Dave
We are already just about there. We have just calved over 500 head in
the last month. Impossible with NA cattle. It takes 2 generations to
make a hell of a difference. Our NZ jerseys produce every bit as much
milksolids as any of our NA jerseys and do it easy with much better
udders. We are seasonal pasture based dairy graziers and coming
economics makes that more attractive than ever.
Brad Cowan
Astoria, Oregon
On Mar 8, 2008, at 1:56 PM, Dave Gneiser wrote:
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cowan Dairy"
> <cowandairy@charter.net>
>>
>> Dave, this is more of a NA cattle genetics problem. American cows
>> are bred to be too thin without high amounts of corn, and high
>> amounts of corn kills the cow.
>>
>> Brad Cowan
>> Astoria, Oregon
>
>
> Brad, that is a myth. But we've kicked that can before.
>
> Even if it were true, you have to play the cards dealt to you. You
> wouldn't live long enough to breed enough generations of cattle
> with the traits you desire, especially with many of those traits
> being recessive.
>
> We have these cattle. They need to be fed. It is profitable to do
> so (and if you don't like my take on this, Larry Tranel has the
> real life numbers from grazing dairy farms. ) We have other
> studies, including ongoing ones here in WI that show grazing dairy
> farmers making impressive profits over investments. Buy yourself
> a subscription to GRAZE.
>
> Dave G.
> _______________________________________________
> Graze-l mailing list
> Graze-l@witt.ac.nz
> http://graze-l.witt.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/graze-l
>
>
> This communication - including any attachments - may contain
> legally privileged information,
> and is confidential to the addressee. If you are not the intended
> recipient you should delete the communication and contact the
> sender immediately.
> If you have received this e-mail in error, you must not read, copy,
> disseminate, distribute or otherwise use or disclose any part of
> this communication, or any information on matters or persons to
> which it refers.
> WITT reserves the right to monitor all e-mail communications sent
> through its network.
