Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming in at such short notice. I have received a few statements from farmers. As the ICBF representatives admitted, there was a major breakdown in communication with farmers, and we are getting a lot of emails and so forth on this. One farmer gave one example of their cows. In September of this year, they stated, she was a €133 replacement, 1-star index, at 53% reliability, whereas in November, she had become a €61 replacement, 5-star index, at 53% reliability. They wrote that they did not accept that animals can change from being in the top 20% to the bottom 20% just from the model of index formulations having changed.

Another farmer wrote that they use their herd’s AI bull, selected by the ICBF under the ICBF Gene Ireland breeding programme, to breed replacement females. He was one of the three elite Limousin bulls selected by the ICBF just a year ago to breed replacements. In September of this year, the farmer continues, he was a 5-star replacement bull at €135, whereas in November, he had become a 3-star replacement index at €84. None of his daughters will be eligible cows for the farmer in the scheme as qualifying females, given to be eligible they must be either 4- or 5-star replacements. Still another said they were not aware, nor was any other farmer, of the changes in the Euro-Star indexes when they signed up to the SCEP schemes, and that they will be penalised for not reaching their targets. That is some of the impact this is having on the farming community.

Obviously, index and breeding values are dependent on science. Why was the methane data from the ICBF test station in Tullow not included in the index composition? Was a financial statement produced on the changes the new indexes would have on the average farm? Feed conversion efficiency is what delivers profit in farming.

How much feed does it take to gain a kilo of carcase gain? Why is feed conversion efficiency not included in the indices? Finally, how can a breed of cattle such as Dexter be of a higher breeding value than the Charolais breed?