asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if his Department purchased bulls in Reading sales on 2nd November, whose sire in one case was reducing yields by 27 gallons and in four other cases whose paternal grand sires were reducing yields by as much as 71 gallons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Purchase of Bulls.
16.
The purchase of bulls is decided by a combination of factors—ability to transmit satisfactory milk yields, ability to transmit high butter fat, and general conformation.
In one of these cases, there was a minus rating of 27 gallons in a partial test for milk yield, but the bull had a high butter fat transmitting ability and excellent conformation.
With regard to the second part of the question, five other bulls were bought. Three of these have paternal grand sires with minus ratings varying from 4 to 37 gallons, but the grand sires of the other two bulls purchased have plus ratings for milk. Of the three bulls whose grand sires have minus ratings, however, the sire of one of them is increasing milk yields by 60 gallons, while the sires of the other two have insufficient progeny test data so far.
Is the Minister telling the House that it is now the policy of the Department to use bulls in AI stations whose sires are known to be reducing yields?
I do not know where the Deputy got his information, but I suspect he got it from a certain publication.
I got it from the Minister's own admission.
It is not something he got from my reply, nor is it something which he could deduce from it. It is just what he set out to say, which is merely a repetition of what he read in another publication.
I set out to give the Minister an opportunity to reply to what was published.
Which is incorrect.
Does the Minister consider the best way to build up stocks of high yielding herds is to use bulls, the sires of which were known to be reducing yields?
The Deputy has based his question on assumptions which are entirely incorrect.
The Minister has admitted himself that is so.
His further question does not throw any light on the subject whatsoever, so there is no point in answering it.
There is no answer.
The Deputy has been given an answer, but he will not take it.
Is butter fat a greater consideration than yield?
If the Deputy wants to have this matter out in detail, I would suggest that, for the benefit of all of us, that he should put down a further series of questions.
Or have it on the Adjournment.
Yes, or have it on the Adjournment, in which event he will get 20 minutes to my ten.