Friesian Fixation

Holstein Friesian cattle genetics have become “a mild obsession” for Waikato dairy farmers Leona Green and Stuart Rogers.  

Although Stuart technically doesn’t own the herd of 139 black and white cows – that honour belongs to 50/50 sharemilker Leona – the couple has immersed themselves in the world of cattle genetics in recent years, aiming to breed a herd that produces big milk in an economical and sustainable way.  

And this season Walkwell Holstein Friesians – named in an enigmatic link to Stuart’s hoof trimming business – has registered 50 cows for the first time.  

“We have been doing AB for years, and there has always been a good base of cows in the herd,” Stuart says. “Leona said if I wanted to start registering the cows it was my responsibility, so I spoke to local Holstein Friesian NZ members about the process and got started.” 

Leona is in her fourth year 50/50 sharemilking for her parents, Murray and Hilda Green, at Ohaupo. After her parents retired, the farm was run by contract milkers before Leona returned to the farm as a lower order sharemilker.  

Stuart, on the other hand, was born in Northern Ireland, where his grandparents had a pedigree British Friesian herd. 

“I remember going into my grandfather’s office as a child and seeing rosettes all over the walls,” Stuart says. “He was quite into the showing and sale of bulls during that time. That’s I guess where the nucleus of an interest in Holstein Friesians began for me.” 

Stuart visited New Zealand on his OE in 1993, and did some relief farm work during his stay. He returned in 2005 and found he liked New Zealand even more than he had as a young man, and decided to stay.   

Stuart got a job as a farm manager in Te Awamutu, securing his residency. He then saw an opportunity for hoof care in dairy herds around the Waikato; Stuart had trained in the UK with the National Association of Cattle Foot Trimmers (NACFT), with accreditation in the 5-step Functional Method.  

“That’s when I started my hoof trimming business, Hoof It,” he says. “It still remains the main driver of my income today.” 

Later, he met Leona through his work, and they married. 

Today, Leona milks 139 cows on 72ha, of which 50 are registered Holstein Friesian. She is sole charge on the farm, with Stuart helping only in the early morning, late afternoon or weekends when not hoof trimming. 

The herd produced over 80,000kgMS last season, from 145 cows, and they are aiming for 600kgMS/cow this season. 

All R1 replacements are reared at a nearby runoff, before going to a grazier in early May. The R2s return home at the same time. 

“Leona takes a lot of pride in rearing really nice calves,” Stuart says. “Many farm reps have commented on how well the calves look.” 

Last season they started using Cow Manager ear tags, which Stuart says has been a game changer. 

“Using technology to find the optimum window for AB has helped a lot with conception rates,” he says. “At scanning we had 77% in calf at six weeks, which is the best rate we’ve had. We put it down to a combination of factors: a good transition period for springers, the cows are fed well, and the ear tag technology.” 

AB to nominated Holstein Friesian semen starts in mid-October and goes for five-six weeks. Stuart has done the AB on farm for the past three years.  

“There wasn’t any fault with the previous AB service, the change was just something we wanted to try ourselves,” Stuart says.  

The herd is tailed off with Murray Grey bulls, and the R2 heifers are run with recorded Jersey bulls.  

When selecting genetics, Stuart and Leona prioritise udder improvement and production.  

“We keep an eye on BW, but it is not the be-all and end-all,” Stuart says. “More so, we are now looking for bulls with udder improvement in the excellent category.” 

When it comes to physical stature, Stuart says they have always sought a moderately sized cow. 

“We prefer a cow that is ‘in the middle’ – with width through the shoulder, a long deep body and a good rump,” he says.  

The herd had been bred to CRV sires for many years, but after noticing some genetic narrowing Stuart and Leona decided to start incorporating genetics from other companies such as Samen, STgenetics and World Wide Sires. 

 “We want some ‘fresh blood’ to keep diversity in the gene pool,” Stuart says. 

Leona has enjoyed the progeny of both Meander Shot Alibi-ET S3F, and Meander SB Alias-ET S2F. 

For Stuart, Abs Achiever-ET has “thrown some beauties; real eye catchers”, as has Hillbrae Gaunt Chuck-ET. 

“Chuck has produced some nice heifers,” he says. “We’re not into the dollybird-looking cows; we’re more into the ‘Plain Janes’ that produce good milk,  and the Chuck heifers do just that.” 

Stuart says Holstein Friesians are an ideal breed for their ethos of trying to avoid the bobby truck. 

“We can’t eliminate the truck, but it is satisfying to see calves sold to rearers instead,” Stuart says. “There is still a market for black and white bull calves – heavier carcase weights have greater value. And if you feed a black and white heifer calf, they can grow. Then, there is the eye appeal: there is something about a good black and white calf.”

Feed is seasonal – mostly grass, topped up with grass silage, chicory and maize silage (six hectares of maize and eight hectares of chicory are grown on farm); they also feed some PKE, depending on availability throughout the year, and a small amount of meal in the shed – at the most, 3kg/cow/day. 

“As a result, we need a breed that can eat a lot of forage and convert that to milksolids,” Stuart says. 

He says their future focus is all about efficiency and simplicity. 

“We would like to continually improve upon the 600kgMS/cow mark in an economical way, and we plan to do that by managing and feeding the cows even better,” he says. “Breeding and lifting the herd type average will help as well. We’re kind of just like a lot of the other passionate breeders out there, knowing that a good type of cow that lasts may well be the way to go. 

“And if we can increase overall production with less animals, that’s even better. Whilst not really trying to appease the greenies, getting 80,000kgMS from 120 cows or so won’t be easy here, but it’s a goal we’re aiming for.”