For more than a year, the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) has genomically tested all bulls registered in its herd book as part of the registration process. The genomic test is used by the society both to verify parentage and also to predict breeding values.

Working closely with the AI bodies and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), this service is carried out at no extra cost to the breeder over and above the existing €50 per animal IHFA herd book registration fee.

Having this information on the herd book bulls is a major service asset for potential customers for Holstein Friesian bulls, including AI stations and farmers looking for stock bulls.

It also measures the genetic improvement being made by the Holstein Friesian breed in Ireland.

In the past year, the IHFA herd book registered about 4,000 male calves.

An analysis of the 2014 genomic results by Donal Carey of the IHFA showed that:

  • 219 bulls had EBI over €250, with the top bull having EBI to €363.
  • 41 bulls had fertility sub-index (SI) over €200, with the top having a fertility SI of €239.
  • 35 bulls had >40kg milk solids PTA, with the highest bulls at +48.25kg fat and protein.
  • 17 bulls are >3.00 for type merit. The top bull is +4.38 on type merit.
  • 33 bulls are >+500kg milk PTA.
  • 30 bulls are >10.0 for health SI.

    • Bernard Eivers, CEO of the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC), Ireland’s largest AI provider, welcomes the IHFA’s commitment to genomic testing of sires.

    In addition to the IHFA herd book sires, NCBC’s trawl for potential young AI test sires also includes the male progeny born to recorded cows in the general population.

    “There are about 30,000 dairy cows which are of interest to us as potential dams of AI sires. If we find a high genomic bull calf from a non-pedigree cow, we may be able to convert that animal to pedigree status through the IHFA grading up scheme.”

    Since the science of genomics was first introduced to Ireland six years ago by NCBC, it has helped to transform genetic progress in dairy breeding.

    The essence of the science is that the dairy merit (EBI) of a bull can be predicted by reading the newly born calf’s DNA to give a genomic proof rather than wait three to five years to have his daughters assessed. The daughters of the early genomically proven bulls have now delivered three to four lactations. This is sufficient to assess the accuracy of the genomic fertility prediction. A recent paper by Francis Kearney, ICBF, suggested that genomics is also delivering an accurate prediction on fertility.