Dauphin is one of the most successful Limousin sires of the past 25 years, after coming through the French Sersia selection process, he soon established himself as a consistent and prolific sire.
His mix of easy calving, beefy sons and excellent daughters saw his popularity rise.
At one stage in France, some 30 of the top 100 RRE qualified (the highest grade available in the French breeding system) cows were sired by Dauphin.
He also bred numerous show champions and a record 12 sons were selected for use by French AI companies.
Overseas, Dauphin was widely regarded as one of the best AI sires available.
In Ireland he sired almost 1,800 progeny, his first Irish calf was registered in 1995 and his most recent in 2015.
Dauphin sired some high priced bulls and heifers at society sales in Roscrea with the top price to date being paid for Ballynerrin Sorcha at €16,000.
On ICBF evaluations, Dauphin is a five-star bull for docility and carcass weight, while only being 4.2% calving difficulty. Dauphin was a sire who was known for shape in his male progeny whilst also giving scale, milk and pelvis width to his female progeny, a combination which pleased breeders across the world.
His progeny were also known for excellent temperament and calving ease.
His most popular sons were Jacot (sire of Rocky, Saphir and Rossignol), Objat (sire of Cloughhead Ernie and Lowerffrydd Empire) and Palmeres.
He is also sire to AI bulls Carmorn Dauphin, Lenagh, Oderim and Neophin, all of which were available in AI in Ireland.
Dauphin sired cows have bred numerous AI bulls including Bavardge, the number one bull on maternal traits in 2012 in France and ULM, a successful sire who stood in the Fedneyhouse and Hawthorne herds in Northern Ireland and was also available through Dovea Genetics.
In the UK dauphin still has a beef value in the top 5% of recorded sires. His semen is now so scarce it has made up to 420 Sterling Guinees at auction. Get out there and check those old AI tanks!
By Arthur Lambert.