trait profiles and several homozygous polled sires as well. Several of the sires also have REDX available in some markets.
Read more about REDX – NR sexed semen here
Here are some notable GS sires:
Aland-PP (252NR12139) – very good all-around sire, well-balanced trait profile, excellent fat and protein percentages, excellent for heifer matings, unique and rare profile: PP, A2A2, and BB for kappa casein
Alme (252NR12073) – excellent all-around sire, excellent fat and protein yields, excellent udder health and udder conformation, very good feet and legs and claw health
Barup-PP (252NR12085) – good solids production, outstanding daughter fertility, and health, PP, A2A2
NR Fallmyr-PP (252NR12203) NEW – very good all-around sire, excellent overall daughter fertility, very good udder conformation, very good feet and legs conformation, very good for heifer matings, excellent for Feed$aved, PP, A2A2
Fossesholm-P (252NR12163) – very good all-around sire, very good solids yield, udder health, udder conformation, feet and legs conformation and claw health, Pp, BB for kappa casein
Hagemoen-P (252NR12114) – outstanding milk, fat, and protein yield, very good udder health, udder conformation, small daughters that are outstanding for Feed$aved, Pp, A2A2, AB for kappa casein
Hauen-PP (252NR12136) – well-balanced trait profile, excellent udder health and daughter fertility, good fat and protein yield, udder conformation and Feed$aved, excellent for heifer matings, PP, A2A2
Jo-Onstad-P (252NR12064) - very high solids yield, excellent udders, not for heifer matings, Pp, A2A2
Langseth (252NR12135) – very good all-around sire, excellent fat and protein yields, very good udders, A2A2
NR Draugsvoll-P (252NR12195) NEW – very high milk solids production, outstanding udder conformation, and very good udder health, very good for claw health, black coat color/red carrier, Pp, A2A2
NR Grimeland (252NR12218) NEW – outstanding all-around sire, tremendous milk, fat and protein yields, excellent udder health, and very good udder conformation, very good for heifer matings, A2A2
NR Hasselberg-P (252NR12202) – tremendous milk, fat and protein yields, excellent udder conformation and very good udder health, very good for Feed$aved, excellent for heifer matings, Pp, A2A2
NR Raset (252NR12206) NEW – excellent all-around sire, excellent milk, fat, and protein yields, outstanding fat and protein percentages, excellent udder health, black coat color/red carrier, A2A2
NR Skjefstad-PP (252NR12188) NEW – very good solids yield, very good udder conformation, excellent claw health, very good for heifer matings, very good for Feed$aved, PP, A2A2
NR Skoien (252NR12222) NEW – tremendous all-around sire, tremendous milk, fat and protein yields, excellent udder health and udder conformation, excellent feet and legs, excellent for heifer matings, A2A2, will be extremely high demand sire in many markets
NR Tornes-PP (252NR12201) NEW– excellent all-around sire, high component percentages and excellent solids yield, excellent overall daughter health, very good udder and feet and legs conformation, very good for heifer matings, very good for Feed$aved, PP, A2A2
Oaland-PP (252NR12093) – good all-around sire, well-balanced trait profile, excellent daughter fertility, good udders, good for heifer matings, good for Feed$aved, PP, A2A2
Sausvatn-PP (252NR12116) – excellent solids yield with very high fat and protein percentages, excellent for heifer matings, excellent for Feed$aved, good udder health, daughter fertility and udders, PP, A2A2.
Trondstu (252NR12024) – very good all-around sire with well-balanced trait profile, good milk solids yield, very good for heifer matings, excellent for Feed$aved, A2A2.
Daughter proven sires that are available in some markets
Several top NR daughter proven sires are alive and available including Maurstad-PP (252NR12009) and Slettebo-P (252NR11996) who added their first daughter data since April. Hustad (252NR11817), Ofstad-P (252NR11919), Roen (252NR11690), and Krovoll (252NR11921) are also alive and available with Roen being very popular in several markets.
Roen has been popular for a few years already as he transmits outstanding milk solids production along with small daughter size and weight. Roen is outstanding for Feed$aved and calving ease. Ofstad-P also transmits excellent milk solids production from small daughters. He is one of the top bulls for Feed$aved and calving ease. Hustad is a very good all-around sire with an excellent BV profile. Krovoll daughters are noted for their very high fat and protein percentages.
Maurstad-PP and Slettebo-P are the newest alive and available bulls with daughter-based BV. Both bulls were popular in some markets as GS sires and markets that want daughter-proven sires should take a new look at these sires. Maurstad-PP is a very good all-around sire with high component percentages. His daughters have very good udders and he is suitable to be used on maiden heifers. Slettebo-P daughters have outstanding fat and protein yields and percentages and good udders.
In addition, a number of excellent daughter-proven bulls are dead but still have semen available. Producers and distributors should check for updated semen availability on specific daughter-proven bulls that are interesting for their herds or markets.
The next official genetic evaluation will be available on December 6, 2022.
