DEAR SIR: I have followed with interest the articles by Aidan Brennan on crossbreeding in the dairy herd over the past number of weeks and I would like to make the following observations. The article begins by quoting a report from Andrew Cromie on his analysis of data from differing high-EBI dairy herds and drawing the conclusion that crossbreeding no longer delivered any advantage. This is in direct conflict with the advice as I understand it from Teagasc on crossbreeding and also with the comments of Frank Buckley who carried out that research.

The success of the Irish dairy industry is built on four strong legs.

  • Independent research by Teagasc.
  • Independent data collection and collation by ICBF.
  • Farmer-owned processors who bought into this advice and invested in stainless steel to facilitate farmers expansion in the most profitable direction.
  • Farmers who were willing to buy into this research and advice.
  • Now, however, we see a divergence in the industry and several questions arise. Who should farmers listen to for breeding advice? Does the ICBF analysis stand up to the same rigorous standards of research as Teagasc? Comparing the top 1.3% of Holstein Friesian herds to the top 23% of crossbred herds sticks out like a sore thumb.

    When all herds were compared, the crossbreds outperformed the Holstein Friesians significantly.

    Irish dairy farmers need access to the very best genetics without any political interference; vested interests rarely serve the common good. Irish dairy farmers need to continue to have confidence in the advice delivered by Teagasc; again, vested interests rarely serve the common good. Clarity is needed on this issue.

    Crossbreeding is either still an advantage or it is not, regardless of personal preference.

    Opinion cannot be allowed to trump science.