Lactanet has provided highlights from the April 2022 Proof round. Below is the summary of the colored breeds which can be found on the CDN website.
Ayrshire Highlights
The Pro$ formula in each breed is updated with the April genetic evaluation release each year. This annual update accounts for changes in milk prices (i.e.: revenue) received by farmers across Canada as well as estimated expenses related to heifer rearing and feed costs. In addition, new traits evaluated by Lactanet may be added to the Pro$ formula with appropriate relative weights based on scientific analysis. A genetic base update is also applied in April of each year to follow along with genetic progress achieved from year to year. Overall, the combination of these changes has resulted in an average Pro$ decrease of $144 this round for the group of Top 100 Pro$ proven sires in December 2021.
“Rob” Peaks Interest as the Highest Newly Proven Sire
Des Coteaux Rob‐ET makes an impressive entrance as the highest newly proven sire this April as he grabs #2 for LPI and the #4 spot for both Pro$ and Fat. Rob is the fourth proven son of Valpas in Canada and his dam is Des Coteaux Mordicus Rosée‐ET. There are seven other sires that achieve Top 10 status for both LPI and Pro$, including Sammatin Valpas himself, who regains his #1 position on both lists this round (#3 Milk, #1 Fat, #1 Protein). Another Valpas son, who was the highest newcomer in December, namely Des Fleurs Paraguay‐ET (dam is Des Fleurs Rockstar Parellie‐ET), stays strong as he now occupies #2 Pro$ and #3 LPI positions as well as #5 Milk, tied #2 Fat and tied #2 Protein. Staying firm this round, with the same ranking for both indexes as in December, is Guimond Yale‐ET (Orraryd x Reality) at #3 Pro$ and #5 LPI (#6 Milk, #8 Fat, tied #2 Protein). Des Coteaux Amazing (Revolution x Percy) experiences little change and takes #4 LPI and #5 Pro$ (tied #8 Protein). Orraryd increases for Pro$ to regain Top 10 status and now occupies #6 LPI and #8 Pro$ (#7 Milk, tied #6 Protein). The Orraryd son, Ruisseau Clair Athenos‐ET (#8 LPI, #9 Pro$, tied #2 Fat), and maternal grandson, Kamouraska Rebellion (#6 Pro$, #10 LPI, #1 Milk, #6 Fat, #5 Protein), complete the list of sires that achieve Top 10 status for both national indexes this April. The Top 10 LPI list is completed by two other Orraryd sons, namely Visserdale Sittler‐ET at #8 LPI (#18 Pro$) and Des Coteaux Revolution‐ET at #9 LPI (#11 Pro$, #9 Fat, tied #8 Protein). On the Pro$ side, the Top 10 list is completed by Des Fleurs Parrain‐ET at #7 Pro$ (#12 LPI, tied #10 Fat) and La Sapiniere Chelyote in #10 position (#61 LPI, #5 Fat, #10 Protein, tied #8 Conformation).
In addition to Rob, three other sires generate interest as they achieve Top 25 status for LPI and/or Pro$. The highest of these is Visserdale Sutter at #12 Pro$ and #16 LPI (#7 Fat), who is the first son of Ruisseau Clair Adidas proven in Canada (dam is Visserdale Selena 8 ET). Similarly, the first proven son of Visserdale Sittler‐ET in Canada, namely Des Coteaux Aslan (dam is Des Coteaux Volvo Amarula‐ET), has a promising start at #13 LPI and #16 Pro$. Cock Rond Nirvana (Revolution x Rockstar) is also of interest as he makes his debut at #22 LPI and #30 Pro$.
Six cows occupy the top rankings for both the GLPI and Pro$ lists this April. Kamouraska Diva‐ET retains her #1 title for all of GLPI, Pro$, Milk, Fat and Protein, while her full sister, Kamouraska Dounia‐ET, now follows immediately behind in #2 position for both GLPI and Pro$ (#4 Milk, #2 Fat and #3 Protein). Their dam, Kamouraska Orra Xuby, climbs up both lists to reach #3 GLPI and #4 Pro$ (#6 Milk, #2 Protein). La Sapiniere Facyriss also climbs up a notch on both lists, now at #3 Pro$ and #4 GLPI (#3 Fat, tied #7 Protein). Visserdale Selena 33 also maintains her elite status among the Top 10 for both national indexes this round at #5 GLPI and #6 Pro$ (tied #7 Fat). The same is also true for Diva’s highest‐ranking daughter, Kamouraska Divanne‐ET (by Amazing), who loses some ground but manages to land at #5 GLPI and #6 Pro$ (tied #8 Fat, #4 Protein). The seventh and final cow that achieves Top 10 status for both indexes this round is Des Fleurs Tuxedo Page‐ET in #10 GLPI position and shares the #7 Pro$ spot with De Fraserville Kitani‐ET (#30 GLPI, #5 Protein). The Top 10 GLPI list this April is completed by three cows carrying the Kamouraska prefix, including Diva’s second highest daughter, Kamouraska Fifa (by Bigstar), who keeps her #7 GLPI ranking (#15 Pro$, tied #6 Protein). The two others are newly indexed cows that penetrate the Top 10 GLPI list this round as Kamouraska Gica (daughter of Rob out of Kamouraska Erica‐ET) makes her debut at #8 GLPI (#28 Pro$) and Kamouraska Giva (another Diva daughter, by Nirvana) follows right behind in the #9 GLPI position (#12 Pro$, tied #7 Protein). The Top 10 Pro$ list this round is completed by Des Coteaux Rob Kristine at #9 Pro$ (#18 GLPI, dam is Des Coteaux Parrain Kally) and De Fraserville Kita‐ET in #10 position (#14 GLPI, dam of Kitani by Revolution).
A New GLPI Queen in the Brown Swiss Breed
Not only is Gubelman Vipro Katja the highest ranking newly indexed cow this April but she goes straight to the top of the breed to be crowned the new queen for GLPI (#1 GLPI, tied #1 Fat, tied #6 Protein). This daughter of the German‐pedigreed sire, Vipro, is out of Gubelman Biver Kendra who ranks #4 GLPI. This outstanding debut of Katja forces the former leader, Gubelman Juhus Crystal, into #2 GLPI position this round (#3 Fat, #2 Protein). The second highest newly indexed cow this round is also a Vipro daughter, namely Gubelman Vipro Dilly, who makes her impressive debut at #3 GLPI (#5 Fat, dam is Gubelman Dominic Doreen). A group of five cows maintain their elite status on the Top 10 GLPI list this April, including Gubelman Cadence Kasandra (#5 GLPI), Gubelman Biver Katniss‐ET (#6 GLPI), Isidore Vassli Kalina (#7 GLPI), Eloc Glarus Rolo (#8 GLPI) and Cynsyl Vassli Champagne is #9 GLPI position (tied #8 Fat). Schweizer Vassli Cherry takes the #10 GLPI spot this round, making her the third highest newly indexed cow this round (dam is Schweizer Fabulous Regate).
While Vassli maintains his #1 ranking for LPI, Milk, Fat and Protein this April, some reshuffling occurs among the breed leading sires that follow him on the LPI list. Lime Rock Seasidebloom climbs from #4 to #2 LPI (#2 Milk, tied #4 Fat, #3 Protein), which forces Huray down one spot to take #3 LPI (#3 for Milk and Fat, #2 Protein). Two other sires make gains this round to complete the Top 5 LPI list, namely Shiloh Brookngs Cadence ET, who moves from #6 to #4 LPI, and Shady Lane Swiss Apex‐ET, who was newly proven in December but climbs from #9 LPI to take the #5 ranking this April. The highest newly proven sire this round is Lindenhof‐Topbs Dally Salomon (Dally x Macky), who was first proven in Switzerland and now receives his first official LPI taking the #67 spot.
“Bentley” Makes an Impressive Debut Among Milking Shorthorn Sires
Offering an excellent balance of production and type, Oceanbrae Royal Bentley ET attracts attention this round as he makes an impressive debut at #3 LPI (#6 Milk, #4 Fat, #4 Protein, tied #6 Conformation). This son of Ecuafarm Kaiser Royalty (#5 LPI, tied #6 Conformation) is out of the well‐known Oceanbrae Jurist Betty, who is among the leading dams of top‐ranking cows including three daughters among the Top 10 LPI this round. Ranking ahead of Bentley, the breed leading duo remains unchanged with Treeton Pingerly ET staying at #1 LPI (#2 Milk, tied #9 Fat, #2 Protein, #1 Conformation) with B Jurist following at #2 LPI (#3 Milk, #1 Fat, #1 Protein). Kulp‐Gen Jurist Ace‐ET completes the list of Top 5 LPI sires, now in #4 position (#2 Fat, tied #6 Protein).
On the cow side, the list of Top 5 LPI includes the same group as last round with only minor reranking. Kulp‐Gen Jurist Angel EXP‐ET only changes by 6 LPI points and holds on at #1 for LPI, Fat and Protein. Two maternal sisters of the newly proven sire, Bentley, also maintain their strong LPI rankings as Oceanbrae Pingerly Berry‐ET stays at #2 LPI (tied #5 Fat) and her full sister, Oceanbrae Pingerly Betty, stays at #3 LPI (tied #8 Conformation). The two remaining cows on the list of Top 5 LPI switch places as Lady Grove BJ Charm climbs one notch to #4 LPI (tied #5 Fat), forcing Lady Grove TP Lady Nancy 8 into the #5 LPI position this round (tied #7 Protein, tied #8 Conformation). A third maternal sister to Bentley, and full sister to Berry and Betty, namely Oceanbrae TP Bettina‐ET, is the highest newly indexed cow this April making her debut tied in #9 LPI position (tied #8 Conformation).
LPI Leaders Stay Solid in the Guernsey Breed
While some reranking occurs among the breed leading sires and cows, one thing that doesn’t change are the two LPI leaders. For sires, Dairyman Double Dawson changes only 5 points and stays solid at #1 LPI (now tied #2 Fat). His sire, Pine Ridge Double L, holds on to the #2 LPI position and shares #2 Fat with his son. Climbing one spot to take #3 LPI this April is Paokie Lil Ernie (tied #7 Fat), who is now followed by Springhill Jokes Jaguar at #4 LPI (up from #6) and Lang Haven Grumpy Novak in #5 spot to complete the list of Top 5 LPI sires (tied #7 Milk, tied #7 Fat, #2 Protein).
On the cow side, its Lindrian Pamper Bear ET 200 who stays firm at #1 LPI while the next three cows reshuffle among themselves. Guernsey View Jaguar Erin climbs from #4 to #2 LPI this round (tied #6 Fat, tied #8 Protein), moving ahead of her dam, Guernsey View Urma’s Expense, who holds on to the #3 LPI spot (#3 Fat). Eby Manor D L Indy loses some ground but keeps her elite status at #4 LPI (#2 Fat). Gaining over 100 LPI points, Eby Manor Ernie Raelynn jumps from her former #11 position to #5 LPI (tied #8 Protein) and completes the Top 5 LPI list this April. The highest newly indexed cow this round is Coulee Crest Bummer Larita at #39 LPI (dam is Coulee Crest Copper Lauryn‐ETV).
“Adele” Grabs #1 LPI Among Canadienne Cows
Amandes Vladimir Adele only changes 3 LPI points and therefore manages to grab the #1 LPI position. She also holds on to her former #1 ranking for Conformation and #2 for Fat but increases for Protein to now share the #1 position. The former LPI leader, Celebrity Urluberlu Corn, stays strong at #2 LPI (#1 Fat, #9 Protein) and Celebrity Vladimir You holds on to her #3 LPI ranking from December (#5 Fat, tied #2 Conformation). Two cows each move up one notch to complete the Top 5 LPI list this April, namely Amandes Vladimir Dancing Queen, now at #4 LPI (#3 Milk, tied #1 Protein, tied #9 Conformation), and Amandes Vladimir Anabelle in #5 LPI position (tied #6 Protein, tied #9 Conformation). The highest newly indexed cow this round is Acton Colonel Guylaine at #11 LPI (dam is Acton Capital Gain Édy).
The Top 5 list of sires remains unchanged this round. De Tilly Hermes Dr. Terreur stays at #1 LPI (#4 Milk, #1 Fat, tied #1 Protein) and is still followed by De Tilly Marin Urluberlu at #2 LPI (#2 Fat), Amandes Colonel at #3 LPI (#5 Milk, tied #9 Fat, #3 Protein, tied #6 Conformation), Mon Paradis Trad Kid ET at #4 LPI (tied #7 Fat, #6 Protein, tied #2 Conformation) and Amandes Prestige Epi in #5 LPI position.