Galtee Merci, ‘hero’ father of 100 000

DUBLIN – Ireland’s most prolific bull, which is thought to have fathered at least 100 000 daughters and countless sons and boosted the country’s milk output, has died, the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC) has announced.

Described as a “hero of Irish agriculture”, Galtee Merci, a German-born Holstein, was one of the first Irish-registered artificial insemination bulls to be used in the country. “It’s a very sad day here when we had to announce his passing because of old age,” Doctor Bernard Eivers, chief executive of the NCBC, told RTE state radio.”In terms of the modern day dairy herd in Ireland, his influence has been phenomenal with over 10 per cent of the milking cow population probably related to him in some way.”Eivers said 15-year-old Galtee Merci was brought to Ireland by a farming co-operative in 1993.”He has been used in the last 10 years extensively.The policy has been to try and get him out there because his progeny are far more economical for Irish dairy farmers.”Eivers said the bull was able to father daughters that produced high quality milk with a very high protein content.They also were long-living and fitted in with the Irish grazing system of producing a calf a year.Nampa-AFP”It’s a very sad day here when we had to announce his passing because of old age,” Doctor Bernard Eivers, chief executive of the NCBC, told RTE state radio.”In terms of the modern day dairy herd in Ireland, his influence has been phenomenal with over 10 per cent of the milking cow population probably related to him in some way.”Eivers said 15-year-old Galtee Merci was brought to Ireland by a farming co-operative in 1993.”He has been used in the last 10 years extensively.The policy has been to try and get him out there because his progeny are far more economical for Irish dairy farmers.”Eivers said the bull was able to father daughters that produced high quality milk with a very high protein content.They also were long-living and fitted in with the Irish grazing system of producing a calf a year.Nampa-AFP