Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To be eligible as a suckler cow or replacement heifer under the beef data and genomics programme, BDGP, the animal must be rated either four or five star, genotyped, at least 16 months old and born in 2013 or later. In respect of BDGP II, the animal must have been born in 2015 or later. All of this information is already shown on the profiles being sent to programme participants. The farmers are also being given a one-page euro star summary of the females in the herd showing the number of reference animals in the herd for BDGP and the percentage that are four or five star. Participants will be required to have at least 20% of their reference number of animals at four or five star by 2020. All of the data being sent are intended to help farmers with their breeding and replacement decisions in the run-up to 2020.

The genotyping carried out on animals since the inception of the beef data and genomics programme in 2015 and male pedigree calves under the beef genomics scheme 2014 enable the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, ICBF, to assign a star rating based on a number of traits, including fertility, milk, easy calving and docility. Evaluations of the animals are undertaken by the ICBF three times a year, with a hard copy of the evaluation reports issuing to all BDGP participants once a year. The evaluations indicate which animals will be eligible to meet the replacement requirements of the BDGP. A text message issues to all participants on the other evaluations advising that they are available online.

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