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British Charolais breeders’ rewarded for herd genetic

improvements

British Charolais breeders have been recognised for the genetic progress made to their herds during the last 12 months with the Harman Charolais Genetic Improvement Award 2010. The accolade was presented to four herds located throughout the UK’s four home countries by the Harman family, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, one of the founding members of the breed society.

Herd progress was measured by the greatest improvement in the Self Replacing Index (SRI) for the calves born in 2008, and recorded over the 2008/2009 recording years. All Breedplan recording society members with a minimum recorded 10 calves were eligible to enter.

The winning members in England are Howard and Edward Forster, Bardon Mill, Northumberland (Piatroon) with a 12 month SRI improvement from SRI +24.7 to SRI +30.9; Northern Ireland, Stuart and David Bothwell, Ballinamallard, County Fermanagh (Killadeas) SRI +26.4 to SRI +28.7; Scotland, Andrew Hornall, Stirling (Falleninch) SRI +27.2 to

SRI +34.3; and Wales, John Williams, Caersws, Powys (Trannon) SRI +16.3 to SRI +23.1.

“The Harman Charolais Genetic Improvement Award is designed to recognise Charolais breeders, from the very established to those up and coming, for their drive and enthusiasm to use the Breedplan recording system to help select more accurately for  commercial traits within their respective herds. Each of the four winners have demonstrated real improvement in their herd’s SRI indices in the last 12 months, which will in turn contribute towards not only improving the genetics within their own herd, but also in turn enhance the UK commercial beef herd’s performance.”

He adds: “Given the date of establishment and notoriety of these winning herds, we are delighted that they have recognised that Breedplan is proving to them a sure way of increasing the rate of genetic progress.”