ICBF Beef Breeding Journal 2015-16
Where did all the milk & fertility go? Really, its not that anything was deliberately done to reduce the average Irish suckler cow’s ability to have a calf every year or have enough milk to rear a calf. Its more that terminal traits are every beef cattle person’s primary concern. A Beef animal’s first assessment is with the naked eye. It is only human nature to base your first impressions of a bull by how he looks. Muscle
✔
Weight
Daughter Milk
✔
?
Carcass Conformation
?
Daughter Fertility
✔
Docility
✔
?
Daughter Survival
The comments above were printed beside a random sample of Beef AI Bulls in AI catalogues over the last 20 years. These comments were nearly always accompanied by a fantastic picture of the bull. It is completely normal that the physical conformation of a beef bull is described to potential customers as these are the traits that matter when you are breeding beef cattle for the mart or the factory. AI Companies, Breed Societies and Pedigree Breeders delivered what they were asked to deliver – well muscled beef bulls!
‘Unfortunately, it is the ‘invisible’ traits that are also just as important to a beef farmer.’ 1
ICBF Beef Breeding Journal 2015-16 The following graph shows how this success in terminal traits grew over the years. 120 115 Scales PTA
One side effect from the success of breeding increasingly beefy animals has been that when beef farmers would return from the mart or factory having sold another group of well-bred beef cattle, they found that an increasing number of their female comrades at home were on average:
pta calving difficulty pta carcass wt pta daughter fertility pta daughter milk pta survival pta carcass conformation
110 105 100 95 90 1999
2001
2003
2005 2007 Birth year
2009
2011
2013
Graph 1: Genetic trends for Terminal and Maternal traits in the Irish National Suckler Herd in recent times
• • • • •
Difficult to get in calf Having difficulty calving themselves Lacking enough milk to rear their calves with Failing to go back in calf Not surviving for long in the herd
Déjà vu! The very same thing happened in the dairy industry in the late 1990’s. Dairy AI Bulls were promoted and used on the basis of how much milk their daughters could produce…logical enough assessment of a Dairy Bull. However, just like what is now happening in beef – while the genetic progress in one trait was improving – another trait was suffering. In the dairy case – it was also the female traits of fertility and survival that were suffering as a consequence of increased milk production. There are many examples of bulls whose daughters did exactly what was promised of them, however they also disappointed in other traits that were not being focussed on at the time of their use. Again, like beef breeding – this was not the intended outcome – it was just a reflection as to what the focus in breeding was at that stage…more milk, more milk, more milk!
Linde Alfred is a new graduate, representing the Dutch breeding philosophy. Alfred transmits not only more milk but substantial increase in both fat and protein contents. Due to the elevated protein level of his daughters he is a great money bull with a very sound type transmission. (AI catalogue comment for LLD) Linde Alfred (LLD) Born: 15/2/84
Index EBI Milk Sub Index Fertility Sub Index
Euro 78
Rel 97%
61 37
99% 96%
This Holstein bull was marketed here in the 1990’s. His Dairy Index in 2015 is shown below. He did deliver on milk production but not on daughter fertility.
‘Déjà vu! The very same thing happened in the dairy breeding industry in the late 1990’s.’ 2
ICBF Beef Breeding Journal 2015-16 The following 2 influential AI Sires ‘Hermes’ (Charolais) and ‘Dauphin’ (Limousin) are good examples of how certain bloodlines have been followed over the years because of their ability to inject muscle and weight into their pedigree offspring who in turn passed these genetics into commercial herds around Ireland.
Hermes Bloodline in Ireland Bull Details AI Code HME
Terminal Index Index Star Across Breed €135 ★★★★★ His AI Sire descendants in Ireland Terminal Index Index Star Across Breed €156 ★★★★★ €174 ★★★★★ €148 ★★★★★ €143 ★★★★★ €146 ★★★★★ €134 ★★★★★ €125 ★★★★★ €157 ★★★★★ €154 ★★★★★ €138 ★★★★★ €127 ★★★★★ €112 ★★★★ €148 ★★★★★ €137 ★★★★★ €129 ★★★★★ €140 ★★★★★ €135 ★★★★★ €136 ★★★★★ €122 ★★★★★ €85 ★★ €135 ★★★★★ €149 ★★★ €107 ★★★★★ Average €136 ★★★★★
Name HERMES Bull Details
AI Code CH2066 S2139 F182 S1110 F240 S312 KUD AAI CF52 PHX HVT S731 F144 VCR F174 S949 F208 S297 CF62 OYX HME S626 KIB
Name DERRYOLAM IMPECCABLE TONROE EMINEM BAURNAFEA ALI BABA KILVILCORRIS ERIC OAKHILL FELIX KILMORE TOPPER KILCULLEN TED ASHLEIGH ADMIRAL DOONALLY NEW PANORAMIX HILLIEW ATLANTA OKAPIBB COTTAGE SCOTT DROMISKIN VICEROY ROUNDHILL VICTOR (ET) LOWERFFRYDD BENHURR ET AGHAFAD HAROLD ET BEECHDALE RAMBLER BANCO ONYX HERMES ASHLEIGH VICTOR (ET) LIMKILN BOSCO
Replacement Index Index Stars Across Breed – €106 ★ Replacement Index Index Stars Across Breed €38 ★★ €33 ★★ €33 ★★ €30 ★ €13 ★ €2 ★ €1 ★ – €6 ★ – €20 ★ – €24 ★ – €26 ★ – €33 ★ – €34 ★ – €43 ★ – €48 ★ – €51 ★ – €59 ★ – €62 ★ – €88 ★ – €93 ★ – €106 ★ – €117 ★ – €166 ★ - €36 ★
Table 1: Listing of Terminal and Replacement Index values for ‘Hermes’ and his offspring from which semen was also used here in Ireland.
HERMES Number of AI Sires that are descendants of him in Ireland 23 Minimum number of commercial progeny from this bloodline born in Ireland Number of pedigree progeny from this bloodline born in Ireland
Descendants - Average Terminal Index
Descendants - Average Replacement Index
Index
Star Across Breed
Index
Stars Across Breed
€136
★★★★★
– €36
★
43,583 12,712
Table 2: Summary of the average Terminal and Replacement Index values for offspring from ‘Hermes’ from which semen was also used here in Ireland.
3
4
Baurnafea Ali Baba F182
Cottage Scott F144
Roundhill Victor F174
Limkiln Bosco KIB
Ashleigh Victor S626
Kilvilcorris Eric S1110
Tonroe Eminem S2139
Kilcullen Ted KUD
Ashleigh Admiral AAI
Derryolan Impeccable CH2066
Beechdale Rambler S297
Hillview Atlanta HVT Lowerffrydd Benhurr S949
Kilmore Topper S312
Oakhill Felix F240
Onyx OYX
Dromiskin Viceroy VCR
Doonally New CF52
Panoramix PHX
Hermes HME
Okapibb S731
Aghafad Harold Et F208
Banco CF62
ICBF Beef Breeding Journal 2015-16
ICBF Beef Breeding Journal 2015-16
Dauphin Bloodline in Ireland Bull Details AI Code DAU
Name DAUPHIN
AI Code S3049 YNE S2030 S1148 S1427 S2228 S1564 S2135 S1055 ODZ S2266 S2133 S1052 S696 PAM LM2090 S1124 ROX S1121 JAJ CZH CXM
Bull Details Name NETHERHALL JACKPOT NORMAN ELY LODGE HAMLET LOWERFFRYDD EMPIRE CHAUMEIL RONICK INSTAGRAM HUNTERSHALL GLADIATOR EMSLIES GALILEO BRANCEILLE ODERIM SARKLEY HERALD BRUTUS HASHTAG EMERSON NEOPHIN PALMARES POWERHOUSE ITALIC GUARDS BOOMER ROCKY CLOUGHHEAD ERNIE OBJAT CARMORN DAUPHIN CASTLEROCK COMET
Terminal Index Index Star Across Breed €101 ★★★ His AI Sire descendants in Ireland Terminal Index Index Star Across Breed €105 ★★★ €109 ★★★★ €121 ★★★★★ €135 ★★★★★ €115 ★★★★ €120 ★★★★ €112 ★★★★ €166 ★★★★★ €196 ★★★★★ €94 ★★★ €132 ★★★★★ €81 ★★ €176 ★★★★★ €85 ★★ €89 ★★★ €89 ★★★ €130 ★★★★★ €124 ★★★★★ €127 ★★★★★ €174 ★★★★★ €100 ★★★ €118 ★★★★ Average €123 ★★★★
Replacement Index Index Stars Across Breed €35 ★★ Replacement Index Index Stars Across Breed €97 ★★★★ €91 ★★★★ €57 ★★★ €56 ★★★ €54 ★★ €54 ★★ €49 ★★ €47 ★★ €39 ★★ €35 ★★ €34 ★★ €28 ★ €26 ★ €22 ★ €22 ★ €11 ★ €10 ★ €6 ★ – €2 ★ – €6 ★ – €11 ★ – €39 ★ €31 ★★
Table 3: Listing of Terminal and Replacement Index values for ‘Dauphin’ and his offspring from which semen was also used here in Ireland
DAUPHIN Number of AI Sires that are descendants of him in Ireland 22 Minimum umber of commercial progeny from this bloodline born in Ireland Number of pedigree progeny from this bloodline born in Ireland
Descendants - Average Terminal Index
Descendants - Average Replacement Index
Index
Star Across Breed
Index
Stars Across Breed
€123
★★★★
€31
★★
79,952 5,160
Table 4: Summary of the average Terminal and Replacement Index values for offspring from ‘Dauphin’ from which semen was also used here in Ireland.
5
6
Brutus Hashtag S2133
Brutus Cracker UK720694200299
Bailea Umber UK720297100687
Netherhall Jackpot S3049
Requin 3615031134
Jacot 3615031134
Guards Boomer S1124
Castlerock Comet CXM
Rocky ROX
Emslies Galileo S2135
Ronick Instagram S2228
Rathconville Eugene UK924190902461
Etudiant FR1933391493
Emslies Colossus UK520779400668
Chaumeil S1427
Lowerffrydd Empire S1148 Powerhouse Elite UK301700100056
Cloughead Ernie S1121
Branceille S1055
Neophin S696
Emerson S1052
Objat JAJ
Palmares PAM
Dauphin DAU
Carmorn Dauphin CZH
Norman Ely YNE
Lodge Hamlet S2030
5331 Saphir 3615082247
Sarkley Herald S2266
Powerhouse Italic LM2090
Oderim ODZ
Huntershall Gladiator S1564
Rossignol FR3615030976
ICBF Beef Breeding Journal 2015-16
ICBF Beef Breeding Journal 2015-16
Hermes
Dauphin
‘Hermes’ and ‘Dauphin’ – were extremely successful bulls, who were very popular with pedigree breeders. Their names can be found in the backpedigrees of many stockbulls in Ireland. There are many more like them, all household names & rightly so for weight, conformation, style & show winners. They also bred some good females however on average, their bloodlines, their sons & grandsons were selected with terminal traits in mind. In Table 5 overleaf there is some crude analysis backing up the claim that, generally speaking, over the years – beef AI Bulls were selected more for their beefing rather than maternal abilities. Table 5 contains some of the most influential Beef AI Bulls ever used in Ireland. It varies between the breeds but overall as a group of bulls, they on average were found to be stronger for the Terminal Index, rather than the Replacement Index. This is not laying the blame for the demise of maternal traits at their door for a minute, but it does reflect the general trend in Beef bull selection and popularity trends over the last few decades. It is crucial that the Gene Ireland Maternal Progeny Test program and the BDGP succeed if Ireland’s suckler cows are to become more milky & fertile. Their main objectives are to source genetics and encourage the use of beef genetics that will not only have excellent beef characteristics but also produce efficient females for the national suckler herd.
Doonally New - CF52 Doonally New (CF52) is without doubt the most heavily referenced AI Sire in terms of being excellent for terminal traits but not as good for maternal traits. That said, some pedigree breeders have had excellent results with CF52 daughters but, on average, the majority of his daughters did not excel for milk & fertility. Without doubt the most popular Charolais Bull used in Ireland over the past 15 years. Bred in france by M & H Gaec Devillard, he was born on the 18th of January 1997. Selected by Rosalish Goulding (NCBC) in France, he first stood at the NWCBS bull stud at Doonally House in Sligo and then moved to the Progressive Genetics bull stud in Enfield Co.Meath in the mid 2000’s. He was sired by ‘Hermes’ and had an outstanding performance test in the biggest performance test centre in France. He has sired 10,800 pedigree animals here and tens of thousands of commercials. As the graphic for Hermes’ shows, CF52 was the sire of 13 AI bulls that were used here. He is a 5 star bull (across breed) for the ‘Terminal Index’ and a 1 star bull (across breed) for the ‘Replacement Index’.
‘On average, their bloodlines, their sons & grandsons were selected with terminal traits in mind.’ 7
ICBF Beef Breeding Journal 2015-16
Influential Beef AI Sires in Ireland Bull Details AI Code S231 YDH SUB BLR F195 LIO INV TIN EGY CPZ CPC TUN VBS TEE TNE S241 ODC BCH GDY OUC MIR IVC OMD HME VIE SGN DUN SAD BHG CKVX WTA HCO DUV TLE DAU NLG LBI EUO POI S226 JVL GIN S244 THX S619 TSJ DIR BTV DLE KGR SHF OHL GHS LRK HWE
Name RAWBURN EVENTER 2ND YOUNG DALE HOGAN SUNSET ACRES BANG BLACKEAGLE CHALLENGER 19E TIVANAGH BARON LIORAN INVINCIBLE TURIN EGYPTIEN CAMPEUR CAPUCIN TUDOR NEPTUNE VOLUBILIS TOTTERIDGE SCEPTRE TONNERRE BRUTAL DE ST FONTAINE OPIUM DE CHOCQUENEE BRUEGAL D'AU CHENE DES HAYONS GALOPEUR DES HAYONS OPTICIEN D'AU CHENE MEILLARD RJ INVINCIBLE DOMINO HERMES VICOMTE SNS GENERATOR 28X IMP CAN DUNLEVER DON STANDARD LAD 93J IMP CAN BISHOPHILL GENERAL CH 3223 VISA ET 57X WILODGE TONKA HARICOT DUVALIER TALENT DAUPHIN GRILLON LARBIN ECUSSON POTIRON INDIVIDUE JOVIAL GITAN HURLEUR THE UBLO TOURNANT SIR JAMES DEERPARK IMPROVER BALLYART VANTAGE DEERPARK LEADER 4TH KILLALISS GOLDEN RULE 8TH SCOTTISH NEFF OVERHALL HIVY GRETNA HOUSE SUPERSONIC LANDMARK HEYWOOD ESQUIRE
Breed Angus Angus Angus Angus Angus Aubrac Aubrac Aubrac Aubrac Aubrac Blonde Blonde Blonde Blonde Blonde Blue Blue Blue Blue Blue Charolais Charolais Charolais Charolais Charolais Hereford Hereford Hereford Hereford Hereford Limousin Limousin Limousin Limousin Limousin Parthenaise Parthenaise Parthenaise Parthenaise Parthenaise Saler Saler Saler Saler Saler Shorthorn Shorthorn Shorthorn Shorthorn Shorthorn Simmental Simmental Simmental Simmental Simmental Average
Terminal index Stars Across Index Breed €78 ★★ €66 ★★ €51 €31 ★ €40 ★ €128 ★★★★★ €55 ★ €110 ★★★★ €112 ★★★★ €85 ★★ €131 ★★★★★ €93 ★★★ €98 ★★★ €99 ★★★ €125 ★★★★★ €187 ★★★★★ €101 ★★★ €160 ★★★★★ €137 ★★★★★ €158 ★★★★★ €127 ★★★★★ €123 ★★★★★ €143 ★★★★★ €135 ★★★★★ €97 ★★★ €44 ★ €17 ★ €8 ★ €23 ★ €21 ★ €178 ★★★★★ €115 ★★★★ €99 ★★★ €90 ★★★ €101 ★★★ €162 ★★★★★ €146 ★★★★★ €105 ★★★ €126 ★★★★★ €133 ★★★★★ €86 ★ €80 ★★ €102 ★★★ €131 ★★★★★ €59 ★★ - €6 ★ €23 ★ €24 ★ €16 ★ - €10 ★ €24 ★ €57 ★ €68 ★★ €8 ★ €16 ★ €86 ★★★
Replacement Stars Across Index Breed €114 ★★★★★ €113 ★★★★★ €83 ★★★★ €66 ★★★ €29 ★ €213 ★★★★★ €97 ★★★★ €35 ★★ €28 ★ €21 ★ €64 ★★★ €47 ★★ €47 ★★ €42 ★★ - €12 ★ €17 ★ €16 ★ - €7 ★ - €74 ★ - €139 ★ €27 ★ €16 ★ - €26 ★ - €106 ★ - €112 ★ €65 ★ €44 ★★ - €6 ★ - €7 ★ - €22 ★ €142 ★★★★★ €132 ★★★★★ €110 ★★★★★ €103 ★★★★★ €35 ★★ €147 ★★★★★ €101 ★★★★★ €52 ★★ €48 ★★ €42 ★★ €256 ★★★★★ €215 ★★★★★ €178 ★★★★★ €160 ★★★★★ €72 ★★★ €186 ★★★★★ €105 ★★★★★ €77 ★★★★ €35 ★★ €23 ★ €96 ★★★★ €81 ★★★★ €71 ★★★ €65 ★★★ €64 ★★★ €59 ★
Table 5: A listing of some of the most influential AI Sires used by Irish pedigree breeders
8
Pedigree AI Sire Descendants of Descendants this bloodline in In Ireland Ireland 3 2816 11 3404 12 4654 32 7419 17 4011 6 108 1 41 1 88 2 90 5 56 2 211 3 304 3 235 1 215 4 192 30 805 20 1479 48 1116 71 2026 86 1910 17 10166 36 13824 19 8671 22 12712 20 10581 13 2882 6 1423 32 5194 14 2772 10 2326 27 4482 18 4257 29 4889 14 3295 30 5160 7 161 3 58 2 23 5 97 3 30 2 45 1 114 3 119 1 126 1 65 3 707 11 827 3 588 4 609 5 557 57 6728 25 4434 21 5038 30 7165 28 7074 880 158,379
ICBF Beef Breeding Journal 2015-16
TNE Tonnerre
GDY Galopeur des Hayons
IVC Invincible
SGN SNS Generator 28X
DUV Duvalier
JVL Jovial
DIR Deerpark Improver
GHS Gretnahouse Supersonic
VIE Vicomte
LIO Lioran
YDH Young Dale Hogan
POI Potiron
‘It is crucial that the Gene Ireland Maternal Progeny Test program and the BDGP succeed if Ireland’s suckler cows are to become more milky & fertile’. 9