Bulls for 2010

Bulls for 2010
 
Well that time of the year is now upon you all and calving will be underway by the time you are reading this.
It is also the time of year when we start receiving enthusiastic calls about elite calves born from contracts and also find out about bulls born from your other top cows. It’s amazing to think from early July to October the CRV AmBreed bull selection team will continually consider hundreds of potential super stars to build a team of elite bulls to progeny test.
There are many hurdles for them to clear before they make their way to the top and enter CRV AmBreed’s elite progeny testing program, Fast Forward.
 
The first and probably biggest obstacle is just being given a chance….. getting offered to CRV AmBreed. We are in no doubt each year the bobby truck gets more than its fair share of the best bulls. In so many cases we don’t know who your best cows are or what they are in-calf to, relying on you to offer us these little gems. So your task is to ring, e-mail or post/fax us with the forms attached or get online to www.crv4all.co.nz to submit your best bulls.
 
With the first hurdle behind them these Offered bulls are all considered for their genetic merit based on bloodlines, inbreeding and how good mum is. At this stage some of these little bulls hopes and dreams are crushed by the more superior bulls. This brutal ongoing process continues daily from early July to late October, as more bulls are offered.
 
The best of the offered young bulls are selected for genomic testing. Regular collection of Candidate bloods starts in August and continues until early November.  Analyst’s chew their finger nails as they await genomic results that could enhance or weaken a bull’s chance for AB stardom.
 
Genomic results become available in December for all candidates, which includes the latest Animal Evaluation, T.O.P and Somatic Cell breeding value updates. Candidate bulls are either rejected or elevated to Elite Candidate status and undergo health testing in preparation for transportation to CRV AmBreed’s plush bull accommodation in January.
 
After trucking, these elite candidates live a life of luxury with lavish meals of concentrates, hay and silage as they make a final bid for fame. The final fiery hoop to jump through is to impress the AmBreed Sire Analysts enough to secure a prestigious place in ‘The PT Team’. The genomically tested elite candidates have the chance to make an impact on the analysts when they meet after the May Animal Evaluation (AE) and genomic updates. When this final group of bulls are selected they can take their place as 2011 CRV AmBreed progeny test bulls.
 
From May to October 2011 they will then get put into work as CRV AmBreed ‘Studs’ enjoying the pleasures of our gorgeous artificial cow ‘TC’ and getting their straws out to our PT contracted herds.
Then the waiting game begins as we see which straws result in heifers in 2012, which heifers get in-calf in 2013 & which heifers become superstar producers in 2014, and thereby ensuring their 2011 PT dad becomes a graduate and gets himself marketed in the 2015 catalogue!
 
So remember – this entire process relies on you telling us about your bull calves and giving them the chance to be more than a bobby truck statistic!
 
Happy calving!