We moved and.... Index Cows vs Real Cows

We finally made the big move! In spite of the local building Nazis (I am supposed to have an "occupancy permit") we have moved to the new homestead up on the hill. We have electric but no phone or water yet. My posts will be less frequent for a spell, because I have to go to my inlaws to use the internet. It has been an adventure, like everything else we do around here. Today I got the gas lines put together and working, so we can once again cook hot meals. We had some heating problems but are alright now. The farm has been keeping me busy, it seems like everything falls apart at the same time around here. You name it, its broke! I can't wait for spring. We had a nice calf born that is sired by Rapid Bay Just Wait. She may be the nicest calf this year. Christy, a Top Prize out of a EX 91 cow that has since past away, had 99 pounds of milk for the tester. Not bad for the daughter of a bull that is minus 1500 pounds. USDA index numbers are a load of crap! Only some over educated simple minded know-it-all from Cornell could come up with such a bass akward way to evaluate cows. Elsie, the Queen of our herd, is over 13 years old. She has well over 150,000 pounds of lifetime production. She is scored EX 90. I just got some papers in the mail from US Jersey with the "numbers" for our herd. Her predicted transmitting ability for milk is minus 1209 pounds. Some 2 year old out of an inferior sire that won't last to be a 3 year old will be plus 2300 pounds. Even though she is scored Ex 90 and her udder is still above her hocks she is also minus for type. We have heifers that are scored in the low 80's that are plus for type. To top it off, all the experts agree....index bulls are better. We wonder why cows don't last anymore!