Tomorrow is the last day for offers on the 10 bulls the ICBF is offering for sale.

ICBF and its Gene Ireland programme partners are selling 10 AI bulls that have met their target semen requirement for the programme. Purchasing will be by a tender process with all tenders to be submitted in writing to Francis Kearney, ICBF, Highfield House, Bandon, Co. Cork by (tomorrow) Friday, June 20 at 5pm.

According to the ICBF, each bull was primarily selected based on its replacement index (milk and fertility). The ICBF notes that this is because the long-term objective of the programme is to reverse the decline in maternal traits, such as milk and fertility, in the national suckler herd and to help deliver consistent, measurable genetic gain in beef breeding.

According to Stephen Conroy of the ICBF: “These are high-quality animals which have been selected based on their maternal traits but also have good beef capacity.

“The sale presents a great opportunity for farmers to get into a high quality bull in terms of its genetic potential particularly.”

Each bull being sold has undergone a rigorous selection process by the ICBF. The ICBF have collected 1,000 doses of semen from the bulls, 500 of which will be sent out to comerical farmers and progeny tested. The other 500 will be stored.

A minimum of €2,500 reserve price has been placed on each bull. Full details of the bulls can be found here.