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| Cogent launch highest-ranking Shottle son 18th August 2010 |
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The bull has become the highest ranking newcomer in the official DairyCo rankings whose proof is based on actual daughter performance in British herds. He is also the highest ranking of all available Shottle sons, and is UK-owned and bred – with his mother still milking in the 1,400-cow, Cheshire-based Grosvenor herd. The bull is Cogent Twist, and his Profitable Lifetime Index of £160 reflects exceptional all round performance for both production and type, and also includes some outstanding traits for fitness - most notably for cell counts and lifespan. Twist’s high milk volume PTA (491kg) is, unusually, combined with positive fat and protein percentages (+0.06 and +0.01% respectively), while some 24.6kg fat in his proof will appeal to any profit-driven dairy farmer. His high type proof (Type Merit +1.89) reflects the sort of robust, long-living daughters every dairy farmer wants, which have chest width, body depth and rump width as well as very good mammary traits and outstanding scores for legs, feet and locomotion. “The daughters we’ve seen are phenomenal,” says Cogent’s Hugh Pocock. “They are wide and deep but without extreme angularity, and carry extra condition despite their high production. “There’s no question in my mind that Twist’s dam, Cogent Major Tex VG88 (by Looking Major), is one of the best cows to come from the Cogent nucleus herd, and her production has been outstanding.” Of her four lactations to date, her second is her best at 14,650kg with 4.31% fat and 3.18% protein (1,096kg fat plus protein), which is exceptional for volume and quality in 305 days, and gave her a within-herd Production Index of 133. “Members of Visions – our young sire proving scheme – have been asking for more of this bull ever since his daughters started to calve,” adds Mr Pocock. “Now we can see his proof, it reflects all the things they have highlighted to us, which is summed up as a ‘will to survive and get on’.” Twist’s pedigree also features Cogent Winchester Tex VG86 (his maternal grandam), a cow which is a full-sister to Art-Acres Win 395 – one of several successful AI sires which feature in this consistent, bull-breeding family. |
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| Infectious Showring and Sale Success for Cogent 2nd August 2010 |
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![]() The Cogent buzz has been reeking havoc throughout the country over the last couple of weeks. Events have seen fantastic Cogent progeny topping the show and sale ring alike. Great Eccleston Show saw a superb Supersonic daughter from Stephen Garth take 2nd place in an extremely strong senior heifer class, and was beaten by the eventual Reserve Champion. Shottle son, Dalbytop Supersonic EX94 is a top type bull with +2.1 Type, +1.2 Feet and Legs, +2.0 Mammary, +2.5 Temperament, +1.9 Ease of Milk, +1.2 Locomotion, -8 SCC and +0.09% Fat. At Lancashire Holstein Club Show and Sale, Champion and top price was a striking Dictator heifer from James Burrow's Stardale herd at 2,400gns. After the sale James confessed that he had an even better one at home which is coming on superbly, and he is retaining for his renown and award winning herd. In Southern England, at the prestigious top 10% of the Holstein Breed Sale at Segmore Auction Centre, Rob Wedding's Braeden Dictator Kapeno made 2,100gns - despite slipping sale prices in the South West - and was the 2nd highest price in the sale. Overside Dictator EX92, boasts 2 EX and 26 VG daughters. His solid proof, offers +304kgs Milk, +0.3 Lifespan, +0.3 Calving Ease and produces strong wide animals with well attached fore udders. But, not to forget our dominating KC Roses Chatter T Red daughter - Sandyford Clover 10 - this fantastic Ayrshire reigned supreme at the Royal Welsh Show this week, bagging the Overall Dairy Interbreed and adding yet another title to her very extensive list. Chatter has a phenomenal ayrshire proof, with +2.4 Type, +1.6 Mammary, +1.6 Legs and Feet, -19 SCC, +0.05% Fat and +317kgs Milk. Antrim Show saw top showcow Potterswalls Junos Glamour 2 EX93(2E) claim the top spot winning the Jersey Championship and then Interbreed Title from just over 200 catalogued dairy entries. In the Northern Ireland Herds Competition, she was also awarded Best Individual Cow. Sired by Potterswalls Lord Juno EX93, this tremendous bull has incredibly bred 3 excellent 2nd calvers and 3 EX95 point cows. Bred from a phenomenal cow, Mooncrest Imperial Lady EX96(5E) and as a Valleystream Jis Juno son with the renown Potterwalls prefix, it is no surprise that this Jersey bull is producing top type animals. With +1.6 Type, +1.7 Legs and Feet, +0.5 Lifespan and a sought after PLI of £110, Lord Juno has the credentials to perform in various systems. Nantwich and South Cheshire Show also saw great Cogent progeny at the top of the class. Styche Douglas Hilgonda VG87 2yo took the Champion Heifer title, with her tremendous frame and style easily taking her to the top spot. Kepculloch Douglas EX94 is most definitely a bull to look out for this proof run, with his proof currently standing with a PLI of £100, +0.2% Fat, 0.03% Protein, +0.2 Lifespan, +1.8 Fertility Index, -10 SCC, +1.9 Type, +1.6 Mammary and +1.5 Legs and Feet. Click here to view this super animal at the show: Alsan Azure Joan 38 VG86 settled at 2nd place in the Dry Cow class, only beaten by an EX 2nd calver. This great animal was featured in our last proof catalogue and exudes tremendous dairy strength. Cogent Azure EX95 is a great all-round bull, as an Oman son he has inherited his sire's health traits but still manages to produce top type animals. With +129 PLI, a whopping +534kgs Milk, +3.9 Daughter Fertility, +0.2 Lifespan, +3.1 Calving Ease, +1.3 Type and +1.7 Feet and Legs - Cogent Azure is the bull for all profit-conscious dairymen. |
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| Watzon's Winning Whirlwind 1st July 2010 |
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![]() Drisgol Watzon EX90 has been taking on the showring with unbeatable success. In the space of 3 days, Watzon's winners claimed championships at two of the biggest agricultural events in the UK. The first stop for the striking Shorthorn sire was at Cheshire County Show, with Churchroyd Wildeyes being awarded the Junior Interbreed Calf title. Following that, Earlsgift Filpail Fae VG87, took the prestigious Royal Highland Show Heifer Championship on fine form. The robust, dairy heifer - who peaked at an impressive 30litres - is now giving a respectable 26litres milk with her due to calve with her second December/ January. No stranger to the limelight, she has progressed well from show success as a calf - having previously won as an in-calf heifer at Cheshire County Show and Flint and Denbigh Show last year. As a Horizon Ranger Red son from an EX90 Meodowlake Jubilant, Drisgol Watzon is the No.1 Shorthorn bull in the breed for both PLI and Lifespan and produces animals with fantastic udders and components. |
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| The UK’s top home-produced bull is now available sexed June 29th 2010 |
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Cogent Elvina - the UK’s highest ranking home-produced dairy bull - is now being offered as sexed semen, only months after he was launched with his first progeny proof.![]() Westcott Elvina Kelly This move by cattle breeding company, Cogent, reflects the growing demand by UK dairy farmers for sexed semen, as more of them than ever turn to this option as a guarantee of breeding high numbers of heifer replacements for their milking herds. The bull’s enormous popularity stems from his unusual outcross pedigree; the world-class cow family from which he is bred; and the top quality progeny proof he gained in the last proof run. The combined fat and protein in his proof is 40kg; he has positive components for both fat (+0.15%) and protein (+0.12%); and his overall Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI) is £158. Elvina is the first proven son of Cogent Maestro, a bull which was never marketed in the UK but which has been used as a sire of sons world-wide. Maestro’s outcross pedigree (Lukas x Labelle) brings something very different to Elvina, who is one of only a handful of high-PLI bulls which are not sired by Oman. With bloodlines also free from Goldwyn and Shottle – bulls which have also sired many of the new generation of sires – his pedigree is a welcome outcross for the many dairy farmers who are concerned about the narrowing of the Holstein breed’s genetic base. Elvina’s maternal line is a further attraction as the bull descends from the highly prized Lou Etta family, which has a long track record of producing world-class bulls. His dam is Cogent Marshall Eugenie VG87, who achieved exceptional performance in British conditions in the Cogent nucleus herd, producing 50 tonnes of milk in five lactations before being moved on to a flushing programme. Also scoring well for health and fitness – particularly lifespan and daughter fertility – as well as overall type, Elvina sires the sort of daughters which are in keen demand by the modern milk producer, with stature close to average, good udders, legs, feet and locomotion, and no extremes in any department. “Farmers with daughters are really pleased with them, and have commented on their great will to produce high yields with excellent components and the ease with which they get back in calf,” said Andy Smith, progeny evaluator for Cogent. “Those I have seen are clean-boned, well-balanced and youthful heifers which have well-attached, quality udders, having outstanding veination and support, with excellent teat placement. “In terms of PLI, Elvina is head and shoulders above any other bull whose first progeny proof was gained in the UK,” added Mr Smith, “and many of those farmers who have used him have been asking about sexed semen ever since they started milking his daughters.” Elvina semen is available for £18 RRP or £13.50 to Visions customers; £35 RRP sexed or £26 to Visions customers. |
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| Shaker is the Big Daddy 21st June 2010 |
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This Father’s Day welcomes another celebration, as Picston Shaker EX94 celebrates the 150k mark for the number of sexed semen straws produced. Shaker, nicknamed ‘the cheese-maker’ for his tremendous components, +0.11% Fat and +0.05% Protein, has impressively now produced over 150,000 straws of sexed semen, as his demand remains as strong as ever. Shaker excels for Lifespan (+0.3), Somatic Cell Count (-9) and Temperament (+1.9). At a grand 14 years of age, this 99% reliable bull is still a bovine beauty and in extremely high demand from dairy farmers all over the globe – spanning from Italy , Australia , Holland and Ireland . Volumes of traffic are expected to descend on Chester , as Father’s Day card deliveries from across the globe are delivered to the Cogent stud, as Shaker fathers progeny ranging from newly born calves to 12 year old cows. In fact, it is estimated he has over 100,000 daughters worldwide. As a Dombinator son, and half brother to Picston Shottle, Shaker is from the renowned 60-star brood cow, Condon Aero Sharon EX91. This unique outcross sire with no Blackstar, Mascot, Chief Mark or Belle in his pedigree brought something new and refreshing to the dairy industry. Cogent’s Sire Analyst, Simon Moseley adds, ‘Breeders have often commented that his daughters develop into some of the best aged cows they have in the herd today – with fantastic udders and tremendous dairy character.’ As an EX94 bull, Shaker’s daughters are just as good-looking – with an impressive world record of 20 Excellent first crop daughters and over 1,000 VG or EX registered progeny so far. |
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| First-Class Lucente daughter makes Top Price at the well respected Marland Herd Dispersal Sale 7th June 2010 |
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![]() Marland-Lucente-EX92 Marland Lucente Goldie EX92, stole the limelight at Graham and Trish Ward’s Marland dispersal sale in North Devon. The 3rd calver was the buzz of the sale and many buyers that had flocked to the sale were after a leg of the fantastic Aquila Patron Lucente daughter. At £2,362, she sold for well above the £1,638 average of the 96 milking and dry cows. Her dam, Marland Rich Goldie, is a GP83 Crichel Principal daughter. The Lucente daughter highlights what this highly reliable bull can deliver, with a proof that does exactly what it says on the tin. With +417kgs Milk, +1.3 Type, +1.3 Mammary +2.2 Temperament, +2.0 Ease of Milk and +0.6 Calving Ease – its easy to see why this sire has been widely used by copious dairy farmers throughout the world, in fact, an incredible 14,533 daughters make up Lucente’s proof. |
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| RED HOT BULL DAM NOW EX95(3) 2nd June 2010 |
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| Highest classified bull in the Shorthorn breed – Drisgol Madonna’s Prince EX95 2nd June 2010 |
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![]() Impressively, one of the highest ranking proven Shorthorn production bulls, Drisgol Madonna’s Prince, has been scored EX95. His sire, Marleycote Thorndale Prince, is one of the best Shorthorn bulls in the breed and incredibly has more EX scored daughters than any bull in the breed. Madonna’s Prince’s progeny are as impressive as their sire, our in-house Shorthorn expert Cerys Crank swears by the bull and comments that they are, ‘clean through the bone, have plenty of strength and also the important added bonus of superb mammary systems’. At +0.05% F, +0.08%P, +58kg and +0.1 Lifespan, Milk Madonna’s Prince promises to deliver hard-working animals that are built to last. |
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| Conformer Heifer is the Undisputed Milking Queen 29th April 2010 |
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Roundhill Conformer Leslie was crowned NMR’s highest yielding heifer in County Armagh, averaging a whopping 41 litres a day. In her first lactation she incredibly produced over 21,000 litres in 515 days – proving why she deservedly claimed her title. Commenting on the animal, Hugh stated that she, ‘is a very easy to manage animal and is well out performing her herdmates – peaking at 57 litres a day. She has tremendous dairy character with great feet and legs and is respectably classified at GP83.’ Given the fact that Conformer has the impressive proof figures of 635kgs Milk, -10SCC, +2.0 Fertility, +0.4 Calving Ease and +1.0 Condition Score, its no surprise that he produces trouble-free, robust, production cows. |
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One of the first UK proven Oman sons is now available sexed. |
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| Sexed success in Uganda 12th March 2010 |
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![]() From a small UK company that was set up just 15 years ago selling only young sire – Cogent has grown at a rapid rate and surpassed all initial doubts. Now, with our superior, state of the art sexing technology and over 50 proven bulls in our product line-up from many different breeds – Cogent has most definitely made a big impact on the dairy industry. From a lot of time and research, we have refined our product and developed the most robust and successful sexing technolgy on the market. Impressively, this has now enabled Cogent to become the world's leading supplier ofsexed semen, with more than 10 years experience of selling the product commercially. However, our success has not just been experienced in the UK – our export business is also developing relentlessly, with Cogent product now being sold in over 35 countries. Remarkably the first insemination of Cogent Sexed Semen was made in Uganda this week – showing that our product is excitingly spreading to all corners of the globe! Along with our entry into the flourishing market in Uganda, we are also branching into Kenya and Vietnam – which are also two countries whose dairy industries are looking extremely prosperous. In Vietnam there are 10,000 cow dairy units being established in various locations around the country and in conjunction with our entry, Cogent will be attending the Ildex dairy event – which is one of the biggest shows in South East Asia. With even more plans to grow and plenty of room for development – the future for Cogent is most definitely looking extremely bright! |
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| Magnificent Metalic daughter takes Champion Heifer title 23rd February 2010 |
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| Haywain Metalic Irma surpassed all competition and took the honour of ‘Champion Heifer by a Test Bull’ in the Flint and Denbighshire herds’ competition. Cogent Sire Analyst, Simon Moseley commented that this VG 2yo from a VG86 Lucente is, ‘a sound all-round heifer that has a lot of strength, is well balanced with a snuggly attached udder’. Breeder Hayden Griffths, Cefn Farm, Flintshire finds his Metalic daughter a pleasure to milk being ‘quiet with an excellent tightly attached udder’. He also commented that she was, ‘clean boned with a strong topline and has a healthy thrive for life’. This impressive heifer is still milking well despite having calved in June. Currently she has given 7,697kgs in 234days with 3.92% F and 3.06%P – and at the end of her lactation her projected production is a noteworthy 9,500kgs. It is no surprise that this Metalic daughter has show stopping appeal and it looks as though her sire’s traits have definitely come through – as Metalic is +2.1 for Type, with a +2.0 Mammary score. This recently proven Titantic son has an exceptional pedigree – from the Startmore Gails – which is packed with longevity, high lifetime yields and outstanding type. |
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| Cogent Celebrates Showring Success! 19th February 2010 |
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![]() Drointon Retinue R Virtue Red This week at the National All Breeds show, Cogent progeny reigned supreme, putting the company firmly on the show scene map! Drointon Retinue R Bell Red, a Cogent Retinue Red from Yatehouse Tallent Belle Red owned by Whitegrove Farms WON the Holstein Intermediate Calf class (Born Between 1st April & 30th June 2009) and she also went on to be awarded Honourable Mention in the Junior Holstein Section. Another Retinue heifer (Drointon Retinue R Virtue Red - Cogent Retiune Red x Drointon SS Virtue, also owned by Whitegrove Farms) was placed 4th in the Holstein Junior Heifer Class (Born Between 1st July and 31st December 2008). Keeping things in the family the Holstein Breed Champion was awarded to H Wright & Son’s Berryholme Shottle Flo - a half sister to Cogents' very own Berryholme Foreman. |
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| Striking Roumare son reaches top price at Holstein NI Spring Bull Sale. 11th February 2010 |
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| Striking Roumare son reaches top price at Holstein NI Spring Bull Sale At 18th months old, Ards Roumare Ruth was sold for top price at a whopping £6,000 at the 35+ strong head Holstein Northern Ireland Spring Bull Sale. He also secured the title of Reserve Champion against tough competition at the pre-sale show. From H Patton & Sons, Newtownards - breeder Wilson Patton commented that he had fantastic legs and feet, carried good condition and had matured very well. Roumare – a Jocko Besne son – has a score of +2.1 Type, +2 Mammary and +1.4 Legs and Feet. Wilson also remarked that he is very happy with the sire and has found daughters (which would now be around bulling age) to be, ‘good-looking calves that are aggressive feeders and really growing on at a rapid rate.’ |
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| Bojangles makes Supercalf at Meadow Quality Livestock Auction 10th February 2010 |
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An Edenvalley Bojangles bull calf took the honour of ‘Supercalf’ at buying group Meadow Quality’s Livestock Auction. The British Blue dairy cross calf was assessed on conformation and weight and was found to – at 5 wks old – weigh an outstanding 90kilos. Breeder Mrs Miller commented that, ‘he had always stood out in the pen and was easy to calve despite being big.’ This Bojangles calf is the 1st ‘Supercalf’ that Messers Filer & Miller have bred and they are extremely happy with the sire. Currently the Dorset based farmers are also using along with Holstein sires, Donnah Randy Lumiere – another Cogent British Blue bull – on their 230 head Holstein Friesian herd. Both Bojangles and Lumiere produce excellent quality, dark blue calves. Bojangles has a calving ease figure of 1.9% with a gestation length of 280 days, and with 107 calvings (as of January) he produces very fertile semen! |
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| Stylish Loader Heifer reigns supreme as Best Heifer in Winter Holstein Classic 3rd February 2010 |
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![]() Seaville Loader Angela took the Border and Lakeland Holstein Club's Winter Holstein Classic by storm and gained the prestigious honour of Best heifer. This milky Loader daughter fought off strong competition from some of the top breeders in the UK and judge Hugh Neilson described her as, "correct, balanced and well put together. She also tracks on good legs and feet and is the sort that you would like to milk." Due to calve in May and having calved 14 months she is now averaging 30 litres, owner Craig Davidson commented that she, 'has no special treatment and is housed in cubicles with the rest of the herd. She is a heifer that is always early in the parlour and is an aggressive feeder with good health traits.' Nominated for the renowned All-Britain awards in the Senior Heifer class and having many other accolades under her early showing career belt - she oozes the milky, high type and easy to manage credentials that Loader has to offer breeders. |
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| CHATTER daughter Sandyford Clover 10 is now classified at EX95 (2E). 26th January 2010 |
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Her tremendous frame and capacity, which is teamed with her incredible udder has enabled her to achieve the following honours: Sandyford Clover 10 is set to finish her current lactation at 11,500kgs with 4.3% Fat and 3.5% Protein. The type and production credentials in this remarkable daughter prove the achievable potential of KC Roses Chatter T Red – who currently stands at +2.2 Type, +1.5 Mammary, +1.1 Legs and Feet with 336kg Milk at 0.05% Fat. Breeder Blaise Tomlinson commented that he has about, ‘25 milking daughters in his herd and is thrilled by the results Chatter has given him – robust, strong cattle that have high milk quality, fantastic rear udders and a great will to milk’. |
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| POTTERSWALLS JUST BELLE IS NOW CLASSIFIED AT EX95 (4E) 21nd January 2010 |
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| Phenomenal Phil Daughter steals Top Price at Bentham Auction 15th jANUARY 2010 |
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Bentham Auction’s weekly dairy cattle sale saw Luptonhall Dal Delores – a Dalbytop Phil daughter – stealing top price at £2020. Vendor Mr Barton commented that this 4 weeks fresh heifer was, ‘his first Phil daughter to calve through. She’s very correct with an exceptional udder and being very quiet made her a pleasure to work with.’ The Phil daughter calved with a Netherside Dynamo heifer – born to sexed semen – and is averaging a modest 32kgs a day. View Phil's Proof HERE |
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| Cogent’s first British Oman son confirms farmer reports of hard-working daughters that are easy to manage 13th January 2010 |
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| The first British-proven son of Oman from Cogent’s progeny testing scheme has hit the ground running with the launch this week of the official UK Holstein bull proofs. The young bull is Cogent Azure and his first performance figures corroborate all the anecdotal reports and the praise heaped upon him by farmers participating in the Visions progeny testing scheme. “His daughters have been described to me as a pleasure to work with, easy to get in calf, and robust enough to just effortlessly get on with the job,” says Andy Smith, Cogent’s progeny evaluator. “They carry that bit of extra condition, have good chest width, very good udders, excellent legs and feet and plenty of milk,” he adds. “In fact, they’re the sort of cows that just get on with their lives, without any trouble.” A glance at Azure’s type profile reveals that he is just the sort of bull required for the modern dairy farm with no extremes in any area, excellent locomotion and a genuinely ‘no holes linear profile’. Like his sire, he also excels in health and fitness traits, most notably through extremely easy calving (direct Calving Ease +3.1) and his daughters’ excellent fertility (Fertility Index +2.5) and longer than average herd life (Lifespan Index +0.2). Behind the bull is a proven US cow family descending from Ladys-Manor Temptress and with eight generations of VG or EX cows in the pedigree. His dam, Ladys-Manor Autumn is an Aaron daughter with an impressive breeding record, already having produced proven sons in AI including Ladys-Manor O Autumn and Ladys-Manor Augusta. With plenty of production (463kg milk; 12.4kg (-0.07%) fat; 14.4kg (-0.01%) ptn) and a Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI) of £114, Cogent Azure has the solid all-round credentials to appeal to a wide cross-section of farmers. “In fact, he has everything the modern dairy farmer is asking us for,” adds Hugh Pocock, Cogent’s UK sales and genetics manager. “They want plenty of production; ease of management and condition on the frame – and this bull has got the lot. He is every dairyman’s dream!” Price: £22 or £15.50 to Visions members. |
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| Cogent appoints leading light in Holstein Young Breeders to its sales and marketing team 8th December 2009 |
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| Cogent announces an industry-first for high grade sexed male beef semen 4th December 2009 |
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Sexed beef semen which has a 90 percent chance of producing a male calf is now being marketed in the UK for the very first time. Since being recognised as the best Limousin bull in Europe – and with a string of other awards to his credit including supreme beef championship at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2007 and Limousin championship at the Royal Welsh Show in 2006 - demand from around the world for Sauvignon’s semen has gone through the roof. |
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| GISBURN AUCTION MARTS CHRISTMAS CALF SHOW. 3rd December 2009 |
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| The 2009 Gisburn Auction Marts Christmas show of rearing calves, last Thursday (26 Nov) saw 217 calves forward, from across the counties of Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire. A packed ringside of spectators and 28 English and Scottish buyers were present to watch the tremendous show of quality calves, co-judged by calf buyers-Tony Binns, Harrogate and John Robson, Barnard Castle and kindly sponsored by Cogent Breeding Ltd. The overall champion a seven-week-old British Blue bull sold for £500, from dairy farmer, Tom Holden, Chaigley, Clitheroe, Lancashire. The calf sired by the bull - Valley Pedro, out of a fifth lactation Friesian cow, sold to bull beef finishers Keith & Jean Lavin, Garswood, Wigan, Lancashire. Who also picked up the reserve champion prize winner and second prize British Blue bull calf at £390, from renowned calf producer Colin Whitelock, Gargrave, Skipton, North Yorkshire. ![]() ![]() Left to right: Ian Plews of Cogent Breeding Ltd, pre-sale show sponsor presenting-father and daughter partnership, Tom & Christine Holden with their award for the champion calf, which sold for £500 to K & DJ Lavin, Wigan, Lancashire. ![]() Photo Reserve Champion Left to right; Ian Plews of Cogent Breeding Ltd, pre-sale show sponsor with Colin Whitelock and his reserve champion calf, which sold for £390 to K & DJ Lavin, Wigan, Lancashire. |
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| Cogent expansion reflects commitment and optimism for the future of UK cattle genetics 27th November 2009 |
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The commitment by cattle breeding company, Cogent to British agriculture moved up a gear this month when the company’s founder and owner, the Duke of Westminster, officially opened a new extension to Beachin Stud, its Cheshire-based bull housing facility. |
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| Congratulations to Errolston Holsteins and Loader. 25th November 2009 |
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photos from Cowsmopolitan |
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| Inception to Conception - The Sexed Semen Way. In association with - XL Vets, NWF & Intervet Schering Plough 21st September 2009 |
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Cogent, NWF, XLVets & Intervet Schering Plogh invite you to the INCEPTION to CONCEPTION - THE SEXED SEMEN WAY. We are hosting a series of road shows to bring together heifer nutrition and health management to deliver live and healthy calves. The 10th Anniversary of Cogent Sexed Semen has seen huge technology developments with conception rates of up to 80% and up to 95% hefier calves being born. The meetings promise to be interesting and informative if you use Sexed Semen or not! Any questions, please do not hesitate to call DATE TIME VENUE HOTEL: |
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| Fantastic Turn out to celebrate Cogent Sexed Semen's 10th Anniversary at this years Dairy Event. 21st September 2009 |
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Cogent would like to say a huge thank you to all those that helped make this years Dairy Event so special. |
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| Top Cogent bull, Spooky, cuts a remarkable nine days off gestation length bringing substantial welfare and financial benefits 11th September 2009 |
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But AI company Cogent has early indications that one of its most popular bulls – Huddlestone Spooky – is cutting a remarkable nine days off average gestation length, which is considered to be exceptional in the cattle breeding world. “The potential benefits of this are enormous,” says Cogent’s Hugh Pocock. “Any dairy farmer will tell you that a difficult calving frequently sets off a chain of negative health events, often beginning with uterine infections and retained cleansings and developing into metabolic problems in the forthcoming lactation. “Spooky’s calving ease figure is, not surprisingly, exceptionally good [4%], and his calves are reported to be strong and vigorous, developing into the robust and great framed cows for which they’ve earned a reputation. “The easier calvings are clearly being influenced by shorter gestation lengths for cows inseminated with Spooky semen, which data from NMR has revealed to average just 275 days. This is exceptionally short compared with the national average at 284 days, and rarely would a bull shave more than three or four days off this time. “In Spooky’s case, the cow carrying his calf has, on average, nine extra days to return to cycling activity, which puts her in a very good position to recover from calving, and potentially gives her a full 90 days to get in calf, and still remain within a 365 day calving interval. “If they then go on to mirror the reduction in gestation length in reduced days open, they will also cut nine days off this figure. “It’s widely accepted that the cost of one day open is £5 per cow per day, so just reducing days open by nine days has the potential to save £45 per cow per lactation, or £4,500 per 100 cows. “What is particularly gratifying is that Spooky transmits many other desirable traits for production, management, fitness and type. He is truly a bull of the moment, offering average stature combined with strength through the body as well as strongly attached udders with good milking speeds and low cell counts. His daughters also carry some condition which is particularly important in these welfare-conscious times. “PTAs for production are also good at 341kg milk with 34.7kg fat plus protein and big positive percentages for both components. Daughter lifespans are unsurprisingly positive and his Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI) is £160. “We are absolutely delighted to have received this new information about Spooky, which makes him even more of a complete package than even we had realised,” says Mr Pocock. “Anyone using him within their herd stands to benefit from a win-win situation. They will not only get the genetic benefits he transmits to his daughters, but they also have the potential to make significant financial and welfare gains through better reproductive performance by the cows carrying his calves.” List price for Spooky is £18; he is available sexed at £37; there are discounts for quantity and for Visions (progeny test) participants, and he is available to users of the whole herd HerdPlan scheme. |
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| Three new UK-proven Cogent bulls offer production, type and lifespan improvements 19th August 2009 |
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Cogent has introduced three new UK-proven bulls to its line-up today which each bring high type and a strong emphasis on sound functional conformation without compromising milk production. Cogent Mordor: the first proven son of Picston Shaker, himself from the famous Condon Aero Sharon EX91. Mordor’s dam – Cogent Mtoto Mandine VG86 – has a remarkable track record, having recently completed her sixth lactation in the UK completing over 75 tonnes and still going strong. Cogent Determined: a high type son of Hidden-View Best and out of the US-bred Ricecrest Decision Darcy VG87. Determined has good production with both high milk and positive components, weighing in with a PTA of 696kg milk, 28.4kg (+0.02%) fat and 23.4kg (+0.01%) protein. At 2.6 points on Type Merit, he transmits exceptional mammary conformation (+2.32), outstanding legs and feet (+2.19) and good locomotion. Although around breed average for stature, his linear profile shows daughters to be far wider through the chest and with deeper bodies than average. His Lifespan index is +0.2, daughters have excellent temperament, and his PLI is £146. Bilsrow Oscar: a UK-bred son of Calbrett-I H H Champion and out of the sixth generation VG or EX Bilsrow Gibson Olympia EX92 (2). Oscar transmits high type (TM 1.8) with exceptional feet and legs (2.1), in particular through his daughters’ exceptional body traits of width, depth and openness of rib. Also impressive for production PTAs (including positive protein percent), Oscar improves lifespan (+0.3), transmits good cell counts (-12) and his PLI is £126. “We are delighted that these three bulls are transmitting such genuinely useful management traits which will add to any herd’s bottom line,” says Mr Pocock. “They have also maintained the conformation that will not only sustain their production, but will make them a pleasure to milk. And the fact that they are proven in the UK should give any UK producer confidence in their expected performance.”
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| Robust, all-black Holstein with quality milk now on offer sexed 12th August 2009 |
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Cogent Easter is said to be the ideal bull to meet the needs of the many Holstein breeders who feel the breed has become too extreme and wish to put robustness and strength back into their herds. Easter’s production proof will further appeal to those seeking to raise milk quality, with Predicted Transmitting Abilities (PTAs) for fat at 0.04 percent and protein at an exceptionally high +0.09 percent. Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI) is £140. Easter is a son of Cogent Courier, and out of an EX91 Mtoto daughter from the sought-after Lou Etta line. His linear type profile shows daughters to be excellent for functional traits, without extremes in any area. They score highly for locomotion (+1.78) and are unusually high in the breed for condition score (+0.66), both making for long-living, trouble-free cows. This is reflected in his positive score for Lifespan at +0.2. Overall Type Merit is 1.9. “We are extremely pleased with the Easter daughters we have seen, which closely reflect the bull’s linear profile and the bull’s own conformation,” says Hugh Pocock from Cogent. “The bull himself is strong, long and wide and the fact that he is jet black all over with four black feet is particularly unusual in the Holstein breed. “We are aware that the demand for herd replacements with these qualities is increasing, so we’re delighted to be able to offer sexed semen from this bull – and the 90 percent chance that pregnancies will result in a heifer calf.” List price for sexed Cogent Easter is £37; there are discounts for quantity and for Visions (progeny test) participants, and he is available to users of the whole herd HerdPlan XS scheme. |
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| Cogent sexes young red and white sire semen to satisfy popular demand 5th August 2009 |
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The young red and white Holstein sire, Willsbro Red Razzle, was a sell-out within days of being launched for progeny testing this summer, as red and white breeders in particular were keen to acquire bloodlines from his outstanding pedigree. Razzle is a son of Dudoc Mr Burns and his dam is the remarkable Rockset Faber Rachel EX92, a cow which gave 15,616 kg at 3.95 percent fat and 3.08 percent protein (305 days) in her second lactation in the Wills brothers’ herd in Cornwall. She combines this production with an EX93 score for mammary. The bull’s pedigree features a remarkable nine generations classified Excellent, while the bull himself is said to be exceptional in his own conformation. “He’s a very stylish and correct young bull, with outstanding feet and legs and a hard top line,” said Hugh Pocock from Cogent. “His flat bone is particularly appealing amongst red and white breeders who are anxious to avoid the coarseness associated with some red and white bloodlines. We have a lot of interest from Ayrshire and Shorthorn herds, as well, of course, as Holsteins.” Daughters are expected to perform well in the parlour as Razzle’s Pedigree Index features 690kg milk and combined fat and protein of over 44kg. His predicted Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI) is £122. “Our young sires would normally be on lay-off after their semen has been distributed for progeny testing, but the appeal of this bull’s pedigree has been so extraordinary that we are sexing his semen at this early age in order to give our customers a far better chance of breeding some dairy replacements from this exceptional bull,” concluded Mr Pocock. |
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| More expansion for Cogent’s team in the north 3rd August 2009 |
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![]() Hugh Pocock with Graham Higgott Breeding company Cogent continues its expansion nationally and this month announces a new team member in the north of England. Graham Higgott will cover the counties of Yorkshire and parts of Derbyshire and Cheshire and joins the company with a strong practical farming background, after a successful career in farm management in two prominent Holstein herds. By the age of 21, Graham was farm manager for a herd of 220 Holsteins in North Yorkshire and after this herd’s dispersal, he moved on to a comparable position in Norfolk. Here, the Neatishall herd enjoyed considerable show ring success and won the junior section of the county’s herd competition under his direction. Returning to Yorkshire in 2007, Graham’s most recent position has been managing a 300 cow unit averaging 10,500 litres. “I’m moving to the AI side of the business for the career structure it offers, and I’m really looking forward to being involved with breeding some of those great cows that are out there,” says Graham. “Cogent is such a youthful and forward-thinking company, and as far as I’m aware, there’s no other breeding business like it which is working exclusively for British agriculture. “I’m particularly keen to promote this aspect of the company, and the fact that the bulls are proven under UK conditions.” Hugh Pocock, sales and marketing manager for Cogent welcomed Graham to the company and said that his appointment was a reflection of the buoyant trade Cogent continued to enjoy both as the leading producer of sexed semen in the world and a key player in the conventional dairy and beef semen market. Graham can be contacted on 07787 283117. |
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| Former farmer joins Cogent in the north 23rd June 2009 |
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![]() UK Sales Manager Hugh Pocock with Cogent's new Breeding Advisor Alan Robson Breeding company Cogent has announced the appointment of Alan Robson as a new breeding advisor based in the north of England, who brings several years of successful dairy farming and cattle breeding experience to the job. He will cover the county of Lancashire and parts of south Cumbria. Alan has milked cows for most of his working life, having developed his family herd in Singleton near Blackpool with his brother and parents, until its dispersal in 2004. By the time of its sale, both the herd and Alan himself had amassed a succession of victories in both stock judging and in the show ring. The herd average production exceeded 10,000 litres and some 15 cows classified Excellent and 45 Very Good – many by Cogent sires – were offered in the dispersal. One in particular went on to excel, taking the AgriScot reserve Holstein championship in 2005, while another won her class at the National Holstein Show. Both were nominated in the All-Britain Awards in 2005. Alan is well known in his region as a committee member for the Lancashire Holstein Club and having worked for Genus for the past four years. Relishing the opportunity of working with farmers on improving the genetics in their herds, he says: “I have been very impressed with Cogent’s strategy of breeding bulls from outstanding British families and testing them under UK conditions. I am confident there are greater things to come from this vibrant young company and I look forward to being involved in its future.” |
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Keen demand for Ayrshire genetics |
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A growing demand for Ayrshire genetics amongst dairy farmers has prompted two companies to come together with a double sexed semen launch. The bulls on offer are Ardmore Crown Napier – the first ever UK-bred Ayrshire bull to be offered sexed – and Green Lane Prodigy, a young sire with an exceptional pedigree. Ardmore Crown Napier hit the headlines in the world of red and whites last month, when he entered the Profitable Lifetime Index rankings as the number one pure Ayrshire sire. His PLI is £168. Napier was progeny tested in the UK and was used as a young sire throughout the world. His first UK proof shows him to combine good milk production and quality with improvements in both cell counts and lifespan. With a Type Merit of 1.9, his linear profile is particularly outstanding for mammary conformation, with exceptional udder support. Bred by John Hunter in Northern Ireland, his pedigree is a further attraction as Napier is a son of Meikle Laught Triple Crown, while his dam - McCornick Nepeta 2 EX93 - is full sister to the AI sire, McCornick Nelson. “We are delighted to be able to offer sexed semen from an Ayrshire bull of such high calibre, which we hope will help satisfy the growing tide of breeders turning to red and white genetics,” said Hugh Pocock, Sales and Genetics Manager with Cogent, who will jointly market the bull with Cattle Services (Ayr) Ltd. “This bull epitomises all the Ayrshire breed has to offer - outstanding longevity and ease of management, yet with high yields of quality milk,” added Edward Evans from Cattle Services. “And by offering him sexed, there’s a 90 per cent chance that his pregnancies will result in a heifer calf, which gives any herd using him the real prospect of making significant genetic progress.” The second Ayrshire bull to be sexed and marketed by the two companies is the young sire, Green Lane Prodigy, which has been singled out for the strength and depth of his pedigree – said to combine power and performance. “It may be unusual to sex semen from a young sire, but we feel that this bull has such an exceptional pedigree that we’d like to give breeders a chance of dabbling in the future,” said Mr Evans. A son of the popular McCornick Nelson, it is the bull’s mother – Twemlow Heligo Pride EX91 – which is the real eye-catcher, whose production has averaged 11,240kg at 4.31 per cent fat and 3.10 per cent protein over her first six lactations. List prices: Ardmore Crown Napier £18; sexed £35; Green Lane Prodigy £12; sexed £30. Discounts for quantity.
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| Avoiding lameness starts before birth 15th April 2009 |
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Reducing lameness should be a top priority on UK dairy farms but the process should start before the cow is even born. |
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| Speculate to accumulate with Cogent Sexed Semen March 16th 2009 |
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By producing a heifer calf from virtually every mating, he has not only created a substantial extra income stream from dairy breeding stock sales, but he has been able to use this income to good effect, investing in a diversification project which has proved to be of substantial benefit to the entire business. The diversification project is called Fastrack Farm. It offers quads, laser shooting and an 18-hole themed golf course in the shape of Northern Ireland and the extra income it generates is particularly welcome when milk prices are low. And such has been the success of the project, that – although the dairy herd continues to run alongside – cow numbers have been cut in half, from 240 head to a more manageable 120. Describing the farm’s use of sexed semen as a ‘win-win situation’, Jim explains how shaky results at the start have been steadily improved, with conception rates today running at 60 per cent, while calving problems have been virtually eliminated. “We switched to sexed semen because we were concerned about producing the next generation of females for the herd,” he says, “but an added bonus has been an end to calving difficulties with the absence of bull calves. “We get virtually no big calving problems, even with the heifers, and 90 percent calve themselves with no assistance needed.” With the bonus of surplus heifers being offered for sale over the past 12 months, the cash flow for the dairy herd has been significantly boosted. Ballymena Livestock Market Auctioneer Foster Gowdy confirms the benefits of avoiding bull calves and remarks: “With a strain on the export market and with bull calves from two weeks old only making £20, it doesn’t make financial sense to produce them.” And just for fun, Jim recently used three straws of conventional semen but should have guessed what he’d get – the inevitable disappointment of three bull calves! Having reinforced his commitment to using sexed semen, he will continue with the formula that’s proved such a resounding success, and continue to do exactly what he was taught on a DIY AI course around 25 years ago! Cogent recommends the Embryonics DIY AI course on 18–20 March in the Ballymena area. For more information, contact your Cogent representative or call Holly 01244 622022 to book your place. |
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| Cogent devise payment structure to slash breeding costs for hard-pressed farmers March 16th 2009 |
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Dairy farmers who are prepared to make a commitment are being offered a deal that could halve the cost of semen and give them access to some of the country’s leading bulls for a fraction of their list price. NOTES FOR EDITORS |
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tel:+44 (0)1244 622 000 | fax:+44 (0)1244 620 373 | email: info@cogentuk.com | web:www.cogentuk.com |
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