The ICBF has published the details of the top 200 EBI dairy herds in the country and Pat Flynn’s herd in Kilworth, Co. Cork takes the top spot with an EBI of €239.

Kieran Hearne, Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Waterford has jumped to second position with an EBI of €228 while Martin Kinane remains at number three on the list with an EBI of €225.

In at number 13 on the list is Tomas Roche Kilwatermoy, Tallow, Co. Waterford who is a new entrant dairy farmer with an EBI of €212.

The Teagasc Next Generation dairy herd has fallen from this spot to 26th on the list, even though its EBI rose from €201 to €205.

In fact the top 10 dairy herds this year have an EBI of €215 or more, a rating that would have put them in second place last year. The Teagasc Solohead farm comes in at 116th with an EBI of €191.

Last year the top 10 herds came in at €203 or above but, this year, €203 only gets herds into the top 30.

There are now 44 herds with an EBI of €200 or more. This top 200 saw 24 herds make the list for the first time with 79 herds climbing up the ranks.

The average EBI of the Top 200 herds is €195(up €7) with €59 coming from the Milk Sub-Index and €104 from the Fertility Sub-Index. This compares with a national average of €131 (Milk €37, Fertility €78).

The full list of herds can be found on the ICBF website.

icbf top herds