This summer will see Scott Thompson heading to Denmark to take part in a three-day, dairy-focused study trip.
Scott milks 300 cows with his father at Cross on the outskirts of Derry City.
The herd, which is predominantly autumn-calving, is currently averaging 8,500L at 4.4% butterfat and 3.4% protein.
His visit will be hosted by Viking Genetics and Ai Services (Northern Ireland) Ltd.
Study trip to Denmark
The upcoming trip to Denmark follows-on from Scott’s name being drawn out of the hat, courtesy of a free prize draw that was organised at the Ai Services’ stand at the recent 2022 Royal Ulster Winter Dairy Fair.
“The visit will take place at a time to be agreed with Scott during the spring/summer period of 2023,” breeding manager, Ivan Minford confirmed.
“It will comprise visits to a number of elite Holstein, Jersey and Viking Red herds in Denmark.”
Viking Genetics has focused on a number of key health traits as part of bespoke national breeding programmes that have been in operation for the past four decades.
Significantly, all the animal performance-related results generated during this period have been retained in full and are available on the same database.
The visit to Denmark will be of specific interest to Scott. “We are committed to an autumn-calving policy with the cows. As a consequence, boosting fertility, health traits is vitally important,” Scott explained.
“In terms of our current breeding policy, our aim is to focus on Holstein genetics with the highest yielding cows, but to include a strong, cross-breeding focus with the other cows.
“We are very interested in the Viking Genetics’ ProCROSS programme. This is a three-way rotation which starts with a black and white cow being bred to a Montbéliarde bull. The resulting heifers would then be crossed with a Viking Red sire.”
Scott explained that taking such an approach should also improve the milk quality.
“I am really looking forward to the visit. It has been perfectly timed in terms of the developments that we want to consider within our own business,” Scott added.
Ai Services’ Gary Henderson was a recent visitor to the Thompson farm.
“There is a growing recognition of the need to breed cows with improved health and fertility traits. Cows that can be maintained within a milking group are inherently more efficient and profitable,” Henderson explained.
“The ProCROSS programme represents a very structured way of achieving this objective.”
