Beef
Latest calving statistics from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) show that there has been over 41,500 fewer calves registered.
Dairy
The ICBF has published the active dairy bull list for 2024, detailing the top 75 bulls available for artificial insemination (AI) in Ireland.
The ICBF has said that selecting a large team of bulls, and using them equally on cows in the herd, is a "critical element" in breeding.
With many farmers still unable to get stock onto grass, some farmers have expressed concerns over turnout, breeding, and maiden heifers.
N.Ireland
The consistent use of sexed semen has been highlighted as a critically important technology within the dairy sector
Dairy Technical
It is now time for autumn-calving herds to begin preparations for the breeding season, which for many is around five weeks away.
The top dairy sires for the 2023 spring-calving breeding season has be revealed by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).
The focus on many dairy farms is starting to shift towards the breeding season, with most farmers making the final selection of bulls they plan on using.
As we head towards the breeding season, some farmers will be asking whether or not they should be using sexed semen on their herd.
The breeding season for 2023 is approaching on dairy farms, with farmers for the most part making their final selection of sires for use on their cows.
Dairy News
Teagasc Breeding Week, which kicks off on Monday (March 20, 2023), is set to focus on genetic and technical issues facing dairy farmers.
The Irish Cattle Breeders Federation (ICBF) has released the list of the most popular bulls for the first six months of the 2022 breeding season.
The economic breeding index (EBI) has played a key role in breeding on Irish dairy farms for over 20 years now.
The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) has released figures showing the top ten dairy-on-dairy and beef-on-dairy bulls for the 2021...
On a number of recent Dairy Focus visits, some farmers have mentioned using the aAa breeding tool to match sires with cows in their herds.
EBI, launched in 2001, was developed as a way that farmers could determine the expected profitability of the progeny of an individual cow.
The 2021 breeding season is well underway on spring-calving farms with - many farmers reporting high-submission rates across their herds.
Between now and the start of breeding can be a hectic time of the year on farms, particularly if there are SCC issues.
A series of online Teagasc dairy breeding webinars aimed at Irish dairy farmers will run throughout next week.
New dairy breeding guidelines, focused on improving the genetic merit of all calves from the dairy herd, are being sent to herd-owners.
Over recent years, the average EBI figure has been consistently increasing year-on-year – gaining by an average of €10 each year.
Get priority access to the next generation of genetics through Ireland's progeny test programme, Gene Ireland.
Sexed semen from a "premier selection" of elite bulls will be available for Irish dairy farmers for the first time from the LIC this spring.
