25 years of crossbreeding Fleckvieh x Holstein in Northern Germany

FLECKVIEHWorld 2010/2011
NORTHERN GERMANY 15
25 years of crossbreeding
Fleckvieh x Holstein in Northern Germany
– How the crossbreeding idea was born
Theo Vermöhlen, Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics, Northern Germany
A quarter of a century ago crossbreeding of dairy breeds was practically unknown in Western Germany
and many other European Countries. What is common in pig breeding since a long time was not even
thought of in the dairy business. However, some farmers in Northern Germany started inseminating their
Holsteins with Fleckvieh already 25 years ago because they were fed up with the cows they had in their
barns and were looking for a way to improve the health of their dairy herd. Soon after they started crossbreeding,
they noticed heterosis effects offered them huge advantages practically without paying any
additional money. When they went on with crossbreeding, they realized how efficient the Fleckvieh breed
is and continued with absorption cross.
From the very beginning these pioneer
farmers appreciated the chances
Fleckvieh offers because of the
wide variance within the breed itself.
One can choose from sires
that are more beef type to sires
that are dual purpose to sires that
are dairy type. This wide variety gives
you the chance to find an adequate
sire for each cow. Bavarian
Fleckvieh Genetics always focused
on the preservation of as many
bloodlines as possible to offer
enough bulls with different breeding
performances in different
traits.
When they sold their first crossbred
bull calves they were able to
realize higher prices than for their
Holstein bull calves and also the
slaughter cows carried in high
yields. The excellent fertility of the
Fleckvieh cows made replacement
rates of 40 % possible. The outstanding
fitness and udder health led to
a higher milk check because the
milk quality was good and the milk
contents were high. This additional
income helped to cover the raising
costs of a cow.
One day, one of these pioneers,
Karl-Josef Vermöhlen, contacted
Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics for semen.
Till that time we had never
heard of the crossbreeding farms
in Northern Germany nor thought
of crossbreeding at all. The idea
was born from the farmers themselves,
in their daily practical work.
Several visits of the crossbreeding
farms convinced us of the idea and
made us create a whole breeding
program out of it. We gathered all
the experiences of the farmers that
were already crossbreeding with
Fleckvieh and presented a breeding
program according to the
principle: „stabilize milk production
and realize additional income
through beef”.
This means an economical superiority
of the combination „milk and
beef“ compared to “only milk”
when all other expenses are taken
into account. Today we see that the
farms that started crossbreeding
25 years ago have the same milk
production as their colleagues who
milk Holsteins, but a higher income
thanks to low costs and additional
money through beef.
Anne – 75% Fleckvieh – one of the first crossbred cows in Northern Germany.

16 FLECKVIEH WORLDWIDE
First Fleckvieh calves born in Kenya
Kenya is crazy about Fleckvieh since
Gerard Besseling, a Dutch guy living
in Kenya and his Fleckvieh
team introduced the breed in the
African country. Meanwhile the first
Fleckvieh calves are on the ground,
among these a set of twins, which
is very seldom in Kenya.
The lives of Gerard Besseling and
his Kenyan wife Lydia changed a lot
since their company „Fleckvieh Genetics
East Africa“ became the representative
of Bavarian Fleckvieh
Genetics in summer 2009. Before,
they had almost nothing to do with
agriculture in Kenya, now they have
a farm that everybody knows
and that is highly respected. Together
with a team of specialists and
veterinarians they introduce Fleckvieh
in Kenya and other Middle
African countries. Meanwhile the
first calves were born and the enthusiasm
is constantly rising.
George Cassar, our representative
in Australia had some ear tags made
up to distribute to users of Fleckvieh
semen to tag F1 (50 % Flekkvieh)
calves sent to the saleyards
in order to create a bigger exposure
and awareness and a higher demand
for Fleckvieh. Currently bull
calves make about $ 45 and Jersey
„Nearly every day we get
SMS and emails from
Kenyan farmers about the
birth of Fleckvieh crossbreds.
Fleckvieh is used on
Holstein, Guernsey, Jersey
and Zebu cows. The calves
are born without any complications.
They are very vital
and their fast growth is
remarkable. Fleckvieh is
very valuable for big dairy
farms, but also for small
farmers who have only one
or two cows in their barn.
And don’t forget that most
of the Kenyan farmers belong
to the Massai and
they are real cow-people”
says Gerard Besseling in
Nairobi.
Apart from their Fleckvieh business
Gerard Besseling and his wife Lydia
run a company in Nairobi named
Fleckvieh Ear Tags in Australia
bull calves are added to the compost
heap.The ear tags already celebrated
their first success: Greg
Templeton, who was one of the first
to use the ear tags wrote to George
Cassar:
„Hi George, sold my first calf
yesterday wearing a Fleckvieh tag,
it must have worked because he
South African Cheese Festival 2010
Thys Swart from Kykso Simmentalers and Dr. Thomas Grupp from Bavarian
Fleckvieh Genetics are proud of the award for the Fleckvieh booth.
Mary Kinguru from Ihwage (near Mount Kenya) is proud of the Fleckvieh twins
out of her Guernsey cow. She also has a Holstein cow that is due to a Fleckvieh
sire.
Amicabre, that organizes safaris
and passenger transportation.
300 people are employed in that
company.
made $ 232 and the auctioneer
didn’t hesitate
using the name and I
watched a number
of people have a
look and turn his
ear so they could
read it, so away we
go!”
Thousands of cheese lovers from
near and far celebrated the Good
Life at the 2010 South African Cheese
Festival earlier this year. 8.000
people per day attended the festival
that lasted for four days. The
number of visitors is limited to
8.000, which is part of the success
of this event.
In the year 2009 Fleckvieh was exhibited
at the festival for the first time.
Enthusiastic Fleckvieh breeders
from the Western Cape Simmentaler
Club and Bavarian Fleckvieh
Genetics introduced the breed
to the broad public. A Hippo daughter
(100 % FV) and a Randy daughter
(50 % FV / 50 % Holstein) were
exhibited as living examples. Everybody
was very happy when the
Fleckvieh booth was awarded best
booth in the category „Milk factory“.
In 2010 again a pure Fleckvieh cow
and a Fleckvieh/Ayrshire crossbred
were shown. To our great surprise
the booth was awarded best booth
for the second time in a row.
In 2011 the South African Cheese
Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary.
It will take place from the 29th
of April to 2nd of May 2011. Fleckvieh
will be back with an even better
exhibition concept! Come and
see us!
FLECKVIEHWorld 2010/2011

First Fleckvieh cows
at World Dairy Expo, Madison/USA
Johanna Kampschulte, Theo Vermöhlen
Thanks to the crossbreeding research
trials of Prof. Les Hansen in
California and Minnesota and the
long-time work and experience of
Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics in this
subject, Fleckvieh x Holstein crossbreds
become more and more popular
in North America.
In the year 2009, for the first time,
crossbred animals were admitted
to the famous fair at Madison. In
the „Grazing Pavilion“ they were
shown to the public. Besides the
crossbred Fleckvieh cows, the
Dutch Belted and Normande
Breeds were also exhibited, along
with an array of information on
grazing related products and ideas.
Ale Riedstra from Riedbow Dairy in
Manitoba/Canada, the breeder of
the cows, and Cornel Primrose, a
Fleckvieh breeder and friend from
Alberta, took the drudgery upon
themselves to make the long trip
from Canada to bring the cows to
Regio-daughter (75 % Fleckvieh, DS: Enrico), exhibited at World Dairy
Expo 2009. Production: 1 st. La., 66 days: 1790 – 4,67 – 3,02.
FLECKVIEHWorld 2010/2011
the fair. Together with our North
American distributor, Dr. John
Popp, they had selected three
cows, two Regio-daughters with
50 % and 75 % Fleckvieh blood and
one Waterberg-daughter with 75 %
Fleckvieh blood.
On the show grounds the animals
were prepared for their debut at
World Dairy Expo by a professional
cow fitter. The results were three
perfectly styled ambassadresses
for the Fleckvieh breed. Despite of
their long journey to Madison, the
Fleckvieh cows – all in their first
lactation – presented themselves
excellently and attracted lots of attention.
Milk production on the
cows remained unchanged during
the show and all three cows convinced
through their excellent type
traits, udder quality and high production.
Accordingly, the interest
from the visitors was enormous
and the people who took care of
WORLD DAIRY EXPO 17
The exhibition of the first live Fleckvieh cows at last year’s World Dairy Expo in Madison, USA, the most important
meeting point of the dairy industry, where the best north American Holstein, Red & White, Jersey,
Guernsey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and milking Shorthorn cows are presented to a huge number of international
visitors, was a historical event for Bavarian Fleckvieh Genetics and the whole Fleckvieh breed.
the animals, Ale Riedstra, Cornel
Primrose and Karyn Cassar had
their hands full with answering all
the questions.
North American farmers like the
functionality of the crossbred
cows. They show lots of substance
and stand out through their fitness
and surprising high milk yields. The
excellent fertility and udder health
are highly appreciated. Producers
using Bavarian Fleckvieh for crossing
see added revenue from the
sale of male calves and when having
to cull Fleckvieh crosses.
Extra income per cow is now $ 250
to $ 300 as a result of crossing with
Fleckvieh. Crossbred heifers show
lots of vitality and integrate themselves
excellently in the established
production systems. These observations
correspond to the experiences
made by farms involved in
crossbreeding in other parts of the
world.
Cornel Primrose washing the three Fleckvieh-crossbreds.