ICBF analysis of AI handheld data provides insight into the sires Irish dairy farmers have selected most frequently this year.
The rankings below are based on insemination records submitted through AI technician handheld devices and linked directly to the ICBF database. The data highlights the dairy and beef sires receiving the greatest number of recorded services in dairy herds year-to-date, reflecting current breeding preferences across the country.
Top 20 Most Used Dairy Bulls On Dairy Cows In 2026 – Year To Date
| Rank | AI Code | Bull Name | Number of Serves | EBI | Milk | Fert | Carb | Calv | Beef | Maint | Mgmt. | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FR2534 | (IG)PARKDUV MAGICAL | 16,805 | €259 | €106 | €99 | €5 | €43 | €6 | €2 | -€10 | €10 |
| 2 | FR9289 | (IG) JOHNSWELL RORY | 13,697 | €225 | €87 | €68 | -€11 | €47 | €32 | -€11 | -€4 | €19 |
| 3 | FR8658 | (IG)TUOHY HISTORIC | 13,559 | €218 | €78 | €86 | €7 | €31 | -€10 | €14 | -€2 | €14 |
| 4 | FR2500 | (IG)MORTALSTOWN MATISSE | 12,443 | €229 | €105 | €80 | €2 | €32 | -€4 | €9 | -€3 | €8 |
| 5 | FR9016 | (IG)TINNAKILL GRANDSLAM | 12,430 | €256 | €98 | €69 | €10 | €50 | -€14 | €38 | -€5 | €10 |
| 6 | FR9842 | (IG)BALLYDEHOB RINGO | 11,993 | €208 | €73 | €77 | -€5 | €31 | €18 | -€10 | -€2 | €26 |
| 7 | FR1958 | (IG)KILVURRA GRASSLEAF SRM | 11,420 | €269 | €100 | €97 | €5 | €55 | €0 | €16 | -€7 | €3 |
| 8 | FR2533 | (IG)BUNACLOY FANTASY | 11,286 | €257 | €66 | €142 | €15 | €38 | -€19 | €0 | -€2 | €17 |
| 9 | FR5816 | (IG)CLOONIGNEY PINATUBO | 10,876 | €192 | €79 | €32 | -€3 | €47 | €4 | €7 | €2 | €24 |
| 10 | FR1185 | (IG)KILLAVALLA LINESMAN | 10,698 | €226 | €99 | €88 | €1 | €31 | €4 | -€5 | -€6 | €13 |
| 11 | FR8388 | (IG)KNOCKSOUNA SWOOP | 9,309 | €217 | €76 | €113 | €6 | €22 | €13 | €4 | -€6 | -€11 |
| 12 | FR9358 | CLOCHRUA MESSI | 9,122 | €239 | €114 | €61 | €3 | €36 | €6 | €11 | -€6 | €14 |
| 13 | FR9001 | (IG)DOONMANAGH PAULSON | 7,440 | €232 | €82 | €98 | €10 | €31 | -€23 | €26 | -€4 | €11 |
| 14 | FR8709 | (IG)OLCASTLETOWN MOJO | 7,028 | €251 | €76 | €116 | €14 | €45 | €1 | €7 | -€5 | -€3 |
| 15 | FR1985 | (IG)BALLYCONRA RHODIN | 6,629 | €235 | €89 | €104 | €0 | €42 | -€6 | -€6 | -€4 | €15 |
| 16 | FR7929 | (IG)TANKARDSROCK TEAK | 6,519 | €158 | €61 | €43 | -€4 | €30 | -€4 | €14 | -€4 | €20 |
| 17 | FR1840 | MAUDMOUNT FIREPOWER SRM | 5,837 | €292 | €106 | €102 | €13 | €47 | -€19 | €31 | -€3 | €14 |
| 18 | FR2587 | (IG)DANGANBEG JUSTINTIME SRM | 5,578 | €233 | €85 | €96 | €11 | €24 | -€8 | €14 | -€3 | €14 |
| 19 | FR9817 | BELLAMYS DM GALANT-ET S1F | 5,552 | €173 | €80 | €55 | €16 | €16 | -€73 | €55 | €3 | €23 |
| 20 | FR1849 | BUNACLOY DETROIT | 4,926 | €297 | €94 | €114 | €10 | €39 | €4 | €14 | €6 | €16 |
Key Highlights from Table 1
- (IG) Parkduv Magical (FR2534) is the most widely used dairy sire in Irish dairy herds so far in 2026, recording 16,805 AI services.
- (IG) Johnswell Rory (FR9289) ranks second with 13,697 services, followed closely by (IG) Tuohy Historic (FR8658) with 13,559 services.
- The top-performing sires continue to demonstrate strong balances across the key components of the Economic Breeding Index (EBI), particularly Milk, Fertility and Calving, reflecting the traits currently prioritised by dairy farmers.
- Several of the highest-ranking sires have EBI values exceeding €250, highlighting the continued emphasis on breeding for profitability, sustainability and long-term herd performance.
- The popularity of these sires demonstrates the ongoing adoption of high EBI genetics to drive improvements in productivity, fertility and environmental efficiency on Irish dairy farms.
Top 15 Most Used Beef Bulls On Dairy Cows In 2026 – Year To Date
| Rank | AI Code | Bull Name | Number of Serves | Dairy Beef Index (DBI) | DBI Calving SI | DBI Beef SI | DBI Carbon SI | Carcass Wt.(Kg) | Gest (Days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AA6682 | HW LORD HORATIO V538 | 18,348 | €164 | €42 | €115 | €7 | 13.5 | -2.3 |
| 2 | AA8472 | TUBRIDMORE TWOMEY ET | 16,869 | €145 | €50 | €85 | €10 | 7.9 | -3.3 |
| 3 | BB9373 | ENLEVE DU BOIS DESNEUX | 14,648 | €200 | €21 | €184 | -€5 | 24.4 | -2.2 |
| 4 | AA9661 | KNOCKMOUNTAGH VALENTINE | 14,158 | €168 | €25 | €138 | €5 | 20.1 | -3.1 |
| 5 | HE9550 | SOLPOLL 1 WATSON PP | 13,661 | €146 | €20 | €117 | €8 | 11.1 | -1.2 |
| 6 | AA4089 | INTELAGRI MATTEO E.T. (ET) | 10,859 | €179 | €61 | €109 | €9 | 10.4 | -3.6 |
| 7 | AA9860 | WESTELLEN BOSS Y929 | 10,824 | €147 | €52 | €87 | €8 | 10.3 | -2.7 |
| 8 | AA9607 | SHANAWAY VENGABUS | 8,282 | €185 | €59 | €116 | €11 | 12.4 | -4.6 |
| 9 | AA1431 | DEELISH WINGMAN | 7,677 | €120 | €44 | €70 | €6 | 5.5 | -2.0 |
| 10 | AA4631 | GABRIEL PAT 1949 | 6,991 | €184 | €51 | €124 | €9 | 12.4 | -2.7 |
| 11 | HE9382 | GOULDINGPOLL 1 NIJINSKY PP | 6,718 | €119 | €10 | €102 | €7 | 8.3 | -0.6 |
| 12 | AA1317 | SWANKY VAN GOGH | 6,717 | €143 | €44 | €90 | €9 | 5.0 | -2.0 |
| 13 | AA4235 | GABRIEL MOSSY 1727 | 6,094 | €147 | €49 | €90 | €8 | 6.2 | -2.3 |
| 14 | HE9610 | MIDFORD 1 WHIZZBANG PP | 5,670 | €117 | -€9 | €124 | €2 | 13.4 | 1.5 |
| 15 | BB7221 | QUARRY BANK MONEYMAN | 5,056 | €165 | €30 | €141 | -€5 | 16.2 | -2.1 |
| 16 | HE8935 | RINGFORT 1 CARLOS | 4,984 | €134 | €27 | €101 | €6 | 4.8 | -1.6 |
| 17 | AA1506 | CARROWBOY VEGAS 2 | 4,975 | €178 | €36 | €139 | €2 | 18.3 | -0.6 |
| 18 | CH6490 | ORBI | 4,779 | €164 | -€32 | €207 | -€11 | 35.6 | 2.2 |
| 19 | AA4743 | KEALKIL PRIME LAD | 4,765 | €171 | €65 | €95 | €10 | 2.6 | -3.3 |
| 20 | AA2548 | PROHURST EAGLE A020 ET | 4,743 | €224 | €52 | €165 | €7 | 23.1 | -3.2 |
Key Highlights from Table 2
- HW Lord Horatio V538 (AA6682) is the most popular beef sire used in dairy herds in 2026 to date, with 18,348 recorded AI services.
- Tubridmore Twomey ET (AA8472) ranks second with 16,869 services, while Enleve du Bois Desneux (BB9373) occupies third place with 14,648 services.
- Angus sires continue to dominate the rankings, reflecting their popularity among dairy farmers who are seeking a combination of calving ease, gestation length and strong market demand for progeny.
- Belgian Blue and Hereford sires are also well represented among the most-used beef sires, offering farmers a range of options to balance calving performance with carcass value.
- The strong uptake of high Dairy Beef Index (DBI) sires demonstrates the increasing importance of selecting beef genetics that deliver value for both dairy and beef enterprises.
What the Data Tells Us
The 2026 AI handheld data highlights Irish dairy farmers’ continued focus on selecting genetics that deliver profitability, fertility, calving performance, and sustainability. High EBI dairy sires continue to dominate dairy breeding decisions, while beef-on-dairy breeding remains strongly influenced by the Dairy Beef Index, with farmers placing increasing emphasis on producing calves that have greater value throughout the supply chain.
These rankings provide a valuable snapshot of breeding trends across Irish dairy farms and demonstrate how genetic improvement continues to play a central role in driving herd performance and profitability.