The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) has said that impending changes to the beef breeding indices were decided “without adequate consultation”, resulting in confusion among farmers.
The association has meet with the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) on changes to the terminal and replacement indices, which are due to be introduced from November 21.
Suckler farmers will see their herds’ new evaluations online from that date, and the ICBF has said that farmers will need to check their status.
Suckler farmers who are participating in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) will have to be particularly vigilant to the changes. As a result of the changes, approximately 5% of SCEP applicants “will have to react down the line to meet future SCEP targets”, according to the ICBF.
84% of the current four- and five-star animals are expected to retain their four- and five-star status after the changes. The remaining animals which are four- and five-star animals will drop but “as many will rise as will fall in the replacement index”.
Despite the ICBF outlining these changes, the ICSA said today (Wednesday, November 8) that the former must “do more to allay farmers’ fears around the introduction of significant changes to Ireland’s beef breeding indices”.
“As these changes have been decided upon without adequate consultation with farming organisations or the pedigree breed societies, confusion has reigned supreme amongst beef and suckler farmers,” ICSA president Dermot Kelleher said.
“Our members have been demanding answers as to why the ICBF are making these changes, why they are doing so now, and what it will mean for their farming enterprises.
“Of particular concern is the weighting of certain traits that has resulted in a list of the top 100 bulls for the replacement index that is heavy in traditional suckler breeds such as Angus and Hereford but low in continental breeds such as Limousin and Charlolais,” Kelleher added.
According to the ICSA president, the ICBF gave assurances at their meeting that, within two years, a “more balanced picture will emerge”.
However, despite this assurance, the ICSA called for an inventory of the top bulls per breed to be published, rather than just one list incorporating every breed.
The farm organisation also suggested that no bull should be in the replacement index top 100 unless the bull has “satisfactory terminal traits that will improve a suckler herd”.
Jimmy Cosgrave, the ICSA’s suckler chairperson, said: “The ICBF has taken our proposals on board, and we are prepared to engage further on these proposals so that a fairer message around these changes emerges, one that farmers can get behind.”
However, he also called for the ICBF to engage more with farmer representatives and breed societies going forward.
“The lack of consultation around this move by ICBF is at the root of the farmer frustration we are seeing. The changes to these indices will have a big impact on beef and suckler farmers, particularly those in SCEP,” Cosgrave added.
“Many farmers had to think long and hard about joining SCEP in the first place, and they need to have a clear understanding of the ramifications of these changes, and how to manage any changes to the ratings in their herds.”
However, the ICSA did welcome the publication of Commercial Beef Values (CBV) on mart boards, which the farm organisation said will demonstrate that “well-bred animals for beef merit are worth far more than less well-bred animals when farmers are buying stores, weanlings, or calves”.
“Our beef and suckler farmers will also be better armed to keep on track of their cost of production and to make decisions around which animals to buy for further feeding based on how these animals are likely to perform,” Cosgrave added.