Sheepster leads as health and fertility shape Holstein rankings

OCD Trooper Sheepster has returned to the top of AHDB’s daughter-proven Holstein rankings, as health, fertility and efficiency continue to gain ground alongside milk production.

The former number one leads the latest Profitable Lifetime Index (£PLI) table at £756, ahead of Genosource Captain on £744 and Lars-Acres SSI GD Raiton on £732.

Sheepster combines strong production with a balanced package of health and fitness traits. His Predicted Transmitting Abilities include 48.7kg of fat at +0.19%.

Genosource Captain remains close behind in second and continues to demonstrate the strength of his daughter proof, with 4,321 UK daughters and thousands more internationally.

Captain transmits 1,009kg of milk and has a Feed Advantage of 271, meaning his daughters are predicted to require 271kg less dry matter per lactation than comparable cows of similar production.

Raiton climbs into third and is the highest milk transmitter in the top 10 at 1,399kg.

He also delivers 87.6kg of combined fat and protein, while recording -19 for somatic cell count and a Mastitis Index of -2.

AHDB said the latest results underline the growing influence of the Trooper and Captain bloodlines, alongside continued genetic progress in health, fertility and efficiency.

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.”

Beyond the top three, newly proven OCD Fugleman Radical enters fourth on £715 PLI, offering a combination of production, health and longevity. His daughters are predicted to live 128 days longer than average.

Pine-Tree Denovo Avon follows in fifth on £705, with a daughter Fertility Index of 7.2, Maintenance of -33 and a Lameness Advantage of 4.5.

His paternal half-brother Denovo 18514 Orchard takes sixth on £695, reinforcing the continuing influence of the Aladdin sire line.

Health and fertility feature strongly further down the top 10.

New entrant DG Space, a son of Captain, takes seventh on £692 and earns a HealthyCow score of £186, reflecting the lifetime value of the improved health and fertility traits he is predicted to pass on to his daughters.

Winstar Graziano ranks eighth on £686 and combines strong milk quality with +0.37% fat and +0.16% protein.

He also records -22 for somatic cell count, the highest daughter Fertility Index in the top 20 at 7.7 and shares the strongest TB resistance score at +3.

Denovo 17121 Sargent remains ninth on £685. With almost 1,000 UK daughters contributing to his proof, he is also the easiest-calving sire among the leading 20 bulls.

Bomaz Heisman completes the top 10 on £681 and records the strongest Lameness Advantage among the leading sires at 4.6.

Winters said the rankings show breeders are continuing to make gains across several traits rather than focusing solely on output.

“Health, fertility and efficiency traits continue to feature strongly alongside production, demonstrating the balanced genetic progress being made within the Holstein breed.”

He added: “This continues to help UK producers breed cows which are profitable and sustainable for the future.”