Table: New ICBF beef index changes set to be implemented from July 21
The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) has confirmed details about the key changes to the economic values in the Euro Star suckler breeding index.
These changes are set to go live as part of the July evaluation which is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21.
The updates will see changes to values in both the replacement and terminal indexes.
Following on from the beef index updates introduced in 2025, a commitment was made to review the economic values again, once updated EU beef price forecasts became available.
These EU beef price forecasts were released earlier this spring and the impact of the updated beef price on the Terminal and Replacement Indexes has now been assessed.
What is changing?
According to the ICBF, the main change is an update to the economic values used in the Terminal and Replacement Indexes.
These values are based on the Teagasc Beef Systems model and reflect expected costs and returns in beef production.
As beef price outlook has improved, the economic importance of several traits has increased.
Traits linked to output and sale value such as carcass weight and cull cow weight now have a higher value.
Traits related to efficiency and fertility such as calving interval and gestation are also impacted indirectly.
The table below details the key changes to the economic values as well as the impact of these changes:
| Trait | May 2026 | July 2026 | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carcass weight | €5.89 | €6.68 | Increased emphasis on carcass – animals with higher Predicted Transmitting Ability (PTA) will see a greater increase in index |
| Gestation | -€3.68 | -€4.04 | Shorter gestation more strongly rewarded – animals with lower PTAs will see a greater increase |
| Calving interval | -€4.12 | -€4.66 | Greater emphasis on fertility – animals with shorter calving interval will see a greater increase |
| Survival | €2.09 | €2.16 | Slight increase in emphasis – animals with higher PTAs will see a modest increase |
| Milk (maternal weaning weight) | €3.19 | €3.73 | Increased emphasis on milk – animals with higher PTAs will see a greater increase |
| Cull cow weight | €5.15 | €5.96 | Increased emphasis on cull weight – animals with higher PTAs will see a greater increase |
ICBF also confirmed that there are no changes to the underlying breeding values (PTAs) and only the economic values used to calculate the overall index.
How are the indexes calculated?
When economic values change, the overall index value will change, even if the animal’s PTAs stay the same, ICBF explained.
The Terminal and Replacement Index values (€) are calculated by:
- Taking each trait PTA (e.g. carcass weight, calving difficulty, milk);
- Multiplying it by its economic value;
- Adding these together to give the overall € index value.
Essentially, what this means is that animals that are strong for carcass and output traits will generally see increases in their index values.
Animals with good fertility and efficiency traits will also benefit.
ICBF also said that some animals may move up or down slightly, but this is driven by the change in economic emphasis rather than new data.
"Overall, the updated indexes better reflect the expected future profitability of animals under current market conditions," a statement from ICBF said.
According to the ICBF, the beef indexes are designed to rank animals based on expected profitability.
Updating the economic values ensures that:
- The indexes stay aligned with current and future market conditions;
- Farmers are selecting animals based on real economic returns;
- The indexes continue to support efficient and sustainable beef production.
Stay tuned to Agriland for further updates, feedback and analysis on the new beef index changes set to be implemented from later this month.
