From Dairy Day to Dumfries: Three-Way Crossbred Cows in Action
Seeing dairy genetics perform on farm
At JMC Genetics, visiting customers and seeing their herds in action is an important part of understanding how dairy genetics perform in real farming systems.
From Dairy Day to Dumfries, recent farm visits have provided an opportunity to catch up with dairy farmers, see impressive three-way crossbred cows and calves, and hear how the genetics are working within their herds.
Among the highlights were two heifers demonstrating promising milk production and reproductive performance, showcasing the potential of a carefully planned dairy crossbreeding programme.
Three-way crossbred heifers delivering results
Two heifers stood out during the visit, with both producing milk while progressing towards their next calving in under two years.
Heifer 1: 34.4kg of milk at 47 days in milk
This three-way crossbred heifer was producing 34.4kg of milk at 47 days after calving. Sired by Coopex Montbéliarde Surf, with Norwegian Red Roen as her grandsire, she is an example of how Montbéliarde and Norwegian Red genetics are being incorporated into three-way crossbreeding programmes.
She is also on track to calve again in just under two years.
Heifer 2: 30 litres of milk at 48 days in milk
The second heifer was producing 30 litres of milk at 48 days after calving. Another three-way cross, she was also sired by Coopex Montbéliarde Surf, this time with Norwegian Red Ranheim as her grandsire.
Like the first heifer, she is due to calve again in under two years.
Together, these examples highlight the importance of evaluating dairy cow performance across several measures, including milk production, fertility and the ability to maintain a productive calving pattern.
Norwegian Red and Montbéliarde genetics in dairy crossbreeding
Three-way crossbreeding gives dairy farmers the opportunity to combine genetics from different breeds within a planned breeding strategy. At this farm, Coopex Montbéliarde sires and Norwegian Red bloodlines form part of the breeding programme.
Seeing the resulting cows, heifers and calves on farm provides a valuable opportunity to assess how these genetics are developing within a commercial dairy herd.
For farmers considering dairy crossbreeding, individual cow performance and the wider herd's suitability to the farming system are important considerations when choosing the right breeding strategy.
Real farms. Real cows. Real results.
Farm visits are a valuable part of the work at JMC Genetics, bringing the team closer to the farmers using these genetics every day.
From seeing productive three-way crossbred heifers to catching up with customers and meeting the next generation of calves, these visits offer a practical insight into how dairy breeding decisions translate into real herds.
Want to learn more about three-way dairy crossbreeding? Explore how Norwegian Red and Montbéliarde genetics could fit into your herd's breeding strategy with JMC Genetics.