Mint-Edition's fame will live on

Fairmont Mint-Edition.

The latest edition to the LIC Hall of Fame has more than 71,000 herd-tested daughters in New Zealand

An elite bull that has delivered a major contribution to dairy farms nationwide will be recognised as one of the very best after being inducted into the Livestock Improvement Corporation's Hall of Fame.

Fairmont Mint-Edition, a Holstein-Friesian sire bred by Barry and Linda Old of Morrinsville, is the 53rd animal to be recognised in the Hall of Fame in more than 50 years of artificial breeding in New Zealand.

Barry and Linda Old of Morrinsville.

In a special presentation to the breeders last week, Mint-Edition was praised for "well and truly living up to his name", since joining the co-op's premier sires team in 2009.

"Mint-Edition very quickly took his place at the top of the team and proved very popular with farmers who consistently told us he is the best bull they have ever used," says LIC bull acquisition manager Simon Worth.

"Over four consecutive years as a premier sire, Mint-Edition averaged nearly 155,000 inseminations each season, and will go on record with a truly impressive lifetime tally of 800,000 inseminations.

"Currently, Mint-Edition has more than 71,000 herd-tested daughters in New Zealand, and they will be joined in the coming seasons by more of his late-born progeny. Daughters can also be found across the globe in some of LIC's major export markets.

"Mint-Edition's contribution to this industry has been immense, and will continue to be.

"His legacy will be seen on farms for generations to come."

The bull's superiority also made him an obvious choice as a sire of future sons for the industry, Worth says, with plenty in the sire-proving pipeline and some already taking their place on the DairyNZ ranking of active sires list.

One of Mint-Edition's son, San Ray Beamer, is at present the No1 bull on the RAS across all breeds, with 318 BW.

"For Mint-Edition to not only lead the team for his four years, and then go on to sire such an extreme son, and more in the pipeline, that has to be the pinnacle in any bull's career," Worth says.

"There is no doubt that Mint-Edition has rightfully earned his place in the LIC Hall of Fame. I congratulate Barry and Linda for their exceptional breeding skills and for supplying this legend of a bull to LIC for us to share with our farmers."

LIC's Hall of Fame, located at its Newstead headquarters, is exclusively reserved for animals whose achievements have had, and will continue to have, a profound influence on the profitability of New Zealand's dairy farmers and, in turn, the economy.

The criteria for the Hall of Fame are demanding and the merits of potential candidates are carefully assessed.

Before Mint-Edition, the last animal to be inducted was Jersey sire Shepherds Noontime, in 2010.