12.4.1.1 The nucleus program (2024)

In Wirdum in the province of Friesland (NL) CRV has a large breeding centre with the task to produce 12,400 embryos per year. The largest part originates from 150 donor heifers housed in Wirdum and 20 donor cows all owned by CRV. In addition, via the Eurodonor program, embryos originate from practical breeders in a multinational Holstein Friesian population of 10 million cows. Oocytes are collected from donors, fertilized with semen of the small selected group of bull sires (Create bulls) and after 7 days implanted in donor animals housed in Wirdum or owned by practical farmers.

Out of the 12,400 embryos 3800 bull calves are born (1000 from Eurodonor and 2800 from the CRV nucleus) and 4300 heifers calves (1500 Eurodonor and 2800 CRV nucleus). After an intense genomic selection procedure 110 bull calves are selected for breeding and 160 heifers are added to the nucleus. Out of the 110 bull calves 50 are selected on phenotypic traits and offered to dairy farmers as CRV InSire Top bulls. Based on their daughter performance 15 of them will be used at an older age by farmers who like to use daughter proven bulls.

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(Source: CRV)