Denis keeps his best bred dairy herd title

A CO Cork farmer has three of the four best bred dairy cows in Ireland, according to the ranking of genetic proofs issued by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation.

Denis Downing of Grenagh has continued to dominate the cow breeding statistics, according to ICBF’s Economic Breeding Index (EBI) list. This index was introduced in November 2000, following a major review of dairy breeding in Ireland.

It is based on the cow’s genetic merit for milk, fat and protein yield, survival rate and calving interval.