The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) has released details of the most used AI bulls so far in 2021. The data is based on AI serves registered on handheld devices, so excludes DIY services.

The top bull for this year is Doonmanagh Seville, who is a 2018-born Holstein Friesian bull owned by the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC).

There are over 32,000 serves recorded to the bull so far this year. He currently has an EBI of €294 and has 73 daughters milking in Ireland. He is bred by John Galvin from Lispole in Co Kerry.

Highmount Stark (FR5803) is the second most popular bull with over 30,000 inseminations.

Sire of sires Ballygown Albert (FR4513) is the third most popular bull, with 25,809 services recorded. His EBI has crashed from €322 in July 2020 to €227 in July 2021.

The highest EBI bull on the Active Bull List, Moneen Rio, does not feature on the top 10 most widely used bulls list.

On the beef side, the most popular beef bull used on dairy cows is Intelagro Matteo (AA4089), who is an Aberdeen Angus bull also owned by NCBC and who has a Dairy Beef Index of €109.

He is ranked number 166 on the Dairy Beef Index, but is short gestation and has low calving difficulty. There were just over 15,000 straws of Matteo recorded on handheld devices so far this year.

The most popular beef bull used on beef cows is the Limousine bull Moondharrig Knell, with 6,786 services.