6 April 2018

3 minute read

Europe

This number one bull is Danish VJ Blanke Jason Janko, whose Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI) of £572 reflects good fitness traits (Fertility Index +4.8, SCC Index -20, Lifespan Index +0.4 and Mastitis Index -3) and excellent production. Janko also has a high Type Merit score at +1.6.

Second to fifth ranked Jerseys are all bulls which have previously featured in the top five, including the production improver, Danish VJ Tudvad. With a PLI of £546, this bull’s Predicted Transmitting Abilities (PTAs) include 20.9kg fat, 9.4kg protein, +0.36 per cent fat and +0.16 per cent protein. This is combined with superb fitness traits which makes him the top cell count, mastitis and daughter fertility improver in the Jersey top five.

Dropping to third position is the big milk solids bull, Golden GDK Vivaldi (PLI £541) while fourth place stays with Sunset Canyon Dazzler (PLI £538). Dazzler is also the top udder improver and jointly top for Type Merit in the top five (TM 1.6). In fifth place is VJ Link (PLI £508).

Ayrshire

The Ayrshire breed is dominated by red and white bulls from Sweden and sees VR Gunnarstorp Back Gobel unchanged in the number one position. Now with a PLI of £527, this good milk solids producer has the best daughter fertility (FI +15) and lifespan scores (LS +0.5) in the top five and also cuts mastitis (Mast -3).

Moving from fourth to second position is VR Oýòja Storegaýôrd Hasl Hat, with a PLI of £450. This bull transmits the highest production in the top five (682kg milk, 24.4kg fat, 26.0kg protein) and also improves daughter fertility (FI +7.4).

Down one place to third is Pell Pers (PLI £443) while Gunnarstorp also drops a place to rank fourth (PLI £442). Remaining at number five is VR Dansjo Haslev Hammer with a PLI of £438. Highest UK-bred Ayrshire is Rosehill Manderville (PLI £394) in ninth place.

British Friesian

Within the Friesian breed, Catlane Caleb retains his hold on the lead, with a PLI of £457, ahead of Catlane Cromwell (PLI £374) who moves up from fourth position. This bull has the best fitness in the top five at SCC -11, Mastitis -4, Lifespan +0.5 and Fertility Index +7.0.

Third position goes to Raheenarran BCG Sochar, the milk quality improver with low milk volume (PLI £349), while moving up to fourth is Skyhigh Patrol (PLI £339). A good transmitter of production and fitness, he also has the highest Type Merit, at +1.57, in the Friesian top five.

New into the top five at number five is Inch Number One, with a PLI of £319. This bull transmits by far the highest milk and solids in this group (626kg milk, 30.9kg fat, 21.0kg protein) and improves type (TM +1.07).

Other breeds

Other dairy breed indexes are published online (dairy.ahdb.org.uk), where the Montbeliarde, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Shorthorn and Fleckvieh are all represented.

"It’s very important to use the UK equivalent indexes when choosing a bull, regardless of breed, as only then can UK breeders obtain a genuine comparison of their transmitting ability against all other bulls of that breed," said Fern Pearston, genetics manager for AHDB Dairy.

"Without this comparison, it’s impossible to compare a bull from one country against another, and impossible to know which bulls would most suit any herd," she said.

TheCattleSite News Desk