The new August Young Sire Genomic Index Rankings for Holstein bulls, sees a new No.1 in Denovo 2776 Leeds.

The proofs from ADHB show the Sandy-Valley Laker son increases his Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI) to £914, thanks to a massive Predicted Transmitting Ability (PTA) for milk of 1307kg, which he combines with high weights of fat and protein at 52.1kg and 40.6kg respectively.

Leeds also scores well for feed advantage (215), which can be attributed to an effective transmission of feed conversion efficiency and a favourable reduced maintenance feed index (-10). With the additional help of his good daughter Lifespan (LS) index, he earns impressive green credentials and an EnviroCow index of 4.7.

Second position sees the arrival of new entrant, Denovo 80044 Highview (PLI £902), a transmitter of high milk components at +0.30% fat and +0.15% protein. This Winstar Elver son also transmits good mastitis resistance (Mast -3), long lifespans (LS +186 days) and great daughter fertility (FI +14.0) – a combination, which earns him the highest HealthyCow index in the top 20 (HC 313).

Former No 1 sire, Wilra SSI Faneca Ebersol, now ranks third (PLI £896), and has earned the best overall udder health credentials in the top 20. Ebersol combines -28 SCC with -3 Mastitis, as well as a high udder composite score of 1.50.

Moving up to fourth from seventh, is Peak Powerhouse, now with a PLI of £893. The highest protein improver in the top 20, he transmits an impressive 42.9kg.

Moving into fifth, is DG Peace edges, with a great daughter Maintenance index (-21) and a high Feed Advantage (254), demonstrating all-round feed efficiency.

Sharing sixth are stablemates, Peak AltaSeverus and Peak AltaKalon, with PLIs of £884. AltaSeverus has the best daughter fertility index in the top 20 at 15.4 while AltaKalon excels in protein percent (+0.15%) and has a HealthyCow index of 255.

In eighth place, with a PLI of £878, is Winstar Maserati P. One of the strongest fat transmitters amongst the leading sires (54.9kg and +0.33% fat), he is followed closely by his paternal half-brother, Denovo 17835 Lennon-P (both by Mendel P) in ninth place (PLI £875). Lennon transmits good lifespan (159) and is the highest udder conformation transmitter in the top 20 at 2.58.

The new entrant, Pine-Tree Peak AltaHaji, rounds off the top 10, transmitting a solid weight of fat (50.8kg) and low cell counts (SCC -22). He has a PLI of £872, which is matched by his stablemate, Pine-Tree Denovo Aleo. Aleo’s PTA for fat is high at 51.4kg and +0.29%, which he combines with good Maintenance (-26).

Other new entrants in the top 20 are Progenesis Radiowave (PLI £869), ranking 12th, and Peak AltaMasquerade (PLI £856) which ranks 19th.

“The new generation of young sires offers so many of the traits required for commercial milk producers to edge down both costs of production and their environmental impact while cost-effectively producing milk,” said Marco Winters, head of animal genetics for AHDB. “High fat is a recurring theme, as are long daughter lifespans, good daughter fertility and feed efficiency, all of which are important contributors to economic milk production.

“Many of these traits contribute to both HealthyCow and EnviroCow, which we’d recommend as considerations in every breeding strategy. Each of these indexes gives an at-a-glance figure of the bull’s likelihood of breeding, respectively, healthy daughters with the least environmental impact – factors which are growing priorities of both milk buyers and dairy producers.”

For the complete list of available bulls, please visit the AHDB website.