The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) has received 120,000 BVD test results since the first of January.
In the past seven days alone it has received some 44,000 results and BVD test results continue to be received and are being processed accordingly.
In terms of HerdPlus, the organisation highlights that EBI and Dairy Cow reports will be packed and posted to all dairy HerdPlus farmers next week. This follows on the back of the co-op reports for the last quarter of 2013 have now all been posted.
The ICBF is also reminding suckler farmers participating in the Beef Data Programme to send in any outstanding data. It says this data can be recorded online or through postal forms. Suckler farmers participating in the Beef Transfer Adoption Programme discussion groups scheme are also reminded to record any data for the upcoming year.
It notes that autumn calving herds will begin pregnancy scanning this spring and it is important that this data is recorded quickly after the event. AI serves and weights should also be recorded as they occur.
The ICBF highlights as the 2014 calving season is now under way, farmers must remember the importance of recording vital breeding data when registering calves (sires and calving ease). It says this data can be recorded when registering through the animal events book (white book) or online through agfood.ie or through a farm software package.
The ICBF also has outlined that any farmers that are interested in recording extra data on their calves this spring will soon be able to record: Birth Weights, Birth Measurements (chest + height), Calf Size, Calf Vitality/Vigour among more.
The ICBF acknowledges that farmers are extremely busy at calving time. But it says by contributing this data farmers will help to improve the reliabilities on genetic indexes that will identify the most profitable animals to breed from.
A beef breeding event will take place on next Thursday 6 February in Tuam mart at 6:30pm. The event will have various speakers from the industry including Teagasc, ICBF, AI companies and breed societies.
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