Linebreeding has provided us some of the most consistent
milk genetics in every dairy breed.
Historical examples would include Pawnee
Farm Arlinda Chief (Holstein), Observer Chocolate Soldier (Jersey)
and Selwood Bettys Commander (Ayrshire), all of whom advanced their
breed production with help from the technology of frozen semen and distributive
power of AI, creating new sire lines.
The greatest example before AI could be Sybils Gamboge (Jersey),
whose four years of natural service, in only six herds after he was imported in
1919 set a new production benchmark and produced a bloodline that lasted 60
years. This bull had 14 of 16 ancestors
in his fourth generation either sons or daughters of one cow, Oxford Lass. (This differs from the linebreeding that produced
the “Rag Apple” bloodline, also successful for 60 years in Holsteins, but the
original source bull Johanna Rag Apple Pabst was not himself
linebred. He was an outcross to the
cows originally served by him.
Likewise, most of the best Brown Swiss are linebred to Jane of Vernon,
also an outcross to the sires with whom she was mated.)
The mark of a successfully linebred
bull (or cow) is a predictable pattern in his progeny for the physical
traits. Improved production is a
by-product of improved physiques; consistency in this improvement is the goal
in animals selected for linebreeding propogation. When consistency is overlooked (as it could
be when genetic evaluations only consider the comparative averages of progeny
results) the linebreeding effect can quickly turn into inbreeding
depression instead of the desired homozygous gene possession.
Linebred sires are desirable for outcrossing
because we assume them to have fewer genes in common with our cows. In the earlier days of AI, most sires were
linebred; a dairyman using AI could combine these bloodlines and get a heterosis
response (hybrid vigor). The same
concept drives crossbreeding, except we have to remember that the hybrid
vigor runs out in three generations.
Back to inbreeding: all inbred animals do not express
inbreeding depression. An example
might be Tidy Burke Elevation, result of breeding a cow to her own sire,
who was already closely linebred. He
survived a crippling injury for eight years, including a truck ride as a mature
bull from Kansas to Ohio when he entered AI service at NOBA, producing semen
that bred Round Oak Ivanhoe Eve in Virginia, producing Round Oak Rag
Apple Elevation who today has the highest frequency in Holstein pedigrees.
“Elevation” reflected the heterosis of
inbred “Burke” sire mated to linebred “Rag Apple” dam.
“Elevation” also represented the “aAa
effect” on the physique of using a “round” weight sire on a “sharp” weight
cow. “Elevation” weighed 2600 pounds
at maturity, scored 96 points, and lived 15 years. In his generation this translated to
+3.00 Type and +1500 Milk maintaining both bf% and pr%
while in descendent generations we
know him to transmit good DPR and Productive Life genes.
Linebreeding can accentuate the
bad as well as the good..
Braedale Goldwyn (Semex)
was a high profile sire of his generation, used extensively for AI sons and in
the cow lines for many high Genomic value youngsters today, with a parallel
reputation for siring “show type” heifers that develop into “Excellent” cows
(he has the most EX daughters of any Canadian bull).
He was described by “aAa” as 2-4-3-1-6-5
(Tall + Strong + Open). His
daughters are highly angular (called “dairy” in linear trait terminology) and
his better daughters came from cows with some width of body, spring of rib and
substance of bone. You see these
“Goldwyn” tendencies in his son “Atwood”.
“Goldwyn” lived eight years
(2000-2008) and was unable to mount the last year of that life, semen was
always limited supply. He had a
high-strung temperament and was difficult to handle. He also has the reputation for siring nervous cows that die
easily and suddenly (not alone among bulls from the “Gypsy Grand” cow
line). Physically tall in front end,
narrow chest, slabby rib, shallow flank, curved rear legs, bad thurl
position: (in that sense, an
exaggeration of his sire’s tall but stiff physique)
Pawnee Farm Arlinda Chief
Walkway Chief Mark
Walkway Matt Mamie
Mark CJ Gillbrook
Grand
(No Na Me Fond Matt)
S W D Valiant
Welcome Valiant Gingersnap
Sire:
Welcome
Jupiter Gala
Shoremar James
(Bis May Astro Jupiter)
Hanoverhill
Starbuck
Madawaska Aerostar
Madawaska
Shady
(Clinton Camp Majesty)
Stelbro Jennie
Aerostar
Hanoverhill Inspiration
8 crosses to “Ivanhoe” Stelbro Joanne
Inspiration
7 crosses to “Arlinda Chief”
Stelbro Ester Jeanne
*(3 thru “Chief Mark”)
(Puget
Sound Sheik ??)
*(4 thru “Valiant”, sire of “Inspiration”)
7 crosses to “Elevation”
4 crosses to “Fond Matt”
Hanoverhill Starbuck
4 crosses to “Astronaut”
Madawaska Aerostar
Madawaska Shady
(Clinton
Camp Majesty)
Maughlin Storm
*BRF
Hanoverhill Inspiration
Wykholme Dewdrop Tacy
Wykholme Dewdrop Gail
Dam:
(Fairlea Royal Mark)
Braedale Baler Twine
VG 86 – 2yrs
Walkway
Chief Mark
Mark CJ Gillbrook Grand
Welcome Valiant Gingersnap
(SWD Valiant)
Braedale Gypsy
Grand
VG 88 – 5
yrs
Madawaska Aerostar
Braedale
Moonriver ET
GP 83 – 2 yrs
Sunnylodge Chief Vick
(Walkway Chief Mark)
5th dam by “Elevation”, 6th
dam by “Sheik”, 7th dam by “Fond Matt”
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