This is the 15th year that the ICBF has published the Spring Active Bull List. This year there are 62 Irish-bred bulls on the list, with one each from the US and Denmark, and 11 from New Zealand.

The 75 bulls have breeding values for EBI and the seven sub indices together with trait information on 10 key profit traits. None of the bulls on the list are carriers of genetic defects such as CVM or BLAD. The 75 bulls on the list have an average EBI of €278, ranging from €379 down to €261.

Eighty percent of the bulls are genomically selected with the remainder daughter proven either in Ireland (15%) or abroad (5%). There are eight sexed semen bulls available on the list denoted with an asterisk (*) beside the straw price. Given the weighting of genomically selected bulls on the list, farmers are strongly urged to use a minimum of five AI bulls from the list.

The EBI details of the 75 bulls are based on the December 2014 genetic evaluations computed by ICBF. Semen from all of the bulls has been indicated as being available from the various AI companies – hence the term “active” bull list. The criteria for making the list are as follows: EBIs with reliabilities greater than or equal to 35% and also to calving difficulty evaluations with reliabilities greater than or equal to 50%.

For a bull to be included on the list, his calving evaluation must be based on actual calving survey data either in Ireland or in his country of origin, and not just genomic information.

Guide to reading the table

Bull Details – Rank, AI Code, Name, Sire, Breed, Status in Herdbook and Holstein %.

Ped – Full pedigree registered animal.

SRM – Supplementary registered male in the IHFA Herdbook. Male progeny of these bulls will also be supplementary registered ‘SRM’. Female progeny will be given the ‘ASR’ registration status. An ‘XSR’ or blank status field indicates that the bull has no pedigree registration status.

EBI Details: EBI, Economic Breeding Index (€). Indicates the profit/lactation expected for a bull’s progeny compared to an average animal.

Rel% – Reliability of EBI proof. This indicates the level of confidence that someone can have in the proof. The higher this value, the more reliable the proof.

Proof – The status of the bull proof.

DP-IRL – Daughter proven based on milk recorded daughters in Ireland.

DP-INT – Daughter Proven, based on foreign milk recorded daughters.

GS – Genomically selected. These are bulls that have their own calving difficulty proof but have no milking daughters in their production proof yet.

Key Profit Traits – M Kg Predicted Difference (PD) for milk yield. If the average “milk kg” of the team of bulls being used is greater than the average “milk kg” of the cows they are being mated to, then the average milk yield of the herd will increase. Positive values for F kg (fat kg), P kg (protein kg), F% (fat %), P% (protein %) will also increase each of the constituent traits in the same manner.

CI – Calving Interval (Days). Bulls with negative values for CI will reduce calving interval.

SU – Survival %. Bulls with positive values will increase survival (longevity/herdlife).

CD% – Calving difficulty. Increasing CD% indicates increased incidence of difficult calvings, eg CD% of 5% means that 5% of a bull’s calves will result in difficult calvings.

Milking Time: Negative values are desired.

Milking Temperament: Positive values are desired.