The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) is set to host a meeting with suckler farmers and cattle breeders to discuss the New Beef Eurostar evaluations in Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim.
The meeting will take place at 8:00 o’clock tonight, Tuesday, November 28, at the Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim.
The meeting will be chaired by the Leitrim Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) county chairperson, Liam Gilligan.
The speakers on the night will include:
- Teagasc beef enterprise leader, Paul Crosson;
- Teagasc senior principal research officer, Donagh Berry;
- ICBF research scientist, Ross Evans;
- ICBF CEO, Sean Coughlan.
The meeting takes place on the evening of the implementation date of the new beef Eurostar evaluations.
The implementation date was initially set for Tuesday, November 21, which was the date of the Teagasc National Beef Conference but was rescheduled to today.
The changes to the indexes are being welcomed by some suckler farmers and cattle breeders, while others are more weary of the changes.
The ICBF has said that 84% of animals that are 4- and 5-star on the current evaluation will remain 4- and 5- star on the new evaluation.
From a Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) perspective, all existing genotyped 4- and 5-star animals will remain eligible for the programme in their current herds.
The last review of beef breeding indexes in Ireland occurred in 2015, with the relative emphasis on the individual traits derived by Teagasc. Because of the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) which had been ongoing at the time, the indexes were not updated despite “obvious” changes in output prices and costs of production.
According to the ICBF, the changes to the indices will result in slightly lighter, but more fertile, cows.
The index changes aim to result in easier calvings, shorter gestations and see less calf mortality.
The ICBF has also said the changes will result in improved bovine tuberculosis (TB) resistance, lower feed intakes and earlier finishing ages.
All farmers are invited to attend tonight’s meeting.
For more updates and stories on the ICBF, click here.