Peter Hynes: “I often wonder why farmers buy high EBI dairy stocks if they don’t believe in EBI.”

Breeding is going well with a number of heifers inseminated with sexed semen from MB Lucky Lady Bullseye. We hope there will be few repeats as he is a sought after bull and oversubscribed worldwide.

Cow heat seems a little harder to detect indoors with a small group of fall calves, but it’s a learning curve for us.

The ICBF’s new Carbon Sub Index, now included in the EBI, is another key tool for the dairy industry as we work towards our sector’s 2030 emission reduction targets.

The inclusion of carbon in a national farm index is a world first and underscores the seriousness of the Irish dairy industry in reducing emissions.

As farmers we can now select genetics that directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the changes to EBI will ensure that Irish dairy is at the forefront of sustainability in the world.

Using breeding as a tool to reduce emissions benefits both farmers and the environment.

First, no management change is required: the cow must become pregnant. Advances in carbon efficiency will accumulate over time and be permanent. And there are no additional costs for us farmers.

Most importantly, we can all breed for carbon efficiency. We all know that we need to grow clover, reduce nitrogen use, use proprietary urea and LESS; Any feed we produce on the farm is converted into milk by the cow, so it certainly makes more sense to use a more carbon-efficient cow.

EBI is like a three-legged stool – social, environmental and economic – all of which are part of our sustainable farming system.

Social: By raising a quality beef calf and providing quality food security.

Environment: through the sub-index carbon/beef.

Economic: EBF stands for Economic Breeding Index and a flock with a high EBI provides a higher financial return.

Every time EBI is mentioned on social media, a passionate debate follows. But a high EBI flock can be fed a methane reducing additive just as easily as a low EBI flock; and research has proven that a high EBI herd has a lower carbon footprint.

I often wonder why farmers buy high EBI dairy stocks if they don’t believe in EBI or the research, especially when the reality is that high EBI stocks come with higher acquisition costs.

Some people say the new Carbon Sub Index favors the Jersey herd crossbred. If that is the case the changes would not suit our herd as we are pedigree registered and also classifying so I was anxious to see our latest EBI report.

Our total herd EBI is now up from 163 to 175, well above the national average of 159. Considering our herd came from a low EBI base ten years ago when we switched to artificial insemination, we are very pleased with the genetic progress we have.

Our highest EBI cow is 290, our highest pregnant heifer is now 367.

Then there’s Rathard Alanna, now in eighth lactation and classified EX90 with an EBI of 270; She is a true worker producing 550kg/ms each year with an average cell count of 66 over the eight lactations and becomes pregnant.

The exception is Alanna, her 6th lactation EX91 daughter has an EBI of 265 and is just as busy, while Alanna’s granddaughter won the 2019 EBI All-Ireland Championship for us as a calf.

Likewise, our highest EBI cow comes from the Bordica cow family, her mother has an EBI of 251 and the granddam was probably one of the best cows we had.

Should we embrace the carbon index? Absolutely, if we want to ensure we remain a sustainable dairy producing nation. And I firmly believe that Pedigree Holstein can go hand in hand with EBI.

Breeding is a long-term project for us – we made sure that genotyping and high EBI bulls work within our long-term plan.

Peter Hynes farms with his wife Paula in Aherla, Co Cork