DEAR SIR: The recent approach taken by some industry stakeholders to castigate the value of the dairy stock bull while purporting to promote genetic gain is a worrying trend. Denigrating one section of the industry to make a claim is poor strategy. Scientific research should involve equality of treatment when assessing stock performance.

It is the mission of the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) to promote the best genetic gain in the Holstein Friesian population and have a positive role in that regard. For the record, all Holstein Friesian bulls registered in the IHFA herd book are genomically tested as part of the registration process. This use of modern DNA testing to help inform breeding decisions and Holstein Friesian genetic progress has been in place since 2012. The reality is that registered Holstein Friesian stock bulls have reliability figures up to 72% and EBI values over €400.

Furthermore, the IHFA board introduced and adopted DNA testing as far back as 15 years ago, in an initiative embracing what was then cutting-edge technology as an added assurance for customers of stock bulls. This decision proved to be a very helpful resource to the wider industry when genomic testing emerged as a new breeding technology. An accumulated data bank of thousands of DNA samples was provided to the industry as a generous IHFA gesture to all dairy farmers, with the net effect that it was fundamental to building the reference population so important to interpreting genomic data.

Regrettably, some stakeholders choose to gloss over or ignore this important IHFA herd book contribution. Dairy farmers are very well informed of the genetics they require and will always source genetics to suit their farming system. Demand for quality Holstein Friesian stock bulls year in and year out speaks volumes about farmer satisfaction.