Taking the Guesswork out of Dairy Beef
Dairy Beef
Your priority is milk — but every calf born matters.
With the right genetics, dairy beef can add real value without compromising on your core herd goals. At Solnua, we make dairy-beef simple, predictable, and profitable.
We run Ireland’s largest and most proven dairy-beef breeding programme, backed by an unrivalled number of records on field fertility, calving and carcass traits.
That scale means that only the best dairy-beef sires make it to your farm so you can enjoy peace of mind at calving, maximise the value of your dairy-beef calf crop whilst also maintain your dairy herds improvements in milk production and milk solids.
Scale Makes the Difference
Our Selection Process
Every year we start with over 16,000 genotypes of pedigree beef bull calves.
Our geneticists & sire analysts do rigorous analysis of genomic index, pedigree, performance and phenotype based on our criteria and select the best elite genomic test sires.
These sires are tested rigorously for field fertility, calving traits, calf quality, vigour, colour and carcass traits with only the best making it to the next stage.
- 35 Elite Genomic Test Sires identified
- 25 Rising Stars with superior performance for field fertility and beef sub-index
- 20 Proven Sires for field fertility, calving (90%+ reliability), calf quality and carcass traits
- 10 Proven Premium Sires — the very best for field fertility, calving, calf quality and carcass traits validated with unmatched reliability
What this means for you: Only the top sires make it to your farm — giving you confidence in every straw.
Proof in the Numbers
With Solnua dairy beef, the data backs every decision
Conception rates
Our sires are independently verified by ICBF for field fertility. Only the top performers make it to your farm, delivering more pregnancies and fewer empty cows.
Calving
Our proven sires have a minimum of 90% reliability for calving ease, with 100s and often 1,000s of records. We predict calving ease with unrivalled accuracy, giving you peace of mind at calving and your cows a great start to their lactation.
Calf quality, colour vigour
Our team assess the progeny of our dairy-beef sires for vigour, calf quality and calf colour. We make certain that everything is covered to ensure maximum calf value.
Carcass Traits
Progeny of all of our dairy-beef sires are performance tested at the ICBF centre in Tully. Data is collected on Carcass Weight, Conformation, Age at Finish, Feed & Water Intake, Meat eating quality and Methane production. Our sires deliver for the beef finisher, consumer and the environment.
Why Farmers Trust Solnua Dairy Beef
- Exceptional Fertility → Higher conception rates, fewer empty cows, more milk and Kgs of milk solids in the tank.
- Easy Calving & Short Gestation → Less stress, more sleep, healthier cows and calves. Cows get a great start to their lactation.
- Saleable Calves → Well-coloured calves with high Commercial Beef Value (CBV) that command a high price in the marketplace.
- More Milk Solids → Every successful conception adds extra kgs solids.
- Proven Programme → Independently validated by ICBF with thousands of records for Field fertility, Calving and Carcass traits
What this means for you: More milk, more beef, and more peace of mind.
Our Sire Categories
To make selection straightforward, every dairy beef sire is classified into one of three categories:
- Elite Genomic Test Sires
High-potential young bulls, chosen for calving ease, short gestation and high carcass traits. Great genetic promise, predicted to be top performers. - Rising Stars
Proven for field fertility, calving (90%+ reliability), gestation, calf quality, vigour and colour. Reliable sires with strong field performance data. - Proven Premium Sires
The top tier. Validated with unmatched reliability for field fertility, calving ease, gestation, calf quality and carcass traits. These sires give you total confidence and unmatched peace of mind.
The Indices that Matter
Dairy Beef Index (DBI)
Ireland’s profit index for dairy-beef. It combines calving, gestation, feed intake, docility, carcass weight, carcass fat, carcass conformation, age at finish and carbon efficiency. In simple terms, it identifies sires that deliver the best return for both dairy and beef farmers.
Commercial Beef Value (CBV)
The CBV estimates a beef animal’s genetic potential for profitability.
CBV = DBI minus calving traits. High CBV calves mean:
- Heavier carcass weights
- Better carcass conformation
- Quicker age at slaughter
- Better feed efficiency
- More in-spec cattle
- Higher profitability
➡️ What this means for you: Use DBI to pick sires. Use sires high in beef sub-index to produce calves high in CBV. Sell high CBV calves with confidence.
The Solnua Ready Reckoner — 5 Steps to the Right Sire
Our Ready Reckoner, designed by Beef Programme Manager, Rose Goulding, makes selection simple.
- Choose your breed — Angus, Hereford, Limousin, etc.
- Match calving index to cow age & lactation number — maiden, 2nd calver, mature cow.
- End of season— Use short gestation sires at the end of the breeding season.
- Maximise the value of your calf crop — Use high beef sub-index sires.
- Balance risk — spread sires, keep use of genomic sires to <10%, focus on Proven Premiums for confidence.
What this means for you: You make the right decision for your herd, every time.
Backed by Science & Expertise
“Fertility and genetics are the cornerstone of every profitable dairy herd. That’s why we make sure every straw delivers results on farm; high field fertility, high genetic merit.”
Dr. Doreen Corridan, CEO & Fertility Expert:
“The scale of our programme means that only the best make it to your herd. With Solnua dairy-beef sires, farmers are choosing high conception rates, calving ease, short gestation, and saleable calves that command a premium price.”