Lawn Boy-Red A Polled Holstein Legacy

By: Fred Hendricks owner of SunShower Acres, Ltd., Bucyrus, Ohio – U.S.A.

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Bob Feldwich of New Knoxville, Ohio, the breeder of (7HO8223) Aggravation Lawn Boy P-Red PO, first brought the bull to my attention at nearly one year of age. Bob had struggled to get an A.I. firm to take the bull due to his unproven sire, Dudoc Bacculum-Red. Bob was comfortable in offering Lawn Boy to SunShower as we had an excellent working relationship through the syndication and development of other polled bulls from Lawn Boy’s family.

At first observation, Lawn Boy was a striking individual. He was a tall fancy calf with a great deal of class. His dam was a Very Good-86 polled and red carrier Manfred daughter with good milk credentials. His grandam was a Very Good-87 polled and red carrier Aerostar daughter with 187,000 pounds milk. She later surpassed 200,000 pounds milk lifetime. The source of polled in the cow family came through from Larry-Moore Crosby B Poll-Red, sire of his third dam. Crosby-Red was a son of Burket-Falls True Value-Red PO. Hanover-Hill Triple Threat-Red established a dependable source of appealing confirmation through his fourth dam.

As independents, we were able to sample outside the traditional box. In this case, the traditional box was the requirement to have a proven sire, before the days of genomics. Although Bacculum was not proven, he was an excellent compliment to Lawn Boy’s cow family. Consequently, the Lawn Boy Syndicate was willing to go outside the box to sample and develop this promising polled red Holstein.

Sampling – Development

Lawn Boy was housed at and semen collected by InterGlobe Genetics of Pontiac, Illinois. The bull was promoted via traditional avenues such as the Red Bloodlines magazine. Through the hundreds of bulls sampled by SunShower syndicates, there had never been a bull as popular as Lawn Boy. While he was a striking individual, no doubt polled was a major influence in Lawn Boy’s popularity.

As the sampling process was winding down, Jeff Ziegler with Select Sires contacted me to determine if Lawn Boy could be made available for their program. By this time Bacculum had a proof. The genetic potential for Lawn Boy was looking encouraging. SunShower had a long working relationship with Select Sires; consequently they had confidence in our sampling capabilities. Lawn Boy was subsequently leased to Select. At that juncture, the syndicate had distributed 2,460 units of semen in approximately 175 herds.

Upon clearing all health tests, Select Sires launched Lawn Boy as a Super Sampler. Lawn Boy became very popular for them. In fact, Select Sires distributed over 10,000 units of semen within eighteen months of his semen release. His eventual daughter production and type results support his enduring legacy. After several sessions by Holstein classifiers, Lawn Boy was rated Excellent-94, certainly an attractive individual.

Wild-Type Allele

Although a true red and white, Lawn Boy is not homozygous red. Lawn Boy has one red allele and one wild-type allele. Genetic research indicates that the wild-type allele has no influence on coat color. When the wild-type allele is present, other genes determine coat color. Subsequently, when Lawn Boy is mated to red females (females with two red alleles), 50% of the calves will have two red alleles and 50% will have a red allele and a wild-type allele. All of the calves will be red, as expected. When mated to red carriers (females with a black and a red allele) Lawn Boy will produce 50% red and 50% black calves, as expected. At last account,there were no reported concerns about his transmitting pattern of coat color.

It is not possible to predict the coat color resulting from a mating where two wild-type alleles are present. These calves could be red, but they might be black. We are not aware that any Lawn Boy offspring were ever reported with this genotype, so we simply do not know the outcome.

Polled Male Siblings

Lawn Boy has two polled maternal brothers with commendable A.I. proofs. (76HO0530) Aggravation Ducky-Red PO is a Talent son. Ducky has very commendable management traits with positive Type, UDC and FLC ratings. Ducky was first leased to Select Sires as a polled bull. He manifested what Select Sires interpreted as horns. They “dehorned” Ducky and returned the bull to Bob Feldwisch since the contract stipulated polled. Ducky was then leased to Taurus Service. As calves arrived, half were showing up as naturally hornless. Select Sires had interpreted Ducky’s scurrs to be horns. Ducky is officially recorded with the U.S. Holstein Association as being polled.

The second polled maternal brother to Lawn Boy is (138HO3401) Aggravation Afterglow P, a BW Marshall son. Afterglow’s early production information was very encouraging. Subsequently, the bull was leased to IPS (International Protein Sires). Soon after arrival at the semen production center, Afterglow slipped and fell. The bull never recovered and died within a few weeks. No semen was ever collected as a proven sire. Afterglow’s December 2011 USDA milk proof showed 57 daughters in 31 herds at +1,899G and 90% reliability.

Polled Phenomenon Spreads Worldwide

While polled Holsteins have been around for over a hundred years with many bulls sampled through A.I. in modern times, Lawn Boy created a renewed interest for this trait. Red and white dairy cattle aficionados have claimed the principle interest and development of the polled gene. Lawn Boy’s credibility as a proven polled sire created strong interest among black and white Holstein breeders where he was used extensively.

Bob Feldwisch of Aggravation Acres is applauded for his pioneering foresight in developing influential polled genetics. We anxiously await proofs on the countless Lawn Boy sons sampled around the world. No doubt Lawn Boy’s influence will gain additional impact through his female descendants. The Lawn Boy Syndicate, managed by SunShower Acres, is pleased to have played a role in his development.

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Fred W. Hendricks

SunShower Acres, Ltd.

4505 Holmes Center Rd.

Bucyrus, OH 44820 – USA

Email: fwhendricks@gmail.com

Aggravation Lawn Boy P-Red PO (EX-94)

The Big Flip

Up until the advent of genomics all young bulls with few exceptions had one thing in common.
A limited supply of semen was dispersed with the intent to receive enough classified, and milk recorded daughters to help them receive an unbiased progeny proof.
Young sire semen in many cases would be free or have incentives attached to get people to use it.
As ridiculous as it may sound even a really good daughter of a young sire would be considered a hole in the pedigree and her value would be questioned if her sire didn`t “turn out”
Contracts on young sires were unheard of.
Recently though the change in demand and use on young bulls is quite different.
A limited supply of early release semen is dispersed only for special or contract matings.
Early release semen is now in high demand and no incentives are needed to get people to use it.
Proven sires now compete with their own sons, and soon also grand sons.
Good young bulls have gone from” free” to contract required. Proven bulls have gone from contract requested to no contract required.
What an amazing turnaround. When you hear genomics are going to be the biggest change in breeding since frozen semen it has become todays fact not tomorrows promise.
It does make for some good questions.
How is the use of special or unique young bulls only for contract matings going to produce an unbiased progeny proof?
If young bulls do not typically make much semen how can bolting this new technology onto the old model possibly work?
Is the million dose sire going to be a thing of the past?
For those heavily invested in genetics it may be a good time to start asking questions.
Roy

Hoard's Letter to the Editor "We Need Polled Bulls"

We need polled bulls

We dehorned calves today, a necessary evil to protect our animals

in the future. However, if an animal rights activist showed up with

a video camera at our farm today, we would have been condemned as

monsters. May I kindly ask that the registered breeders collectively get a clue and work on producing some superior polled genetics?

With genomics, it can’t be that hard. I see no reason why we can’t

have a good selection of polled bulls in A.I. in a few years.

Holstein USA needs to make an active effort to compile a list of the

top TPI polled cows and polled bulls available for breeders to reference.

Breed associations will also need to demonstrate leadership in building

demand for polled genetics once these animals are identified. We

must make a point of breeding top indexing bulls to the best polled cows to generate homozygous polled calves that can be genomically tested. Once A.I. studs identify polled bulls of at least similar genetic

merit as their horned counterparts, farmers will buy in. Ask yourself:

If there were two bulls of identical genetic merit and identical price,

one was polled and one was horned, which would you choose?

MINNESOTA GLEN GROTH

Original letter can be found

https://www.dairybullsonline.com/marketing/HoardsLetter.pdf 

Reprinted by permission from the January 10, 2012 issue of Hoard’s Dairyman.

Copyright 2011 by W. D. Hoard & Sons Company, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.

World's Largest Horns

Read More on Lurch the Bull with the Largest Horns!

http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/worlds-largest-horns.html

Diversity

Diversity

It doesn`t matter who you talk to the lack of diversity is a hot topic.

Considering less then 5% of the breed is R&W Storm dominates a lot of pedigrees.

We do not know the percent of the population that is polled but it is certainly les then .05% and it seems many bulls are coming from Lawn Boy dams.

How many bulls are dominating the other 95% of the Holstein Population?

We hear Shottle, Goldwyn, Oman, and Planet a lot.

Hard to tell if we lack diversity or creativity?

Better to be creative because if you are opportunity is knocking.

Some of the best polled bulls right now are a great outcross to modern pedigrees.

Breeders who realize this and use them strategically are going to be rewarded.

Those who wait are going to become their customers.

by

Roy

Rotating Crops and Polled Breeding

Farmers know rotating crops helps the soil recover, reduces risk, and increases yield.

They know just scratching the dirt rather then turning it over reduces erosion, and saves fuel.

Depending on where they live the choices on what farmers can grow are endless.

If they are creative or they grow something unique there is a good chance they will get a bonus.

One size does not fit all.

Different markets – Different marketing.

Cattle Breeding seems to have lost a lot of that.

One size fits all Goldwyn, Oman, Planet, Shottle. No bonus for being unique, or creative.

When did we stop promoting prefixes and creativity, and start marketing the brands instead?

If you have had enough of the same and you want to spread your risk, consider some polled genetics?

Polled reduces pain, labor, and improves image.

There is a huge opportunity for those who get in early and creates something unique .

When you do there is a good chance you will receive a bonus.

It`s already happening.

It Pays to be Outside the Box!

by
Roy

Dehorning Dairy Cattle With Genetics

Dehorning Dairy Cattle With Genetics

Fred Hendricks

Looks at the economic advantages of hornless dairy cattle.

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Incorporating polled genetics in your breeding program results in fewer calves that require dehorning. While this fact may seem elementary, few dairy farmers contemplate the economic advantages. Most often farmers respond with “dehorning is part of our routine operation so it’s not an important factor.”

Breeding a typical dairy herd with polled bulls results in a minimum 50% hornless calves. In just one generation an entire herd can become half polled. The polled gene is dominant and needs to be present in only one parent.

While dehorning may be a routine operation on most dairy farms, there are significant costs associated with dehorning. These costs vary a great deal depending on the size of dairy, personnel employed to do the dehorning and equipment utilized. The most difficult cost to ascertain is the setback a calf goes through as the result of dehorning.

Reid Hoover, Hoover Farms, Lebanon, Pennsylvania indicates his dehorning costs at $10.00 per head on young calves and up to $20.00 per head on older calves. “Equipment and labor are the costs involved. When they are older it sets them back and you lose growth and efficiency,” Hoover stated.

Hoover further states, “These costs and the time factor to do this job well have made me think about using polled bulls. We have used a few and have liked the results with polled calves.”

Hornless cattle help squelch those objections raised through animal welfare issues.

Enhanced Efficiency - Unpleasant Job

Lonny Ward, with Brigham Creek Dairy, Elberta, Utah tags their dehorning costs at about $2.00 per head. “This figure does not calculate a cost for the setback losses because there is too much variation in those costs”

Ward points out that polled cattle enhance their dairy’s efficiency. “To survive in the dairy industry today you have to be as efficient as possible. Any time you can eliminate a cost without a negative consequence you are better off. Dehorning is an area where improvements can be made genetically to eliminate labor cost, as well as stress on the animal. If we can integrate the polled gene into the Holsteins without losing in other areas, we will have taken a step forward.”

Iv-Ann Holsteins, Minister, Ohio indicates the setback to their calves is their biggest cost. “In our opinion the cost of dehorning is very hard to quantify since we do our own work. However, we think our biggest cost is the setback in the growth of the animal caused by the dehorning trauma.”

Ivo Osterloh, owner of Iv-Ann Holsteins states, “The cost is not the only factor we consider in our use of polled bulls. Dehorning is not a very pleasant job - and very often it is delayed too long.”

Origin of Polled Dairy Cattle

Polled Holstein Historian, Dr. Larry Specht, Professor Emeritus of Penn State University reports “The history books tell us that the ancestors of our modern cattle did not have horns and that mutations must have occurred that gave rise to horns. Horned cattle proliferated and it is now thought that the occurrence of polled animals in modern times is the result of another mutation back to the hornless condition.” Horns served a useful purpose prior to cattle being domesticated. They were a defense mechanism and served to survive the species. In some countries farmers tether their cattle by the horns. In modern dairy farm operations, horns have no purpose, therefore the practice of dehorning.

While it is not clear when polled cattle began appearing in U.S. dairy cattle, Dr. Specht found the earliest recorded polled bull in the Holstein Association herdbook to be born 04/22/1889. Various breeders propagated the polled gene over time to where the polled gene now occurs far more frequently in today’s dairy cattle herds.

Current Polled Holsteins

In his Bouic Polled Holstein Newsletter, Frank Bouic reports “There are numerous polled Holstein bulls in A.I., including proven bulls, sires-in-waiting and sample sires.” Mr. Bouic further reports, “The genetics available in the polled segment of the Holstein breed is improving rapidly, in some cases approaching the best of the Holstein breed. The Burket-Falls, East Freedom, Pennsylvania (Dave Burket Family), Hickorymea, Airville, Pennsylvania (T. Edwin Johnson Family) and Aggravation Plantation, New Knoxville, Ohio (Robert Feldwisch) herds in particular have contributed to the genetic supply of A.I. bulls.”

The polled gene has been present in Red and White dairy cattle for many years; therefore the Red & White population has a significantly larger selection of polled red and red carrier bulls. Currently the most prominent polled Holstein bull in the world is Aggravation Lawn Boy P-Red, bred by Bob Feldwisch of New Knoxville, Ohio. Lawn Boy is available through Select Sires of Plain City, Ohio.

Genome research is underway to identify whether a polled Holstein animal is heterozygous or homozygous. As this technology becomes available, young bulls progeny tested via A.I. will no doubt increase dramatically.

Second generation polled Jersey breeder, Paul Chittenden, Dutch Hollow Farm, Schodack Landing, New York indicates that his father, Stanley Chittenden, bought his first polled Jersey in 1952. The Chittendens have been leading breeders of polled Jersey cattle ever

since. The Dutch Hollow prefix can be found on several proven sires in A.I.

The polled gene is also well documented in the Ayrshire, Brown Swiss and Milking Shorthorn breeds.

Polled gene action

The following exhibits demonstrate two examples of the polled gene action (P = polled or dominant / h = horned or recessive).

Exhibit A shows one parent with two polled genes (homozygous polled) and one parent with two horned genes (homozygous horned). With polled being dominant, all resulting offspring are polled as each

resulting animal has one polled gene and one horned gene (heterozygous polled).

Exhibit B shows one parent with one polled gene (heterozygous polled) and one parent with two horned genes (homozygous horned). In this gene action, one half of the resulting animals are polled as each one has one polled gene (heterozygous polled). One half of the resulting animals are horned as they have two horned genes (homozygous horned).

In conclusion, utilizing the polled gene is easier than ever before with additional sires available through A.I. The financial savings through labor, time, equipment and sustained growth of the animal can be substantial. And, a herd can be converted to poll in short order with polled being dominant.

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Fred Hendricks is the owner of SunShower Acres, Ltd, Bucyrus, Ohio. SunShower sampled and developed numerous young sires for the A.I. industry for over 30 years. Several polled bulls developed by SunShower are now active through A.I. For additional information on polled Holsteins, contact SunShower Acres, Ltd., 4505 Holmes Center Rd., Bucyrus, Ohio 44820 / E-Mail: fwhendricks@gmail.com

WHY WAIT?
Another year has passed.
Reviewing the past year.
What could you do different.
Doing things the same makes each year blend into the next.
What if you used a 50% polled bull.
You have 50/50 chance of making this years calf different.
What if you used a 100% Polled bull.
This years calf will be definitely different.
You decide but another year will pass.
Another calf may be your animals best or last.
Why not make this year different?