The EBI co-efficient used for determining cattle valuations under the TB compensation scheme will be adjusted to reflect the new base being used by ICBF, the ICMSA has confirmed.
The base cow, the genetic reference point for the EBI of all dairy cattle in Ireland, will be updated in August, ICBF announced earlier this month.
The EBI of the Holstein Friesian base cow will fall by €71 and this will bring the EBI value of all dairy cows and bulls down by a similar figure, ICBF Geneticist Francis Kearney has said.
The Department of Agriculture confirmed to ICMSA that the EBI adjustment will be reflected in TB valuations following detailed representations from the association.
The ICMSA’s Deputy President, Pat McCormack, said it is a hugely important adjustment from a dairy farmers’ perspective.
Earlier this year the Department cut the EBI co-efficient from €1.35 per unit to .50c per unit, a move to which ICMSA strongly objected and the re-basing of the EBI calculation would have led to a further loss for farmers had the matter not been addressed.
“ICMSA has received a commitment from the Department that the EBI co-efficient will be adjusted to take account of the re-basing of the EBI calculation and we’ll work to ensure that this adjustment ensures that farmers are fully compensated for the change and do not suffer any loss as a result.
“We’d like to note the Department’s commitment on this matter – we raised the point and they recognised our argument and moved to deal with the problem. It’s important to acknowledge that kind of co-operation and progress,” he said.