- The bull parade, organized by the Małopolska Biotechnical Center, took place just before the National Simmental Cattle Exhibition in Rudawka Rymanowska.
- Eleven bulls of various breeds took part in the parade: Polish Holstein-Friesian of both varieties, Simmental, as well as conservative breeds.
- Farmers from distant regions, including Podlasie and Opole, came to MCB. The male show was watched by several dozen people, because the company cooperates not only with individual breeders, but also with many Pedigree Breeding Centers in Poland.
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The introduction of genomic evaluation of dairy cattle, which took place in our country in 2014, changed a lot. Insemination companies had to find their way in a new reality. – Our barns emptied quite quickly, many plants and local units where animals were also kept emptied – admits Agnieszka Pawlak, president of MCB, who welcomed the guests and led the meeting with breeders. By inviting cattle breeders to Krasne once again, she showed that MCB has coped well with the changes. Despite the fact that genomic evaluation has accelerated cattle selection, they still keep bulls in their own barns.
Agnieszka Pawlak, president of MCB, informed that the company buys selected males both from individual breeders and from OHZ, photo: Farmer
Selection of the best males
Since the genomic evaluation came into force, the company has purchased about 100 bulls in the PHF HO breed from Polish breeders, about 60 in the RW variety and 115 Simmentals. There is a huge scope for research, because Poland is dominated by milk production. It currently cooperates with many Pedigree Breeding Centers – in Głogówek, Prudnik, Kamieniec Ząbkowicki, Kietrz, Osiek, Dębołęka and individual breeders not only from the entire southern Poland, but also from the Warmian-Masurian region, Podlasie or Wielkopolska. – Currently, we buy a total of about 10-15 Holstein-Friesians every year, carefully selected with the assumption of their quick rotation, because three times a year we have verification of their value in the form of an update of the valuation of breeding values in the PF index and the economic index – informed Agnieszka Pawlak.
Every year, 400 bulls undergo a thorough evaluation, by calculating their breeding values. Such a population allows for the selection of the best ones and the purchase of 10-15 of them. They also buy embryos abroad, and after calculating them into the Polish PF index, selecting the highest values and potentially the most interesting pedigrees, they try to introduce new genetics and limit inbreeding in our population.
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Male Parade
The company showed 11 males that are standing in the barns in Krasne. Marta Nykiel, the board's proxy for breeding, took it upon herself to discuss their potential. The breeder, who is well-known to cattle breeders and who is responsible for cooperation with Pedigree Breeding Centers, demonstrated her skills not for the first time.
Among the eleven males presented were two bull fathers, the males Azuryt (PHF HO, gPF 164, IE 3108) and Socho Red (PHF RW, gPF 151, IE 2152).
Socho Red male, father of bulls, photo by Farmer
A bull named Skarb, who knelt down and bowed to the breeders during the shows, aroused great interest due to his behavior. This male comes from the Kietrz Agricultural Plant, one of the entities with which MCB and the aforementioned Marta Nykiel cooperate.
Among the conservative breeds, Wigor was presented – a white-backed bull.
Marta Nykiel, the board's representative for breeding, talked about the males presented during the parade, photo: Farmer
Work in conservative breeds
There is no other company like MCB, which implements all programs for colored breeds. It is not an easy and profitable job, because the populations are small, and you have to introduce a dozen or so bulls to breeding every year. However, it has never crossed anyone's mind at MCB that they might not do it, because how could a Polish company not implement a program for the Polish Red, Polish Black and White, Polish Red and White or Polish Simmental breeds, or support Polish White-backed. There are 4 companies in Poland that implement Polish breeding programs, but only MCB does it in such a wide range.
The program that has been implemented the longest is the one in the Polish Red breed, where 170 bulls have been purchased. In other conservative breeds, the statistics are as follows: in the Polish Red-and-White breed – 40 bulls, and in the Polish Black-and-White breed – 22 bulls.
Bull Wigor from the White-Backed Cattle Genetic Resources Protection Program, photo by Farmer
The red-tailed fox topped the parade
Traditionally, the last weekend of August was the last Simmental Cattle Exhibition in Rudawka Rymanowska, where the participants of the bull parade moved the next day. This was the nineteenth meeting of Simmental breeders in a row in the ring at the Wisłok River gorge. It gathered 64 heifers and 46 cows. This year's super champions were females from SK Pępowo: Ute and Ambrose. The prettiest heifer is by Easy on Munter, while the adult female is by GS Versetto on Hupsol.
