In early September Ronan Murphy our CEO, William Smith chairman of our Breeding committee and our Vice President Philip Crowe visited France to view progeny of French Ai sires. In France calving ease is very important. Bulls are selected for calving ease, calving ability of daughters, milk and beefyness – what they call a ‘mixed type’.
A lot of French herds are introducing polled genetics, and there is a great demand for quality polled cattle in France. Polling is something the Irish society intend to develop by making the semen from the best polled bulls available to our breeders.
Below is a brief report on what they saw.
Hector GD
Some of the top breeders in France are using Hector GD. No calving problems reported. Progeny have excellent tops and ends are are very correct but not big. New French index’s released last week put Hectors Daughters at a massive 115 for milk similar to Bavardage.
Use on females with size.
Haled Mn
On farm proven bull, very well balanced with very good pelvis. Very easy calving and great milky daughters.
Being used widely on heifers in France.
Letiprince NEW ( Maternally proven )
The champion of the 2021 test programme. Daughters viewed in Moussours had exceptional length, size and pelvic width and calving ability.
Males are very heavy and well muscled. Use on thicker bloodlines to add power and size.
Bel Orient ( Maternally proven )
All round bull, will add weight size and Milk. Daughters viewed were some of the best we saw on the trip big long and deep bodied. Progeny have great tops and a very square backend but not exceptionally wide.
Will work best on thick broad cows.
JT ( maternally proven )
Son of Cameos. Widely used in France, more bone and roughness than Cameos. Some very nice progeny viewed.
Use on taller bloodlines.
Leopard MN
Leopards Dam Acadie is an exceptional cow in the Benoit herd and still breeding at 16 years old . She features in the best sires and female lines in the herd.
Leopard is again mixed type well balanced between size and muscle with an excellent pelvis and very high growth rates plus excellent functionality. Daughters have size, style and excellent breed character. Use on lines with good milking abilities. ( Leopards first daughters are milking well but are not yet added to his index )
Jurancon ( maternally proven )
Champion of the 2020 test programme ( cameos son )
Excellent mixed type bull medium sized progeny with excellent weight for age and shape. Daughters are heavy deep bodied and excellent milkers. Ideal bull to breed daughters with calving ability and milk.
Other bulls that are worth a mention of the old bulls Cameos/Mas du clo/Bavardage and Ionesco have done an excellent job, many females that we admired went back to these bloodlines.