Dovea Genetics sires

CARRICKBRACK96 HUTCH

Breed: Charolais

AI Code: CKH

Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €98 (41%)

Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €147 (62%)

Calving difficulty (reliability): 6.5% (91%)

Sire: THRUNTON BONJOVI (S750)

AI company/farmer comment:

  • Easy-calving sire produces progeny with excellent growth potential.
  • Progeny typically exhibit excellent length and muscling.
  • Producing quality cattle without compromising on calving ease.

    • Specialist comment: This bull is ideal for a producer aiming to get weight and shape into his calf crop, without taking a hit on calving difficulty. To see a sire with such a high carcase weight index value (34kg) and correspondingly low calving difficulty value is not common.

    BROOKLANDS HAMISH

    A KHS calf from SIMxLM cow.

    Breed: Limousin

    AI Code: KHS

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €95 (36%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €109 (42%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 4.3% (59%)

    Sire: MALIBU (MBU)

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • KHS can be used on any type of cow, or heifers.
  • Producing progeny with good ability to flesh.
  • Good maternal traits.

    • Specialist comment: I would relish the prospect of getting a KHS replacement heifer from a maternal-type cow – his figures for milk and fertility are relatively good, as is his daughter calving difficulty (5.5%) and he’ll bring a nice beef injection (Carcase weight 20 kg). He’s quiet as Limos go too.

    RAFFERTYS IMMANUEL

    A LM2010 calf.

    Breed: Limousin

    AI Code: LM2010

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €92 (25%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €126 (28%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 3.7% (37%)

    Sire: SHIRE MILTON (SMX)

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Use on plainer cows to produce powerful calves.
  • Producing well conformed, deep, heavy carcases.
  • An ‘export weanling’ producer.

    • Specialist comment: LM2010 looks the ideal sire to use on dairy-cross suckler cows to dilute the Friesian genetics. Though his calving difficulty figure is within the 5% threshold for use on heifers, the accompanying reliability figure is low too and I’d shy away from using LM2010 on maidens.

    TOMSCHOICE ICEBERG

    Calves from ZXT.

    Breed: Limousin

    AI Code: ZXT

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €106 (14%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €120 (21%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 2.0% (48%)

    Sire: KAPRICO ERAVELLE (S2106)

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Very easy calving.
  • Well-balanced bull.
  • Use on heifers and taller cows.

    • Specialist comment: This looks the ideal sire to use as part of a team. He is relatively young and his index values will be subject to change. The calving difficulty is tiny but in terms of serving heifers ZXT’s reliability figure is still low for my liking – it’s based on just 28 progeny records.

    HERBERT VD NOORD WATERINGSHOEV

    A WBH calf.

    Breed: Belgian Blue

    AI Code: WBH

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €25 (22%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €87 (39%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 14.7% (83%)

    Sire: ARGAN DE L’ECLUSE (S1241)

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Producing tremendous weanlings.
  • Use on big, loose, older cows.
  • Extreme muscle, super topline, excellent weight for age.

    • Specialist comment: WBH will produce show-stopping calves, perfect for the boat. He comes with a health warning though – use him only on mature cows with histories of calving easily.

    KILSKEAGH HILL 16

    A KZH calf.

    Breed: Limousin

    AI Code: KZH

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €119 (44%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €116 (57%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 4.4% (87%)

    Sire: ON-DIT (ONI)

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • ‘My most popular bull’ – Kenneth Power (Dovea AI technician).
  • Easy-calving.
  • Maternal pedigree but leaves great bull calves too.

    • Specialist comment: KZH looks a good all-rounder. His low calving difficulty is impressive, as is his daughter milk (7.4kg) – the second highest among all Limousin AI bulls. I would have no qualms about using him on heifers, as well as keeping some replacements from mature cows. Again, use as part of a team until his reliabilities improve.

    BOLIDE

    A BZB calf.

    Breed: Parthenaise

    AI Code: BZB

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €196 (79%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €106 (92%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 7.1% (98%)

    Sire: POUF

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Highest indexed replacement Parthenaise bull in Irish AI.
  • Ideal replacement source.
  • High reliability.
  • Beef progeny grade excellently.

    • Specialist comment: As the Parthenaise breed goes, this is a real maternal type. BZB has fertility, milk and will produce well-shaped progeny with good potential for growth. I’d be happy getting both bulls and heifers from a sire like this – he could be exactly what some suckler herds need.

    ELDERBERRY GALAHAD

    An EBY calf.

    Breed: Limousin

    AI Code: EBY

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €96 (49%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €129 (84%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 3.6% (98%)

    Sire: MILBROOK ALISTAIR (F149)

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • One of the easiest calving proven sires in the country.
  • Calves come out small and grow rapidly.
  • Progeny perform well on the EUROP grid.
  • Heifers ‘spit’ them out.

    • Specialist comment: EBY is the ideal bull to use on a heifer. That said, EBY could be the bull of choice for a farmer who wants to breed a strong-type calf but mightn’t necessarily be around to assist all of the time.

    DELFUR DECIDER 12

    An FZD calf from a strong suckler cow.

    Breed: Simmental

    AI Code: FZD

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €-16 (24%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €10 (43%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 15.1% (88%)

    Sire: AUCHORACHAN ACDC

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Use on plain cows to increase shape into cow herd.
  • Progeny doing very well on show scene.
  • Producing stylish calves with good weight for age.

    • Specialist comment: A bull that comes with a health warning – use FZD on mature cows only and on plainer types when looking for replacements. I would be hesitant to keep a lot of daughters from a bull like this. His milk figure is good (10.8kg) but there is no reliability with it. FZD should throw the ideal calves for bull beef systems.

    Bova-AI sires

    BOVA KAISER

    A Bova Kaiser son.

    Breed: Limousin

    AI Code: LM2397

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €77 (19%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €167 (26%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 5.8% (32%)

    Sire: GAMIN (ZGM)

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Kaiser combines the best attributes of the modern Limousin breed into one complete package.
  • Mixture of easy-calving and powerful terminal traits.
  • Heavily muscled bull.

    • Specialist comment: LM2397 is an ideal young bull to include in a terminal team. While calving difficulty is low, I’d be inclined to use him on more mature cows until reliability creeps up. His current carcase weight and conformation figures are exciting for any type of suckler farmer.

    LANIGAN RED DEEP CANYON ET

    A ZLL-sired heifer.

    Breed: Aberdeen Angus

    AI Code: ZLL

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €269 (52%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €116 (81%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 2.1% (94%)

    Sire: RED LEACHMAN GRAND CANYON

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Number one replacement index bull currently.
  • Producing quiet daughters with excellent milk, and fertility.
  • Easy calving – can use on heifers.

    • Specialist comment: I have come across quite a few top beef farmers who’ve opted for ZLL this breeding season. Surprisingly, many of these are producers who in the past tended entirely toward continental genetics. He is producing lovely maternal heifers with exceptional frames. Canyon is the ideal bull for an overly-terminal herd that needs infusing with milk and fertility, without compromising on calf quality.

    WESTELLEN DIEGO

    A Westellen Diego calf.

    Breed: Aberdeen Angus

    AI Code: WZG

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €137 (33%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €83 (48%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 3.2% (83%)

    Sire: BOVA LORD BLACKWOOD H175 (S868)

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • ‘Our most popular Angus’ – Michael O’Neill (Bova-AI).
  • Incredible muscling for an Angus, good deep body and fantastic head. Easy calving.
  • Sons are topping sales in 2016.

    • Specialist comment: WZG has impressive docility and daughter milk figures. In a continental herd, I would shy away from using him on replacement heifers, even though his difficulty figure is low – there are more-growthy bulls with similar calving performance out there. That said, a well-muscled Angus like this would produce the ideal suckler replacement if crossed with a strong, maternal continental.

    Excel

    An Excel son.

    Breed: Limousin

    AI Code: LM4027

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €149 (32%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €225 (43%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 3.3% (58%)

    Sire: MANOIR (MIZ)

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Excel improves muscle, docility and milk.
  • Suitable for second calvers.
  • Highest qualified AI sire currently available in France.

    • Specialist comment: Excel’s carcase figures are frighteningly good. It remains to be seen whether he’ll retain such lofty levels of performance as his reliabilities improve, but it’s definitely worth including him in your bull team if he’s available.

    GAROU

    A Garou-sired heifer.

    Breed: Salers

    AI Code: GQZ

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €160 (36%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €112 (59%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 2.5% (85%)

    Sire: ATTILA

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Easy calving.
  • One of the highest ranking Salers sires on both indices.
  • Great pelvic-width.

    • Specialist comment: Use GQZ on strong beefy cows to produce prolific, milky replacements, or on heifers for small calves that’ll pop out and grow fast.

    HIDEAL

    Hideal bull calf.

    Breed: Charolais

    AI Code: HJD

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €30 (39%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €122 (71%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 10.6% (93%)

    Sire: DAKOTA

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Popular among commercial farmers.
  • For use on mature cows.
  • Progeny have excellent terminal traits.

    • Specialist comment: Incorporate HJD into a team of terminal bulls for use on more mature cows in the herd. A fantastically aesthetic animal.

    GAMIN

    A Gamin bull calf.

    Breed: Limousin

    AI Code: ZGM

    Replacement index €uro-Star value (reliability): €64 (40%)

    Terminal index €uro-Star value (reliability): €178 (70%)

    Calving difficulty (reliability): 4.7% (93%)

    Sire: EDELWEISS

    AI company/farmer comment:

  • Gamin’s calves are consistent, display good breed characteristics and have a show type presence.
  • One of the top terminal Limousins available.
  • He gives an increase in muscle and is quiet.

    • Specialist comment: Gamin can do a job for both beef and weanling producers and his low calving difficulty score is ideal. I would have no hesitancy using Gamin on stronger heifers.