WestVic Dairy News - August 2010 Edition
Thumbs up for SELECTABULL
By Jo Crosby, Project Manager, Animal Systems, DPI Warrnambool
If you are looking for a quick and simple way of selecting a suitable bull team for your herd, then SELECTABULL is for you.
SELECTABULL is a handy web-based tool developed by the Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme (ADHIS) that enables you to search for appropriate bulls for your herd, based on the breeding objectives you have set.
If you are put off by the thought that this is a computer based tool, never fear – you can attend a short, three-hour workshop where you can put the program through its paces with help at hand.
SELECTABULL is very easy to use, and feedback from workshop participants has been overwhelmingly positive. A huge 96 per cent of participants who have completed feedback sheets say they feel confident in using the program after attending the workshop.
Meeting other farmers and discussing their breeding objectives, and the more technical aspects of the workshop such as learning more about bulls, ABVs, and the full capability of the Selectabull program are all recorded as highlights of the workshops. Some participants become aware of a larger range of bulls that would fulfil the needs of their herds, while others gain confidence in their decision making when their current bull selection is confirmed.
In a glowing endorsement, 87 per cent of feedback respondents plan to use the SELECTABULL program when next making semen purchasing decisions.
The SELECTABULL tool is easily accessible on the ADHIS website at www.adhis.com.au.
If you are interested in attending a SELECTABULL workshop please contact Ann McDowell at DPI Camperdown on 03 5557 5805.
