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8.6.13

The readiness is all

There's a lot of people who'll denounce genomics in the first sentence they throw at you, but secretly they've probably been tempted by a sale lot boasting some magical genomic score. We all like the idea that a bunch of numbers hold some special significance based on 50 odd tail hairs. Sure there's more to it than that, I know, but how much more?

Semagen Domain Medusa-ET
So, I've got this yearling heifer that's sired by one of the genomic celebs, DOMAIN, and her fourth dam is none other than the 95 point mega-brooder Whittier Farms Lead-Mae, and I succumb to the noise and send in her hairs for a genomic test. A little while later and I get the results from the HFAA and now I'm going to look like one of those weekend sport parents as I do victory laps holding up a sign with +2408 written big on it. Yeah, that's pretty good, and her scorecard reads nicely with positives on every trait but teat length, a little bit low on loin strength, and posty legs. Have a look at the test reports for all the numbers.

Just as interesting as Medusa's genomic test is that she has a flush brother, Semagen Domain Matthew-ET, and he might be brimming with genomic value. Then again, he might not, and that possibility is the thing that amuses me about all this science. It's a bit like betting on race favourites ... they don't always win, but you just feel so confident about it all. Collect Matthew on the basis that his sister has got the goods and get a thousand units out there and I'd bet that half his daughters line up with his sister. Or you get him tested and he's not so hot, or maybe he is.  His real-time daughters have got to line up just the same. Yeah?

Anyway, back in the real world, she's coming up for her first mating and I'm wondering where to go. Do we add more genomics into the mix and chase the fairytale?