As the dust settles on the release of December's genetic evaluations, let's hear from Holstein Product Manager, Will Barber, about this winter's sire summaries.
December brought a stellar proof run for Cogent, with a key highlight being Captain retaining his spot at the top of the proven list on both sides of the Atlantic. Throughout his life, he has continued to improve, and with over 180 UK milking daughters in his proof, Captain has increased his Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI) to maintain his No.1 spot in the proven rankings.
Feedback from farmers around the world indicates that Captain has delivered on this promises and more. His daughters possess stylish udders and an eagerness to milk, all demonstrated with a remarkable increase to +1219kgs, a gain of almost 400kgs from August.
Captain is influencing the breed like few others before him, with his sons and grandsons dominating the index rankings worldwide. Captain continues to defy genetic depreciation, as shown in the promise of his sons, including Peace, Tiq Taq and Proton.
Five of his sons rank inside the top 30 £PLI genomic young bulls, namely: Peace (£886), Rocky (£862), Space (£860), Dillon (£846), and Cruzer (£837). Additionally, 22% of the UK's top £PLI females are directly related to him. This is a testament to his genetic prowess and cements his place in history as one of the most influential sires of our time.
Away from Captain, we have some exciting new additions to both our genomic and proven ranks, notably with Santos, R2D2, and A2P2 - alongside the new entry Johnboy. From genetic promise to proven, Cogent now boasts an extensive line up with the inclusion of these four graduates.
Santos added the most daughters of any graduate bull this proof, with 222 daughters from 50 herds, a staggering 84% of which scored GP or higher.
New additions to Cogent's genomic lineup feature highly productive bulls like Remy and Crusade, meeting the needs of customers who seek genetic solutions to the fundamental challenge of producing more. Cogent now boasts 28 bulls with over 75kgs of combined fat and protein, strategically positioned to be on the frontline of production.
Genetic diversity is fundamental to our mission, and as we set our sights on the next frontier, we take pride in featuring bulls from a diverse range of cow families and sires. This approach promotes the advancement of the most cutting-edge bulls from across the population, contributing to the sustained accelerated growth of the industry.
Furthermore, for those who enjoy the art of breeding, our lineup includes bulls from world-famous champions such as Jerry Lewis (Idee Windbrook Lynzi EX95 - Grand Champion, Royal Winter Fair 2019) and Liquid Courage (Ladyrose Caught Your Eye EX94 - Champion 4-Year-Old at World Dairy Expo 2023).
This edition of Cogent’s Holstein Portfolio features additional polled bulls, as well as crossover bulls with high style and production, making it one of the strongest yet.
One thing is clear, the Cogent difference is alive and true, whether it be our people, our product, or our potential.