The Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society in the UK has recently introduced optional ‘Type Classification’ for its members.
The service is being offered by Holstein UK and is available to 12 beef cattle breeds throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society is the latest beef-breed society to offer classification to its membership.
More than 140,000 dairy and beef cattle are classified by Holstein UK on an annual basis.
The voluntary scheme aims to independently evaluate breeding females within pedigree dairy and beef herds.
John and Ann Henning’s Drumcorn Herd was the first Angus Herd in Northern Ireland to sign up for the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society’s newly launched Type Classification Scheme.
Growing up on a pedigree dairy farm in Co. Armagh, John Henning OBE said he appreciates the benefits of type classification.
He said: “Holstein cows have been classified on my home farm since the 1980’s.
“Linear assessment or type classification is an independent evaluation and an excellent marketing tool for herd owners who are breeding females, and potentially producing stock bulls for pedigree and commercial herds.
“Classifying females will allow us to make better breeding decisions and identify the best individual animals and cow families within our herd.”
Holstein UK’s chief classifier and head of the National Bovine Data Centre, Meurig James said: “Type classification was introduced more than 50 years ago to identify the strengths and weaknesses of dairy cows.
“Classification is a management tool which enables pedigree herd owners to select the right bulls to rectify faults and improve traits within individual animals. This will lead to longevity and more profitable cows.”
”Aberdeen Angus classifying is just getting off the ground. A number of large herds have been assessed in mainland UK within the last couple of weeks. During my recent visit to Northern Ireland, I evaluated the Drumcorn, Baronagh, Ballymoyer, Loughans and Greenacres herds
“The classification scheme has been a success story in the dairy world for decades and has made a tremendous contribution to the improvement of both type and production, not only throughout the UK but around the world,” he added.
Meurig said that when scoring suckler cows, they must be suckling a calf at foot. 14 individual traits are examined.
These 14 traits are listed under four main categories:
- Body conformation;
- Beef and breed character;
- Legs and feet;
- Mammary and udders.
The four scores are combined to make up an individual animal’s overall score which will be ranked from Poor (P), Fair (F) Good Plus (GP), Very Good (VG) to Excellent (EX).
Henning, who is the current president of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, added: ”We are members of the AFBI CHeCS-approved Herd Health Scheme and participate in the Breedplan weight recording scheme.
“The classification scores are an additional breeding tool which will enhance our decision making and improve data availability.
“This information will help to reassure our customers that they are investing in a quality stock bull. An independent dam classification score of VG or EX maybe carries more weight than a rosette from the showring.”
John and Ann Henning from Moira established the Drumcorn prefix in 1992.
The herd’s prolific cow families include:
- Erica;
- Ergessa;
- Lady Ida;
- Cherry Blossom.
The couple were delighted with their first herd classification, which resulted in almost 90% of the Drumcorn females achieving VG and EX status.
