Progressive Genetics: Bulls for use on heifers
A series of AI Angus, Aubrac, Salers, Limousin and Simmental bulls have dominated Progressive Genetics’ panel for maiden (sucklers) heifers this breeding season.
During a webinar that Teagasc Sligo/Leitrim/Donegal held last week, Irish Cattle Breeding Centre programme manager, Rosalish Goulding, provided farmers with advice surrounding sire selection this spring.
She recommended the following sires for maiden suckler heifers:
- Intelagri Matteo ET (AA4089) – Angus;
- Knottown Roy (SA4604) – Salers;
- HW Farghal T516 (AA4640) – Angus;
- Interlagri Maverick (ET) (AA4088) – Angus;
- Turloughmore Magnificent (AU4683) – Aubrac;
- Creggpark Marcus (LM5422) – Limousin;
- Castleview Gazelle (ZAG) – Limousin;
- Lis-na-Ri Gucci (SI4250) – Simmental;
- Cross Liam (LM4591) – Limousin;
- Curaheen Earp (SI2152) – Simmental;
- Moondharrig Knell (LM4217) – Limousin;
- Lisnacrann Fifty Cent (SI2469) – Simmental.
Age of calving
Along with commenting on the company’s current wide range of sires, Goulding discussed 24-month-old calving and matching sires with breeding females accordingly.
Goulding said: “If you are trying to calf at 24 months, you need to go exceptionally easy calving. You need to go for less than 6%, so that is where you are coming in with your Angus, Salers and Aubrac, for example.”
“We have a good selection of well-proven bulls, with most having reliability figures of over 90%. They are the bulls that you need to put on your heifers that are calving at twenty months.”
“For your stronger heifers, you can go higher than that. We have bulls that are very heavily used on heifers, including ZAG and LM5422.”
“Then, we have Simmentals such as Lis-na-Ri Gucci. The trick with heifers is to decide the age of calving and then depending on the age of calving and your own heifer, as in her quality, select your bull,” she added.
In part two of this article, we will look at the company’s range of Limousin, Charolais and Simmental sires, among others.
Other reading on That’s Farming:
5 KPIs for suckler herds:
Last year, we featured an article from Teagasc’s Charlie Devaney, outlining five suckler herds’ KPIs.
- Calving interval;
- Calves per cow per year;
- Recycled cows;
- Heifers calved at 24 months;
- AI usage.
Read this article in detail.
