Much more than a Holstein
Breeding goal – VikingHolstein
The breeding goal for VikingHolstein is a healthy cow with good fertility, functional conformation and high production. The breeding goal is described in our NTM Index (Nordic Total Merit), which is an economic index, ensuring maximum progress for all economically important traits and best success for the farmers.
The breeding goal for VikingHolstein is a healthy cow with good fertility, functional conformation and high production. The breeding goal is described in our NTM Index (Nordic Total Merit), which is an economic index, ensuring maximum progress for all economically important traits and best success for the farmers.
Breeding programme – VikingHolstein
Genomic selection is an important tool in the breeding programme for VikingHolstein, with the purpose to find the best bulls but also to find the best heifers for embryo transfer and have as many offspring as possible from the top NTM animals. In VikingGenetics, we take out genomical tests of 3,000 Holstein bull calves per year, and the best 100 will be used in AI. We also produce 4000 embryos from top heifers every year. All genomic bulls start as sire of sons before they enter the daily plan.
Genomic selection is an important tool in the breeding programme for VikingHolstein, with the purpose to find the best bulls but also to find the best heifers for embryo transfer and have as many offspring as possible from the top NTM animals. In VikingGenetics, we take out genomical tests of 3,000 Holstein bull calves per year, and the best 100 will be used in AI. We also produce 4000 embryos from top heifers every year. All genomic bulls start as sire of sons before they enter the daily plan.
With VikingHolstein you can enhance the efficiency of your herd and boost your profitability. Choosing our Holstein sires makes your Holstein cows more resistant to diseases, improves their reproductive capability and their milk productivity, all at the same time. Extraordinary health, easy calvings, excellent fertility, functional conformation and high production. That’s VikingHolstein. We offer a wide selection of bulls with outcross pedigrees.
The unique combination of the qualities help you optimise your herd for commercial dairy production.
This unique combination of VikingHolstein qualities guarantees you success. Take a look at our VikingHolstein sire line up.
VikingHolstein sires will help you drive genetic progress for all the traits that are important for the profitability of your dairy business. You will improve health and reproduction traits, without compromising on production.
VikingHolstein Production
The breeding population in VikingHolstein is almost 600,000 milk recorded Holstein cows in the three Viking countries.
Source: NAV (2019)
Interbull evaluations
The International Bull Evaluation Service shows excellent performance for Holstein bulls from Denmark, Sweden and Finland compared to bulls from the rest of the world. VikingGenetics bulls are the top performers in Udder Health, Fertility & Yield for daughter-proven bulls (born in 2010 or later).
The Nordic countries have managed to combine high yield with superior health. Udder health and daughter fertility together with high producing cows are at the heart of the breeding goal of dairymen in Scandinavia. At the same time, VikingHolstein has a unique combination of high production with medium sized cows, making VikingHolstein bulls the best option for dairymen to use in their herds. They are smaller in size compared to other Holstein populations which means greater efficiency – less feed and high production.
The International Bull Evaluation Service (Interbull) is a permanent subcommittee of the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR). Interbull is the worldwide network providing genetic information services for improvement of livestock.
Genetic trends for VikingHolstein bulls 2001-2016
Here is a good example of the Holsteins from Denmark.