Longevity and Profitability Go Hand in Hand at Abiqua Acres

摘要

For more than fifty years the Mann Family has been breeding Registered Guernseys at Abiqua Acres. They have steadfastly held to their belief that the Guernsey cow can milk and last in a commercial environment and have made careful breeding decisions that helped them achieve that goal. Some time ago, USDA devised a new index that aimed to reflect the lifetime profitability of a dairy cow. It was called the Net Merit Dollar (NM dollar) index and it fit the Mann's breeding goals perfectly. Abiqua Acresis home to 17 of the nation's top 300 living NM$ cows. No other farm comes close to that total. At Abiqua Acres, though, it isn't about breeding for index, NM$ or any other. The goal is to breed Guernseys that milk at a profitable level and do so for many years. In recent years, three young sires have entered AI sampling programs from the farm - Abiqua Acres Banger Martini, C Marksman and Banger Verdict. This provided validation that the breeding decisions that were made generation after generation on acommercial dairy in Oregon were valued by the entire Guernsey industry.