While the Gene Ireland beef program is in place to identify and progeny test the top maternal beef bulls, it is important to realise that just because a sire is strong maternally this doesn’t mean that they will be a poor performer on terminal. Milk and Fertility make up 18% and 23% of an animal’s overall replacement index respectively. Beef traits and feed efficiency make up a combined 39% of the overall replacement index. This means that almost 40% of an animal’s replacement index is made up of traits that are very favourable in a terminal setting. The animals below are a good example of this, they are bred from maternally strong sires and they are performing very well in a terminal setting.
Pictured below are 8 young bulls all by former Gene Ireland bulls. The sires include Seepa Fionn SI2158, Highfield Odran SA2153, Castleview Gazelle ZAG & Castleview Gringo GWO
These bulls are pictured here at an average age of 11.5 months. The average weight of the group is 565 kilograms. The bulls have just started getting meal at grass and they are targeted for slaughter in late November as under 16 month bulls.