Using sires that are inferior for economically important traits is no longer necessary or advisable. In herds using conventional semen over 90% of herd genetic improvement comes from sires. Which sires are used can mean a significant loss in a herd’s future earning power.  But still, in this time of rapid genetic advancement, there are sires being used that are inferior.

The Bullvine was able to obtain the lists of sires with the most registered daughters for the Canadian Ayrshire, Holstein and Jersey breeds for 2013. We decided to dig deeper and analyze the top ten sires with the most registered daughters. Other breeds only made up 0.6% of all registrations, so those breeds were not studied. The Bullvine is quite certain that similar sire usage patterns exist in other countries as we have also studied sire usage in US Holsteins  and the results were very similar. (Read more: Top Sires North American Holstein Breeders Used in 2013)

Top Ten’s in 2013

The first portion of our study looked at the bulls for LPI and for the components of LPI – Production, Durability and Health & Fertility.  Every animal on the CDN database receives and can be looked up for a rating for their genetic merit for the three components of LPI. This is a very handy tool for breeders to assist them in their breeding decisions.

The top ten most used Ayrshires sires (Table 1) were moderately high but not the best there is. These top ten sires accounted for 44% of all registrations, however only four sires had a percentile rank over 90% for gLPI and five sires were below average, less than 50%RK, for at least one of Production or Health & Fertility. Six sires had more than 200 daughters registered. One sire, EBay, was a progeny test sire and he ranked #10 in usage. The sire on the list with the highest gLPI was Burdette coming in at #4 in usage. On average, the sires were moderate at 80%RK of gLPI and 81%RK for Durability. Less attention was given to Production, 66%RK and it is disappointing see that Health & Fertility, on average, only received a 59%RK. Breeders definitely placed their emphasis elsewhere when the top sire, Dreamer, only has 41%RK for Production and 47%RK for Health & Fertility

Table 1 Canadian Ayrshire Sires with Most Registered Daughters – 2013

In Holsteins (Table 2) the top ten, most used, sires made up 22.5% of all registrations, eight sires had a gLPI above 90%RK and 233 sires had more than 200 registered daughters. However, four of the ten sires are extremely lowly rated for Health & Fertility. In fact, the second and third most used sires were only ranked 18%RK and 19%RK for Health & Fertility. Canadian Holstein breeders place their primary focus on type with the average being a 93%RK for Durability. Production lags at 76%RK and Health and Fertility just barely exceeds average (54%RK). Dempsey has the highest gLPI of all the sires and was the eighth most used sire. Fever and Jordan, in addition to Dempsey, are sires that have at least 70% for all of gLPI, Production, Durability and Health & Fertility. None of the sires in the top ten most used were bulls being progeny tested in 2013. That is different than in the USA were a few genomic sires are receiving considerable use. The recommendation to breeders is that they not use one genomic sire to an excessive degree.

Table 2 Canadian Holstein Sires with Most Registered daughters – 2013

In Jerseys (Table 3) 25% of all female registrations were for the ten sires with the most registered daughters. Six of the ten sires had over 90%RK for gLPI and four sires had over 200 registered daughters. Two of the top ten sires were on a progeny testing program, although those two were not the most highly rated of a genomic sires for gLPI. Overall, the ten sires had an 88%RK for gLPI however there is definitely a lack of attention to Health and Fertility when half the bulls have below average ratings for that component of LPI. Topeka, the 4^th most used sire, had the highest gLPI and he was being progeny tested in 2013. With the wide ranges among the ten sires in the %RK rating for all the parts of LPI and six sires that fall below 50%RK in at least one area, it indicates that Canadian Jersey breeders do not use sires that cover all bases.

Table 3 Canadian Jersey Sires with Most Registered Daughters – 2013

The take home message, when all breeds are considered, is that purebred Canadian breeders consider type (durability) to be the most important area. Beyond that, they pay moderate attention to production and either they do not consider Health & Fertility as being important or they have yet to start to eliminate using bulls lowly rated for Healthy & Fertility.

Comparing to the Best

Further analysis showed that breeders, for whatever reason, did not use the most highly genetically rated sires. The following tables are comparisons of the most used sires and the breed’s top ten most highly rated proven and genomic sires from mid-2012, the time when the inseminations would have been made to produce the females that were registered in 2013. Note that the ranges for the averages are given following each average.

Table 4 contains the comparison for Ayrshire sires.  The sires used were far superior for type (CONF) but were inferior for Milk, Fat, Protein, Protein %, SCS and DF (daughter fertility) to the top LPI proven sires. Breeders that do not receive significant income from type are foregoing the opportunity for gain in major traits if they place a high requirement on a sire’s CONF index. Note that there was not a CDN listing for genomic Ayrshire sires in 2012.

Table 4 Comparison of Ayrshire Sires Used and Sires Available (2013)

The comparison for Holstein sires of used and available (Table 5) shows some interesting facts.  Breeders, here again, want their sires to be high type and high fat % and are prepared to give up Milk and Protein to get that higher type and fat %. The genomic sires available far exceed both the most used and top proven for Milk, Fat and Protein yields.

Table 5 Comparison of Holstein Sires Used and Sires Available (2013)

In the Jersey sires (Table 5) used compared to proven available, the major difference is in SCS. The most used sires are quite inferior in SCS to the top ten proven sires available.  Again as in Holsteins, the Jersey genomic sires stand out for their superiority for Milk, Fat and Protein yields. In the Jersey sires the ranges around the averages are larger than in Ayrshire or Holstein.

Table 6  Comparison of Jersey Sires Used and Sires Available (2013)

Factors Needing Consideration

When selecting sires to use in the future, breeders everywhere need to consider the following facts:

1. Global demand for cheese is increasing and so a sire’s genetic index for protein yield is important.
2. Breeding stock sales based on type are not as financially rewarding as they once were (Read more: An Insider’s Guide to What Sells at the Big Dairy Cattle Auctions and Where did the money go?).
3. Total merit indexes (TPI, NM$, LPI, etc.) should to be based on genetic needs five to ten years in the future.
4. The genetic merit of our dairy cattle for fertility must be improved.
5. Sires with even one significant limiting factor should be avoided.

The Bullvine Bottom Line

The perfect bull does not and likely never will exist. Every breeder will have their own genetic goals for their herd. The time has come for breeders to start planning five to ten years out and to avoid sires that will leave more culls at younger ages, extra expense per cow and added labour per cow.  For most breeders that means not using sires that are not in the top 25% (>74%RK) for all of gLPI, Production, Durability and Health & Fertility.

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