SHIONA Berry isn’t that interested in cattle genetics. 

Neither is her husband, Caleb. But these Glen Alvie dairy farmers started genomic testing their heifer calves two years ago. 

Shiona told a recent DataGene Genomics Discovery Day that DNA testing their calves helped accurately select the top animals for retention. 

“We are rearing so many more heifers now because of sexed semen and our cows are getting pregnant really quite well now,” she said. 

“We are selling a lot to the export market, and we knew what we were doing to pick the ones for the export market was not great. We went through a stage where it was all the tailenders (born at the end of the calving season) that were culled.

“Then we went through a stage where we looked at the mothers (of the calves) to see their production and whether we liked their traits and then we’d get rid of their calves if they did not tick a box.” 

With two years of genomic testing under their belt – including all the animals’ Balanced Performance Index (BPI) data – Shiona and Caleb realised their previous approach to culling wasn’t the most beneficial for their business. 

“The stab in the dark we were having previously was crazy,” Shiona said. 

“We were cutting tailenders off, and I look at our genomic testing data and our tailenders were not our poorest BPI … actually we have poor BPI spread all through.” 

Now the Berrys select the heifers they want to retain based on BPI and use industry tools such as DataVat* to navigate the genomic information. 

Shiona, Caleb and their children Ella 16, Freya 14 and Olivia 11 operate Glen Alvie Dairies, milking 700 cows in a split calving system
With a nutrition background, Shiona’s passion is feeding cattle. 

Initially, they dismissed the concept because of cost and the fact neither of them were into genetics. But a few years ago, they became involved in an industry research project where they were required to take a DNA sample from dead calves. 

It opened the door for them to start testing their live calves. 

Taking the initial genomic samples proved challenging. 

“We were taking the samples from the calves and they were standing up and running around,” Shiona said. 

“Now we do it when we disbud the calves under general anaesthetic on the ground. 

I walk along and they get their vaccination, and we do a notch at the same time. It is very easy and a lot calmer.”