ProCROSS delivers better milk solids, health and fertility

It is an ‘extraordinary time’ for dairy farmers, who should be buoyed by the huge investment processors are making in the industry. 

This was the message from dairy analyst Chris Walkland at the recent 2024 ProCROSS Conference in Birmingham, UK. 

Mr Walkland told delegates: “We have a lot of companies that want a lot of milk, and they are going to want more solids.”

He said farmers producing extra solids could receive as much as a 10p/litre premium. He added that breeding for higher milk components would put many farmers ‘in pole position for tough times ahead’ and make businesses more resilient. 

Over the two-day event, delegates heard from other dairy producers who believed using the rotational three-way cross had helped them improve business resilience by strengthening cow health and longevity.

Tom Halton and his wife Karen are pioneers of the ProCROSS system, having converted from Holsteins more than a decade ago.

The Haltons milk 500 cows at Chance Hall Farm in Cheshire three times daily and average 11,800 litres at 3.8% fat and 3.4% protein. They also boast a 12-month rolling pregnancy rate of 34%.

Tom Halton told visitors to his farm: “These cows are the only thing that’s kept us here today. Without them doing what they have done, we wouldn’t still be farming. 

“They keep their condition and have unbelievable fertility. I love these cows so much,” he added.

The benefits of ProCROSS as the proven crossbreeding programme were also backed by independent research. 

Professor Giovanni Bittante from the University of Padua, Italy, reflected on the results of a study comparing the carcass value of ProCROSS and Holsteins.

The study's findings show that ProCROSS has a 37% lower risk of urgent culling, 9% heavier carcass weights and a 20% greater cull cow value.

Moreover, they found that crossbreeding was a tool for mitigating the environmental impact of milk and cheese production and improving economic environmental indicators.

Mr Cunningham said his culling rate had fallen to 25%, but he hopes to lower it to 20% in the future and use X-Vik sexed semen exclusively on heifers. This would allow him to mate all cows to Aberdeen Angus to capitalise on strong beef returns.

Morten Kargo, product manager of DairyCross at VikingGenetics, encouraged more farmers to use sexed semen on higher-ranking females to reduce the genetic lag between dairy cows and artificial insemination bulls.

This requires breeding values for crossbreds, which he said were being developed using parent averages for the three breeds used in the ProCROSS breeding programme.

“We will have breeding values available during the autumn. These will be on VikMate, VikingGenetics' mating plan tool,” he said.

The conference's final speaker, Annica Hansson from Växa, a member cooperative of VikingGenetics, showed that ProCROSS heifers require lower energy growing rations, largely because they reach sexual maturity quicker.

Although she caveated, rations should be balanced for minerals and energy based on forage quality.

She also advised farmers to inseminate on weight rather than height because VikingHolstein and Coopex Montbéliarde are usually taller than VikingRed.

To end, she explained that, at drying off, ProCROSS cows were typically at least half a body condition score ahead of Holsteins.

“At drying off, my goal is to have a BCS of 3-3.5. ProCROSS are a bit heavier and manage fine, but don’t put dry cows on a diet while they are preparing for the next lactation," she said.