This year’s Spring Dairy Gene Ireland programme has now over 950 herds signed up to receive straws and is fast approaching it’s capacity. There are a limited number of spaces still available for those interested in availing of these straws.
The bulls available through this year’s dairy programme are the best genetics available, with an average EBI of €308. Building a pack of these bulls into your breeding programme will not only help to accelerate your herd’s genetic gain but will also ensure that more EBI high bulls are progeny tested for initial calving and male fertility data, with the very best of these then returned for widespread AI next season. By using the bulls as part of a bull team (with an average of 7 straws/bull), you will minimise the risk of changes to any one bull, resulting in a group of replacement females entering your herd in Spring 2024, with excellent potential for improved profitability and sustainability.
Straws are available in packs of 35 (5 bulls x 7 straws), 49 (7 bulls x 7 straws), 70 (7 bulls x 10 straws and 100 (10 bulls x 10 straws), with packs then made available up to a maximum of 35% of your dairy straw requirement. Packs are distributed to participating herds through sales reps or AI technicians.
Why Use GENE IRELAND bulls?
- Access to the latest genetics
- The average pack EBI of these bulls is €200 more than the national average.
- Excellent value for money, only €12 per straw
- The success of the programme has meant that over 90% of the bulls on the active bull list are bred from Irish Dairy Herds
- We will be offering reduced price genotyping for herds participating in Dairy Gene Ireland. Details will be available in early Summer.
Requirements for herds to participate in the programme involve milk recording, recording inseminations, sire and calving ease details, using all allocated straws in the current season and providing health information as it becomes available on daughters of these bulls.
The breed packs and the EBI details available this year are as follows:
If you are interested in ordering a pack of straws, please complete one of the following 3 steps:
- Sign-up online through the Gene Ireland Sign-Up screen by logging into your HerdPlus account and selecting ‘Services’ – ‘Gene Ireland Sign-up’.
- Complete the Sign-up Form and return in the FREEPOST envelope provided. Alternatively, a scanned copy, can be emailed to [email protected]
- Call the ICBF HerdPlus team on 023 8820452.
Dairy-Beef Pack: To qualify for Dairy-Beef straws, you must also order a pack of dairy straws. Note that all the bulls are suitable for use on dairy cows. They are easy calving, short gestation with good carcass merit. Please contact Niall Kilrane on 045 521 573 for more information.
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