Caastleview Gazelle (ZAG)
Top of the list goes to Castleview Gazelle (ZAG), the popular Limousin sire from NCBC and sold through Progressive Genetics and Munster AI.
There were a massive 18,826 calves registered to this bull in 2017. He has a very high replacement index of €170 and his terminal index comes in at a respectable €123.
His calving difficulty figure of 4.3% means he is a bull that can be used on heifers. His high replacement index provides options to breed replacements while not forfeiting too much on terminal traits.
His carcase weight figure is 20kg, which is just below the breed average of 23kg. Carcase confirmation comes in at 2.19, which is around breed average.
There are currently 1,000 ZAG daughters calved in the ICBF database. He also proves a popular choice with pedigree breeders, with 668 pedigree calves registered to him in 2017, making him the No 1 choice of sire in Limousin pedigree herds.
Fiston (FSZ)
The popular Charolais takes up the number two spot on the most used list for 2017. There were 12,552 calves registered to Fiston in 2017.
Fiston boasts five stars on the terminal index and replacement index, with a terminal index of €156 and a repalcement index of €109. His highly reliable calving figure of 6.6% means he is a popular choice with beef farmers producing weanlings and finishing cattle.
He has a carcase value of +40kg, which is almost 8kg above breed average. His carcase conformation figure is 2.31, well above the breed average of 1.88.
He tops the pedigree Charolais registrations, with 896 pedigree calves registered to him in 2017.
Elderberry Galahad (EBY)
The number three spot goes to the Dovea Genetics sire Elderberry Galahad. Galahad had 7,592 births registered in 2017 and is a popular choice for beef farmers to serve maiden heifers because of his ease of calving figure.
Calving difficulty comes in at 3.8%, almost 1% below breed average of 4.75%. His terminal index comes in at €127 and his replacement index stands at €114.
His carcase value is 20kg, just below breed average of 23kg and carcase confirmation of 2.18 is breed average. He currently has 950 daughters in the ICBF database.
Cavelands Fenian (LZF)
Another Charoalis bull takes up the fourth spot. Cavelands Fenian had 6,442 calves registered to him in 2017. The Noaille son has a terminal index of €124 and a replacement index of €118. Calving difficulty comes in at 5.7% below the breed average of 5.75%.
His carcase weight figure 32kg is around breed average and carcase conformation of 1.85 is also breed average. There are currently 1,168 daughters in the ICBF database.
Brooklands F0959 (KJB)
The fifth and final spot in the top five goes to another Dovea Genetics Limousin sire, Brooklands F0959. KJB had 4356 calves registered to him in 2017.
The Ronick Hawk son has a terminal index of €107 and a replacement index of €76. His calving difficulty figure comes in at 5.6%, which is just above breed average.
His carcase weight figure is +23kg, which is breed average, and his carcase conformation figure is also just above breed average at 2.20.