New Charolais Sire Selected for YBPS
06/08/08

Gower Blingbling is the latest Charolais bull to be selected for the EBLEX’s Young Bull Promotion Scheme following nomination by the British Charolais Cattle Society’s council of management.

Gower Blingbling bred by Richard and Alison Tucker

The bull meets the scheme’s criteria with a Terminal Index (TI) and Self Replacing Index (SRI) both within the breed’s top 10%. Semen has been collected by BCCS and five straws are available free of charge to at least 20 different herds. To be eligible, they must be Charolais Breedplan recording members.

EBLEX’s Dr Liz Genever comments: “The scheme’s aim is to promote rapid genetic progress within the pedigree beef herd by encouraging the use of younger bulls to reduce generation intervals, and to improve genetic selection differentials by choosing sires with the highest possible figures. These benefits extend to the commercial herd through greater availability of high genetic potential terminal sires for profitable beef production.” She adds: “I would encourage all eligible herds to make use of the free YBPS semen available to them through the society.”

Gower Blingbling ranks within the breed’s top 10% for most breeding values. He has a TI of +31, an SRI of +38, an exceptional score for both 400 day weight at +54 and +7.6 for daughters’ calving ease.

Bred by Richard and Alison Tucker, of Horton, Gower, Swansea, Gower Blingbling is by Jumper, a trait leader for 200 day, 400 day and 600 day weights, and out of Gower Negligee, a homebred dam from their 30 cow herd who has consistently proved to be easy calving; she is by Mortimers Jaguar and her dam goes back to Peluthohouse lines. Blingbling’s full sister won her class at the Royal Welsh as a maiden heifer and later sold in a private deal to Andrew Hornall’s Falleninch herd, Stirling.

“We are pleased another Charolais bull has been selected for the latest YBPS which is designed to promote rapid genetic improvement by improving calving ease while maintaining growth and conformation,” says BCCS chief executive, David Benson. “Blingbling was selected for the scheme primarily on his performance records which are complemented by his physical correctness. We are confident that he will complement and build on the success of the previous YBPS Charolais bull, Balmyle Vagabond by leaving progeny that are easily calved and accompanied by weight for age.”

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