THE MONTBÉLIARDE BREED IN FRANCE

The Montbéliarde breed is today the second dairy breed in France. In a decreasing dairy cow population (-85,954 milk recorded cows in 2007), the Montbéliarde population is stable and has been increasing its overall market share in France. The growth is about 5% and even 10% in some areas, where the Holstein breed is dominant.

 

Population

On 1 January 2007, the Montbéliarde breed was represented by 158,000 males, 585,000 heifers and 685,000 cows in France. 382,965 cows are milk recorded by the French recording organization in 15,309 dairy farms. This data increase regularly.

The average production performance of the breed:

Herd-book population 5000 herd-book breeders belong to the herd-book. This association is managed by breeders, selection units, AI centres, recording associations, local associations and associations promoting milk and beef products.

These 5000 breeders represent 189,00 cows, which translateż into an average of 38 cows per herd with the following performance:

Genetic improvement

588,000 Montbéliarde cows are inseminated. 25% of the inseminations are made by a beef breed to provide beef bulls for specialized farms. Two selection units (Umoteżt and Jura-Bétail) are in charge of the breed selection according to the breeding goals defined by the O.S. Montbéliarde.

160 young bulls are progeny teżted per year:

- 100% are controlled before in a performance station for growth rate and beef conformation;

- 100% are controlled for semen production ability;

- Those which come from famous families are chosen with the help of gene markers. Both selection units invest a lot in this research subject;

- Semen is dispatched randomly according to a rigorous protocol. An average of 80 daughters are milk recorded in 76 different herds and described morphologically with the linear method by 45 different technicians.

The evaluated characters are: milk production, milk quality, morphology, beef value, mastitis resistance, fertility, longevity, calving ease, and temperament.

The breeding goals are included in the ISU index, which consists of: ISU = 50.0% milk characters (protein quantity and especially protein level), 12.5% longevity, 12.5% fertility, 12.5% mastitis resistance, 12.5% morphology and beef value.

Forthcoming events

- 9-12 September 2008 - SPACE show in Rennes,

- 2-4 October 2008 - Sommets de l'élevage show in Cournon,

- 7 January 2008 - progeny teżt show JURA-BETAIL,

- 3 February 2008 ? progeny test show UMOTEST,

- 22 February 2009 - Montbéliarde show in Paris,

- April 2008 - Eurogénétique competition in Epinal,

- May 2008 - Montbéliarde Prestige show in Besançon.

Exports

400,000 doses are exported yearly all over the world. This job is mainly done by a specialized Montbéliarde genetics company (COOPEX Montbéliarde) exporting semen, embryos and heifers. The Montbéliarde breed has very good results in comparison with the Holstein breed in US and Dutch studies.

 

 

Polski Związek Hodowców Bydła Simentalskiego z/s w Odrzechowej
Adres: Odrzechowa 1, 38-530 Zarszyn
tel. (013)-467-11-72, fax (013)-435-91-20, e-mail:simentale@simentale.pl