The 2025 breeding season is only around the corner and sire selection so far this year seems to have a strong emphasis on bulls that are positive on milk.

There still seems to be a strong focus on milk solid percentages, but many artificial insemination (AI) companies have stated that there is certainly more of a focus on milk kilos this year, which in turn drives on solids production.

Sexed semen usage is growing year-on-year, with that uptake continuing strongly this year while conventional semen still has its place on many farms, according to multiple AI companies.

The surge in dairy-beef usage continues this year with many farmers being ringside throughout the spring, experiencing surreal prices for better quality beef calves, which has only encouraged beef on dairy usage even more.

Sire Selection: Eurogene

Eurogene’s Eamonn Coleman told Agriland that the trends in bull selection are very similar to last year with conventional and sexed semen sales similar to last year.

Coleman also said that farmers on average are using 66% dairy straws and 33% beef, with beef on dairy proving even more popular this year.

Coleman highlighted the increased emphasis on milk this year as a lot of farmers had been choosing bulls with good percentages but negative in milk in recent years and are now looking for that increase in production.

However, Coleman said that with the focus on milk, milk solids selection is still top as many farmers want bulls with 30kg of solids and 0.3% in fat and 0.2% in protein.

The most popular dairy bulls from Eurogene so far this year are as follows:

Oldabby Torc PED (FR9094), a bull with an Economic Breeding Index (EBI) of €324 and 30kgs of milk solids;
Buelin BM Equator SRM (FR7155), a bull with an EBI of €270, milk kg of 111kg and 39kg of milk solids;
Cloongore Mascot SRM (FR8133), EBI of €296 with 260kgs of milk and 44kgs of milk solids.

Coleman said that he has seen a “notable increase” in Belgian Blue and Charolais bulls being used with Aberdeen Angus and Herefords still being the top two beef breeds sold.

The Belgian Blue triple mix is again proving popular along with (BB8484) Knockagh Jubilant and the Aberdeen Angus Blackugh Philo (AA1154) one of their best sellers, with a DBI of €173 and a carcass weight of 24.6kg.

Dúnmasc Genetics

Speaking to Dúnmasc Genetics’ chief executive, Stephen Dowling, he said that farmers are looking for a positive in milk with a combination of fat and protein.

A trend that he has seen is selecting a sire that is 150-200kg of milk backed with components, with farmers desiring a pump in more milk.

Dowling has found that there is not as much of an emphasis on EBI when it comes to sire selection, but rather a focus on milk traits and the fertility of the sire.

Again, sexed semen usage has increased this year, according to Dowling, especially where there is a combination of sexed semen dairy AI and beef usage.

Aberdeen Angus and Hereford remain the most popular beef sires with farmers “willing to try a few more” in the form of Belgian Blue and Charolais mainly to bring up the beef traits of their non-replacements.

The most popular beef sires are Carrigroe Vice President (AA1022) with a Dairy Beef Index (DBI) of €154, Carrigroe V Dakota 2 (AA1023) with a DBI of €134, and the Belgian Blue bull, Cognac Dozo (BB1560) with a DBI of €110 also proving very popular.

The most popular dair sires at Dúnmasc Genetics are as follows:

Illsdale Vancouver (FR1792), EBI of €308, milk kilos of 193kg with 0.26% fat and 0.17% protein;
Coolnaclehy Wolverine (FR1795), EBI of €334 with 19kg of milk and 0.29% fat and 0.21% protein;
Ballymaddock Mistique, EBI of €341 with 206kg of milk and 33kg of milk solids.

Dowling claims that there is still a good uptake in conventional semen, with many farmers still not having full confidence in sexed semen and believing that conventional is still better suited for many herds.

Dovea

Dovea’s Marty Hayes said that sexed semen was in high demand and that stock was getting low as he encouraged farmers to get their orders in to guarantee the straw.

He also said that there is still a good uptake in conventional semen, which could be down to the good prices Friesian bull calves were making this spring around the country.

Hayes claimed that “farmers are choosing a positive teamof bulls with a bit more more milk, but a focus on solids is still number one”.

This emphasis on milk this year in sire selection could be down to the poor weather in recent years impacting production and the fact that, according to Hayes, many have been picking for high solids and negative milk in years gone and now want a response in milk as it is more heritable.

Hayes said there is still a strong drive towards that 0.2% protein and 0.3% fat to maintain milk, with health also a huge focus for many farmers.

Hayes said: “With TB (tuberculosis) and TB black spots around the country, farmers are focusing on getting TB resistance bulls.”

He said that health can reduce antibiotics, increase longevity, and improve the udder, feet, and legs.

“If you don’t have health, you don’t have anything else, and it’s a precursor to production and fertility”, Hayes added.

The top selling dairy bulls in Dovea so far this year are as follows:

Laharn Bruno (FR9816), EBI of €356, with 33kg of milk and 30kg of solids;
Cherryhill Trooper (FR9816), EBI of €355, 14 kg of milk with 0.34% fat and 0.21% protein;
Olcastletown Tiernan (FR5857), daughter proven with EBI of €272, 140kg of milkand 57kg of milk solids;

Hayes also mentioned that “dairy-beef is increasing the whole time” and that “farmers are trying a few different sires to maximise their calf crop”.

Sire selection on the beef side of things shows that the most popular are Ryans Victorious (AA9843) with a DBI of €121 and a carcass weight value of €13.10, followed by Chestnutpoll 1 Star 45 (HE8547) who is the number one proven Hereford sire available on beef sub index.

Munster Bovine

Agriland spoke with Munster Bovine’s Tom Baker who said there is a great increase in sexed semen and admitted that they were “worried early on with the price of bull calves”.

However, he said that farmers are more confident in the product and are getting their heifer calves born in the first few weeks of the calving season so they can then focus on better bulls with beef.

Farmers are more focused on the beef traits and the DBI and CBV, claimed Baker, with Charolais and Belgian Blue sire sales well up as farmers are pushing their calving difficulty to improve the beef traits.

Some of the popular Angus sires include Tower Tommie and HW Lord Horatio. The most popular Belgian Blue bull is Quarrybank Moneyman, with the most popular Charolais sire being Orbi.

The Limousin bull, Shannon Stan is proving popular as he is the shortest gestation Limousin bull ever with a gestation of 280 days.

In terms of dairy sire selection, Baker claimed that there is “a big push for milk this year” as “overall kg of milk soilds are back in the last few years” and farmers want “a bit more production with components”.

He said that many farmers are choosing bulls with 100-150kg of milk and that there is also a strong focus on health with TB resistance bulls being the new focus.

The most popular dairy sires selling at Munster Bovine are as follows:

Tankardsrock Teak (FR7929), 197kg of milk with 34kg of solids and has a limited daughter proof;
Olcastletown Mojo (FR8709), EBI of €375. -10kg of milk with 33kg of milk solids;
Killavallia Linesman (FR1185), with an EBI of €347, 111kg of milk with 40kg of solids.

In terms of conventional semen, Baker said that there is still quite a few farmers using it, noting that there seems to be a tendency to breed a few more Friesians as farmers have been tight on replacements in the last number of years.

Sire Selection: Eurogene

Dúnmasc Genetics

Dovea

Munster Bovine

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Dúnmasc Genetics

Increased emphasis on milk seems to be the trend in sire selection