BULL proofs recently published by AHDB Dairy prove that genetic indexes for most breeds, aside from Holsteins, remain stable, with little improvement shown in the December run.
Unchanged at number one on the Jersey breed’s profitable lifetime index  (PLI) ranking, is the Danish sire Viking Jersey Link, with a PLI of £520 and a good fitness index.
By Hollylane Lilibets Legacy, VJ Link has bred 404 daughters in 192 herds, and is predicted to transmit a fertility index of +11.5, +14.8 fat and a lifespan index of +0.5.
Still remaining in second position is a bull from the same family, Viking Jersey Hilario, with a PLI of £519. He also offers daughter fertility and fitness.
Although this bull will not improve fat percentages compared to the average Jersey, he is the best protein percentage improver in the top five at +0.02%.
Moving up from fifth position and into third is Sunset Canyon Daybreak, a son of All Lyns Restore Vibrant out of a Pearlmont dam. Having bred 829 daughters in 91 herds, he has a PLI of £422 and is estimated to transmit 19.1kg of fat, as well as 19.2kg protein in 584kg milk.
Amongst the Ayrshires, it’s much the same story with VR Gunnarstorp Backen Gobel still at number one, with the highest PLI of £537.
Together with a good milk transmit of 390kg and solids production – 16.7kg fat and 12.6kg protein – Gobel is also a breed-leading fertility and lifespan improver, with FI +16.5 and LS +0.7.
A new entrant slots in second position – VR Dansjo Haslev Hammer, a strong transmitter of milk solids, both for weights and percentage, transmitting 401kg milk and 19.7kg fat.
Maintaining good daughter fertility is the British sire, Pell Pers standing in third position. A son of Flarkbracken, this bull has bred 1941 daughters, and has a PLI of £463.
Within the Friesian breed, there is very little change too, with Leicestershire-bred Catlene Chad retaining his position in first place with a PLI of £519. Transmitting 21.1kg of fat and 16.1kg protein, he is a son of Deangate Centurion and has good all-round-fitness and calving ease, as well as being the best SCC improver in the top five.
Although transmitting a lower volume of milk than his front-running herdmate in first place, it’s Catlane Caleb, a home-bred bull by Catlane Corsair, which remains in second place. With a fat transmission of 0.31% and a daughter fertility of +4.8, this bull has the best calving ease in the top five of +2.5.
Two new Kirkby bulls – Kirkby Jupiter and Kirkby Major – enter the running in third and fourth position. Both bred by t Deangate Centurion, these bulls offer good production and fitness, with PLIs of £360 and £340, respectively.
Top of the ranks in the Dairy Shorthorn breed is Nejay Prince 3, a son of Glanhirwen Peerless, with a PLI of £278. Producing 8.8kg of fat, as well as 12.5kg protein, this bull has bred 89 daughters in 13 herds within the UK.
Leading the Brown Swiss with a PLI of £416 is Hacker, a sire which although has not bred any daughters in the UK yet, has a high fertility index of +11.1, transmitting 15kg fat and 15.9kg protein.
Speaking on the importance of using such important data was Fern Pearston, animal genetics manager for AHDB Dairy, who said: “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.
“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.”