Former leader Sheepster returns to the fold

A former number one Holstein, OCD Trooper Sheepster, returns to the top of the Profitable Lifetime Index (£PLI) rankings for daughter-proven sires, published today by AHDB.

Sheepster’s PLI of £756 reflects his strong production credentials, including Predicted Transmitting Abilities (PTAs) for fat of 48.7 kg and +0.19%, and a balanced package of health and fitness traits, all of which have been highly valued by dairy breeders around the globe.

Close behind in second place is the influential former front-runner, Genosource Captain (PLI £744). Now backed by 4,321 UK daughters and thousands more internationally, Captain remains one of the breed’s most reliable and efficient milk production transmitters, with 1,009 kg milk and an exceptional Feed Advantage (FAdv) of 271.

This means his daughters are predicted to save 271 kg of dry matter intake during each lactation, compared with average FAdv daughters of comparable production.

Climbing into third place, Lars-Acres SSI GD Raiton is the highest milk production transmitter in the top 10 at 1,399 kg milk.

He also delivers an impressive 87.6 kg combined fat and protein while at the same time, reducing cell counts (SCC -19) and improving udder health (Mastitis Index -2). These traits help earn him a PLI of £732.

Newly proven sire, OCD Fugleman Radical (PLI £715) debuts in fourth position, offering a strong balance of production, health and longevity, with daughters predicted to live 128 days longer than average.

In fifth place, Pine-Tree Denovo Avon (PLI £705) stands out for his exceptional daughter Fertility Index of 7.2, combined with excellent maintenance costs (-33), a high +0.31% fat percentage and outstanding Lameness Advantage (4.5).

Avon is closely followed by paternal half-brother, Denovo 18514 Orchard (PLI £695), highlighting the continuing influence of the Aladdin sire line.

New entrant, DG Space (PLI £692), takes seventh position. A son of Captain, he combines positive milk solids with one of the strongest health profiles in the top 10, earning him a HealthyCow (HC) score of £186.

This means the better health and fertility he transmits is worth, on average, £186 for each of his daughters over their lifetimes, compared with a bull whose HC is zero.

At number eight, Winstar Graziano (PLI £686) excels for milk quality, transmitting +0.37% fat and +0.16% protein, alongside cell count improvements at -22 SCC. He also records the highest daughter Fertility Index in the top 20 at 7.7 and the equal best resistance to TB at +3.

Denovo 17121 Sargent (PLI £685) remains a proven all-rounder in ninth place, the easiest calving bull in the top 20 and with almost 1,000 UK daughters contributing to his highly reliable proof.

Rounding off the top 10 is Bomaz Heisman (PLI £681), recording the strongest Lameness Advantage (4.6) among the leading bulls.

Marco Winters, Head of Animal Genetics at AHDB, said:

"The latest rankings highlight the growing influence of the Trooper and Captain sire lines, which are making their mark among the highest-ranking daughter-proven bulls.

"Health, fertility and efficiency traits continue to feature strongly alongside production, demonstrating the balanced genetic progress being made within the Holstein breed. This continues to help UK producers breed cows which are profitable and sustainable for the future."

OCD Trooper Sheepster