Sons of Genosource Captain now dominate amongst young genomic Holstein bulls, securing the first four positions in the ranking for Profitable Lifetime Index (£PLI).
DG Peace is the new number one in AHDB's £PLI rankings, with his outstanding efficiency – including Feed Advantage at 281 and Maintenance feed index of -25 – helping to secure this top spot.
With a PLI of £908, he moves up from sixth place thanks to gains in already high production credentials. His Predicted Transmitting Ability (PTA) for protein of 41.3kg is breed-leading, which he combines with 1080kg milk and 46.9kg fat.
In second place, with a PLI of £873, is DG Space, one of the highest HealthyCow (HC) index bulls amongst the top 20 sires.
His HC of £259 means the better health he’ll transmit is worth, on average, £259 to each of his daughters over their lifetimes, compared with a bull whose HC is zero.
He earns this through excellent udder health (-22 SCC, -2 Mastitis), high daughter Fertility Index (9.3) and strong Calf Survival (2.9).
DG Dillion moves up to third position from just outside the top 20 in the last index run, earning a PLI of £868. He too transmits good Calf Survival (3), and has a high Lameness Advantage (2.7).
With a PLI of £865, Cogent Koepon Rocky is the final of the leading four Captain sons, also demonstrating the outstanding efficiency traits for which his sire is renowned. His PLI is £865, Maintenance is -24, and he has an EnviroCow index of 4.5.
Peak AltaMorpheus, a son of Winstar Curfew, now ranks fifth, with a PLI of £863 and featuring a PTA fat of +0.21% and a very high daughter Lifespan Index of 159 extra days. He also excels in Fertility Index (FI 10.1), helping to earn him a HealthyCow of £255.
In sixth place is Denovo 2776 Leeds (PLI £862), the breed-leader for milk yield at a tremendous 1256kg, and with a combined fat and protein of 89.2kg.
One of the best udder health improvers of the top 20 bulls is seventh-ranking Wilra SSI Faneca Ebersol (PLI £857), whose SCC of -26 and excellent Lameness Advantage of 2.8 stand out amongst his peers.
Progenesis Pineapple ranks eighth, with a PLI of £848 and with high protein PTAs of 40.4kg and +0.16%.
The best daughter fertility bull in the top 20 is ninth-ranking Peak AltaOrvar, whose FI of 12.0 helps earn him a PLI of £840.
Rounding off the top 10 are three bulls, all ranking equally at PLI £839. The first of these is another Captain son in the shape of Pine-Tree GS Cruzer, who also offers the best Feed Advantage of the breed at £294.
Then, two new entrants since the December release are Progenesis Disruptor, transmitting the highest weight of fat in the top 10 at 53.4kg, and Genosource Security, with the best fat percentage (+0.26) alongside a high Fertility Index (10.6).
Places 13 to 15 are occupied by three newcomers to the top 20: Cogent Cartell (PLI £838) who excels in milk yield (1104kg); Hul-Stein Nail (PLI £838) with high Lifespan Index (+128 days) and Denovo 20376 Absolute (PLI £826), with extreme fat yields at 55.5kg and +0.31%.
The final new bull to make the top 20 is Peak AltaBemine (PLI £816), with exceptional udder health (-31 SCC, -3 Mastitis).
Marco Winters, head of animal genetics for AHDB, says: “Genosource Captain has proven himself as a transmitter of high and efficient milk production, so it is no surprise to see his sons now dominating the young sire ranking.
"With a range of maternal bloodlines also influencing their genetic potential, these young bulls have much to offer UK producers.
“Other sire lines in the top 10 offer excellence across a range of traits, giving producers selection options to address a variety of needs, whether lifting butterfats, improving daughter fertility or cutting rates of mastitis.”
