23 February 2010

Falleninch Charolais achieves greatest UK herd genetic improvement

Stirling based Charolais breeder, Andrew Hornall has been recognised for his 20 cow Falleninch pedigree herd making the greatest genetic progress in Scotland during the last 12 months with the Harman Charolais Genetic Improvement Award 2010. Falleninch also achieved the biggest improvement of the four herds located throughout the UK’s four home countries which were recognised by the Harman family, of Chesham, Buckinghamshire, one of the founding members of the breed society.

Herd progress was measured by the greatest improvement in the Self Replacing Index (SRI) for the calves born in 2008, and recorded over the 2008/2009 recording years. All Breedplan recording society members with a minimum recorded 10 calves were eligible to enter. During the 12 months, the Falleninch herd increased from an average SRI +27.2 to SRI +34.3.

“I’m really pleased to receive this award for Scotland and also for the herd to record the biggest genetic progress in the UK,” said Andrew Hornall. “Getting the female families right has been a priority for three generations of my family during which time we have visited more than 200 herds and selected females on their visual appraisal followed their by genetics – their families must have a lengthy history of good maternal traits and locomotion.

“Breedplan data is an additional tool to back up my decisions when it come to selecting both females and bulls and it is making a contribution towards breeding animals that will produce top end progeny both for fellow Charolais breeders and the commercial man. Furthermore, Breedplan data provides more confidence for our bull buyers.”

Ben Harman commented: “The Harman Charolais Genetic Improvement Award is designed to recognise Charolais breeders, from the very established to those up and coming, for their drive and enthusiasm to use the Breedplan recording system to help select more accurately for  commercial traits within their respective herds. Each of the four winners have demonstrated real improvement in their herd’s SRI indices in the last 12 months, which will in turn contribute towards not only improving the genetics within their own herd, but also in turn enhance the UK commercial beef herd’s performance.”

He added: “Given the date of establishment and notoriety of these winning herds, we are delighted that they have recognised that Breedplan is proving to them a sure way of increasing the rate of genetic progress.”

The winning members in England were Howard and Edward Forster, Bardon Mill, Northumberland (Piatroon) with a 12 month SRI improvement from SRI +24.7 to SRI +30.9; Northern Ireland, Stuart and David Bothwell, Ballinamallard, County Fermanagh (Killadeas) SRI +26.4 to SRI +28.7; and Wales, John Williams, Caersws, Powys (Trannon) SRI +16.3 to SRI +23.1.