Press release: CRV’s Fleckvieh range further strengthened after new index run

Category: Press release
Fleckvieh bull Haribo
Fleckvieh bull Haribo

Following the index run in August 2023, CRV’s Fleckvieh portfolio has been further strengthened and broadened. Several, very good bulls, had to be withdrawn from the range because their breeding values are exceeded by those of the new generation of bulls. At the same time, the performance of the daughters of popular bulls confirms the breeding values of their sires. For farmers who want to breed for polledness, CRV has added a number of very interesting, young, heterozygous and homozygous polled bulls to the portfolio.

Majo stable with increasing reliability, Westwind gains

CRV bulls that are already widely used as InSire bulls, confirm their genomic breeding values with the performance of their daughters. The all-round Majo (Minor x Zepter) is a very good example of this. With a GZW of 136, at the previous index run he was the best newcomer among the daughter proven bulls and lives up to his breeding values nicely with further increasing reliability. Farmers who milk Majo daughters are very satisfied with them. These are animals with an average stature and good udders, that easily produce a lot of milk with a high fat percentage. Majo also sires very good udder health (breeding value 117) and daughter fertility (116), with scores of +7% CRV Health and +8% CRV Efficiency.

With further increasing reliability, Wüstensohn, son of Worldcup, is also living up to his breeding values. Westwind, another son of Worldcup who was awarded his first breeding value based on daughter information at the previous index run, has recorded a nice gain of 6 points GZW, with a score of 129 GZW. The figureheads of the CRV breeding programme, Haribo and Wobbler, now have more than 13,000 and almost 28,000 daughters (respectively) in their breeding values. Their proofs are once again the epitome of stability.

Fleckvieh bull Virginia
Fleckvieh bull Virginia

Mond, Virginia and Videto confirm genomic breeding values

After this index run, the range of daughter proven bulls has been strengthened with three all-round sires, with daughters milking for the first time. Mond (Minor x Zepter) is proving himself as a bull who shows progress in components and fitness traits. He sires 553 kg of milk with +0.18% fat and +0.04% protein. In addition, he scores 117 for daughter fertility and 124 for udder health. Mond also improves the udders (123) and the feet and legs (107).

A nice addition to the range of daughter proven bulls is Virginia (Villeroy x Hubraum). He combines a milk index of 122 with a meat index of 111 and a breeding value lifespan of 111. He improves the feet and legs (111) and the udders (116) and also scores well in daughter fertility (118). Virginia can be used for maiden heifers. Like Mond, he is also a very suitable bull for farmers who milk their cows with robots.

With his pedigree Vigor x Zepter x Heidruck, Videto offers alternative genes. His daughters are cows that produce efficiently, providing their sire with a milk index of 123 with 845 kg of milk with +0.15% fat, a breeding value lifespan of 114 and a score of +10% CRV Efficiency. Videto daughters are also very fertile (breeding value 119).

Hopfen and Hiller top-quality

With the InSire bull Hopfen (Hashtag x Wiewelt), CRV has an top-quality bull in its range. He offers Fleckvieh breeders everything they want: 123 milk index, 129 lifespan and 126 beef index and all-round excellent breeding values for fitness traits. In addition, Hopfen improves udders (117) and the feet and legs (109). The calves of this young bull, with 145 GZW, are born easily.

With 141 GZW, Hiller (Hashtag x Villeroy) is also an all-round bull of a very high level. He is top of his class for production, with +1281 kg of milk and 132 milk index, but he also scores 112 lifespan and 118 beef index. Hiller breeds medium-sized cows with good fertility.

Fleckvieh bull Westwind
Fleckvieh bull Westwind

Wide range for polled bulls

From CRV’s Fleckvieh breeding programme in the Czech Republic, the young heterozygous polled bulls Hibernal Pp and Whirpool Pp can be added to the range. Hibernal Pp (Hamlet Pp* x Pascal) sires a decent amount of milk with high levels (+711 kg of milk with +0.09% fat and +0.08% protein) but also has a beef index of 118. He is a good conformation sire with a score of 110 for feet and legs and 111 for udder and increases the milking speed (108).

As a production sire, Whirpool Pp* (Weekend PP* x Mesias) is at a slightly higher level, with +798 kg of milk with +0.15% fat and +0.04% protein. This young bull also improves the udders (109) and the feet and legs (112), with an excellent score for daughter fertility (114).

To meet the future increasing demand for homozygous polled bulls, CRV has added two very interesting InSire bulls with double P to its range. Hirsch PP* (Hamlet Pp* x Malaga Pp*) is a true all-rounder with a milk index of 124, lifespan of 112 and beef index of 115. He also increases the milking speed (108), and has a GZW of 131.

Meingold PP* (Meter Pp* x Votary P*S) sires more than 1200 kg of milk with a milk index of 120 and lifespan of 112. He is suitable for use with maiden heifers and his lineage is from the well-known M-cow family of Franz Eder from Kirchanschöring. Daughters of InSire bull Meingold Pp* will calve easily (111) and will easily conceive again (114 fertility).

The semen of all bulls in CRV’s broad and varied range is in stock. This allows farmers, wherever they farm in the world and whatever their breeding goals are, to work directly with CRV’s Fleckvieh genetics to improve their herd.