Farmers will be given the opportunity to buy a top-rated AI bull, as the ICBF are to sell six of the bulls used in the Gene Ireland programme.
The six bulls on offer have met their semen collection requirements at stud and the breeds on offer include Shorthorn, Saler, Hereford, Limousin and Charolais.
According to the ICBF’s Ciaran Costello, all of the bulls have been selected on the Replacement index values and they have either four of five stars on the Replacement index across breeds.
The Beef Breeding Analyst said that these bulls have been sourced to tackle the deteriorating performance of the maternal traits in the national suckler herd, namely milk and fertility.
And, the sale of these bulls will give suckler farmers an opportunity to bull a young ‘highly rated’ stock bull for use in their herds.
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- CH2363
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- CH4068
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- HE2359
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- LM2364
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Costello also said that the breeding decisions made on farm now will have an impact on the future genetics on the herd.
These bulls are designed to breed more milk and better fertility into the national suckler herd.
He also said that each bull has a reserve price of €2,500 and the closing date for bids under the tendering process is September 9.
Source: ICBF