A minor reshuffle amongst the British Friesians sees Inch Persistent take over the top spot in the Profitable Lifetime Index rankings.

Now with 163 UK daughters contributing to his figures, Persistent achieves a PLI of £348 alongside a high HealthyCow index (253), thanks to good daughter lifespans (143) and fertility (4.8).

Moving into second place is Manorpark Google (PLI £330), transmitting higher production potential to his daughters, with Predicted Transmitting Abilities for milk of 517kg, 22kg fat and 17.5kg protein.

Catlane Cromwell now ranks third (PLI £289), and is followed by Aintree Penrod, a sire that transmits good udder health (-9 SCC, -3 Mastitis). Penrod’s PLI is £271.

Rounding off the top five is Carrickshock GTW, transmitting high protein (15.2 kg and +0.08%) and earning a PLI of £261.

Jersey

There’s continued long-term stability at the top of the Jersey rankings, as River Valley Cece Chrome holds his No 1 ranking, now earning a PLI of £443. Production remains high for Chrome, (758kg PTA milk), and he now has 521 UK milking daughters contributing to his figures.

Maintaining second place is VJ Ravinggaard Huus Hamlet, a higher milk quality sire (+0.10% fat, +0.16% protein) with strong daughter fertility (11.4). His PLI is £427.

A new entrant in third is JX River Valley Chief, whose high production figures (736kg milk, 35.2kg fat and 24.4kg protein) help earn him a PLI of £414.

Moving up to fourth and fifth are VJ Oestermarie Haare Hays (PLI £374) and Primus Craze Starlord (PLI £364). Like many of the leading Scandinavian sires, Hays transmits high milk quality (+0.18% fat, +0.14% protein) and good daughter fertility (10.5), whereas Starlord typifies many US Jerseys, transmitting higher volumes of milk (520kg).

Ayrshire

VR Alatalon Flame Feton retains his dominant position at the top of the Ayrshire rankings (PLI £479) with superb daughter fertility (17.4) and a high HealthyCow index at 258.

VR Vilano, ranked second, is one of the stronger production transmitters of the red and white breed, with 357kg milk. He combines this with good daughter lifespan (104) and earns a PLI of £411.

New in third place is the good all-rounder, VR Venom whose PLI of £355 keeps him ahead of VR Viljar Vilperi (PLI £337) and VR Fabu (PLI £314), ranked fourth and fifth. Both are milk quality bulls, Vilperi with the higher fat% at +0.22, while Fabu transmits the best udder health of the top five sires (-22 SCC, -3 SCC) and superb lifespan (159).

Other dairy breed indexes are published online (https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/dairy-breeding-and-genetics), where the Montbéliarde, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Shorthorn and Fleckvieh are all represented.