A meeting of stakeholders concerned with the changes to the beef breeding indices that was meant to go ahead today (Friday, March 1) has been postponed by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), Agriland understands.
The meeting was scheduled to take place today at 2:00p.m. However, stakeholders were informed by the ICBF at around 9:00p.m last night (Thursday, February 29) that the meeting would be postponed.
In a notice to stakeholders, seen by Agriland, the ICBF said: “We have been made aware that some discussions are at sensitive stage and have been requested to postpone tomorrow’s meeting.”
The ICBF said it agreed to the postponement, and that it would be in touch with stakeholders again next week.
It has not been confirmed what those “sensitive” discussions pertain to. However, sources indicate that today’s meeting would have been about the eligibly of male animals that are impacted by the changes to beef breeding indices under the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP).
In late January, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue announced “further flexibility” for participants in SCEP who may be impacted by the changes.
This additional measure means that female offspring of genotyped females in SCEP herds that do not become eligible for the scheme on their own genomic evaluation may become eligible if their sire and dam meet a minimum requirement on the September 2023 ICBF evaluation.
In the case where the dam was 3, 4 or 5-star and the sire was 4 or 5-star on the replacement index, their female offspring will be considered ‘SCEP eligible’ even if, when they are genotyped, they are not evaluated as 4 or 5-star in their own right.
It is understood that today’s meeting would have discussed the possibility of similar flexibility being extended for breeding bulls.
ICBF to make changes
Agriland understands that, following the last meeting of stakeholders on February 22, the ICBF agreed to cap the benefit available to cows with low live weights in the new evaluations.
It is understood that a proposal will also go to the ICBF technical advisory committee in relation to extremely light cows, which outlines that these would not continue to benefit from the lower live weight in the index.
If the committee approves this proposal it is understood that these light cows will no longer get credit in the indices which they have currently been given.