More dairy farmers are prioritising genetics that deliver across both their dairy and beef systems, to achieve both higher milk solids and more profit from dairy-beef progeny.

For the Long family in Ardfinnan, Co. Tipperary, working with Munster Bovine and using sires from the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC) is a winning formula they return to year after year.

Mike, Liam, and Michael Long run a 230-cow spring-calving dairy herd with a complementary dairy-beef system at Neddans Farm in Ardfinnan, and have a long history working with Munster Bovine to plan a breeding strategy that supports both their dairy output and beef enterprise. 

The process starts prior to breeding season where Liam works closely with his local Munster Bovine sales manager, Graham Swanton to identify their top Economic Breeding Index (EBI) cows for breeding replacements from.

From there, the rest of the herd is matched with carefully selected NCBC easy calving, short gestation dairy- beef sires to produce quality high Commercial Beef Value (CBV) calves.   

The proven premium dairy-beef sires available through Munster Bovine and Progressive Genetics have been a successful choice over the years on Neddan’s farm, and have given Liam extra confidence from knowing these sires are supported by large numbers of records and have progeny on the ground.

Here are a selection of the dairy-beef proven premium sires selected in 2024 for Liam that have delivered exceptional results.

AA7506 Tower Tommie PED
AA6682 HW Lord Horatio 
CH4321 Lapon

Each bull was chosen for specific traits: proven calving ease, short gestation, and calf quality backed by a high volume of farm records.

The result? A hassle-free calving season, compact calving, healthy quality calves, and cows back in milk faster—driving higher production of milk solids and overall profitability. 

Watch the video below to see Liam's approach to sire selection.

Central to Liam’s selection of dairy-beef genetics is a keen focus on easy calving, short gestation dairy-beef sires to achieve higher milk solids and greater profitability.

Easy calving with less complications during birth results in healthier calves and cows, with cows back in the parlour faster, which ultimately ensures milk time is maximised,

A shorter gestation period results in cows returning back into milk production sooner, and milk solids are maximised, which translates to improvements in a herd’s efficiency, productivity, and ultimately profitability.

The sire choices made last breeding season have delivered also on calf vigour for the Long’s.

Walking through Liam’s calf shed, it is an impressive display of thriving, healthy calves with very good weights for age that will translate into improved productivity and efficiency.

The quality of calves on Neddan’s farm is achieved predominately through artificial intelligence (AI).

Liam said: “No matter how good our stock bulls are, they will never have the same genetic merit as the AI bred sires.”

Even when the stock bull is left off, the Longs continue with AI as an insurance policy to ensure the very best outcomes.

Another key breeding goal for Liam is to maximise the value of his calf crop and the value of the product that he is selling to his calf purchaser.

Another key breeding goal for Liam is to maximise the value of his calf crop and the value of the product he is selling to his calf purchaser.

In this case, the calf purchaser is Liam’s brother Richard. Such is the satisfaction with the dairy beef calves produced,  Richard has been a repeat customer for the past ten years.

By using the best genetics and reliable NCBC sires, Liam can be assured he is producing a product that is desirable for his brother, making it a win-win for both parties.

Liam gets the maximum value for his calves, while his brother is buying a superior quality product for finishing.

Liam also finishes some calves himself, so the breeding decisions made at the start of the season continue to pay off all the way to slaughter. The focus is always on maximising carcass weight and early finishing—without compromising dairy performance. 

Ready to build a more profitable system?

Whether you are producing calves for sale or finishing them yourself, genetics matter. Partner with Munster Bovine and Progressive Genetics to access the full range of NCBC sires designed to maximise dairy and beef profits for Irish dairy farmers.