The list includes a range of beef-breed bulls suitable for use on dairy heifers, second calvers, cows, and mature cows that have desirable traits for the dairy farmer who will have to calve the cows, as well as the beef farmer who will be rearing the calves for beef production.

The bulls included in the recommended list are easy calving and short gestation, both of which are desirable traits for the dairy farmer but the progeny from the bulls also have good carcass weight and confirmation traits which are desirable for calf-to-beef farmers looking to rear these calves.

The table below includes the details of the Advantage Beef Programme's recommended bull list for the 2025 breeding season:

The bulls featured at the bottom of the list are test bulls and are recommended only for use on mature cows.

The sires featured on the list above are available through artificial insemination (AI) through the following AI companies:

National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC);
Dovea Genetics;
Eurogene;
World Wide Sires (WWS);
BOVA AI.

According to the Advantage Beef Programme farm liaison team, choosing sires with high beef traits will create a more marketable calf with a high Commercial Beef Value (CBV) without compromising calving ability.

Team leader Amy Coonan said: "When aiming to produce good-quality beef calves, a dairy farmer should look at the beef sub-index as well as the carcass weight and confirmation figures."

The Advantage Beef Programme's farm liaison team has said it is "happy to help farmers select the best beef genetics to maximise the quality of calves across all AI providers" and encouraged farmers breeding cows this year to get in contact with a member of the team to discuss sires selection.