Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I am answering this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McConalogue. The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, ICBF, is the body approved in Ireland in accordance with the relevant EU legislation to conduct testing, genetic evaluations and publication of breeding values for dairy and beef cattle. As part of its remit, the ICBF recently updated its beef breeding indexes, the first major update since 2015, based predominately on changing economic drivers such as feed costs and beef prices. I am advised that a modest adjustment also took place based on earlier slaughter of animals, tuberculosis resistance, carcass specifications and lower methane output.

I understand the new economic values are more representative of the impact that advances in production traits have on the profitability of Irish suckler beef production systems. The rationale for updating the indexes is that it will assist suckler farmers to breed animals that will generate a higher profit. The changes to the beef indexes were initially due to go live on 21 November but this date was deferred by a week to allow further engagement with farmers and breed societies. I understand there was concern that deferral of the update could have impacted breeding decisions at farm level and the ability of AI companies to respond to any impact of such breeding decisions as a result of the changes.

I am advised that the ICBF has communicated extensively with the industry to explain the changes to the beef indexes. Indeed, the most recent of these engagements was a meeting with the IFA livestock committee yesterday, where the ICBF CEO, Sean Coughlan, committed to convening an industry stakeholder forum to address issues and concerns raised by suckler farmers and pedigree breeders. The Minister and I both welcome this engagement. The ICBF has also met with the breed societies since the changes to the beef indexes were announced, and ongoing communications are anticipated. The Department is confident the amended indexes will contribute to the overall profitability and sustainability of beef production at farm level.

Concerning some impacts of the changes to indexes, prior to the updates, continentals, that is, Charolais, Limousin and Belgian Blue, were the most desirable terminal cattle breeds and they continue to be the most desirable after the changes. On the replacement index, the top three most desirable replacement breeds, Aberdeen Angus, Limousin and Simmental, remain as the top three after the changes. Traditional breeds have improved the most while the Belgian Blues have declined the most. Some animals will change within herds which means all farmers will need to check their herd status. Some 84% of previously rated 4- or 5-star animals will retain their 4- or 5-star status after changes. Of the remaining animals previously rated as 4- or 5-star animals, as many will rise in the index as will fall.

The suckler carbon efficiency programme, SCEP, is an agricultural scheme which aims to provide support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. The programme aims to build on the gains delivered in recent years through the beef data and genomics programme and the beef environmental efficiency programme by improving the genetic merit of the Irish suckler herd. The programme requires participants to make use of the Euro Star Index when making breeding decisions. To answer the Senator’s specific question on what the Department is doing to mitigate the impact, from a programme perspective, animals in the SCEP herds whose index falls will not be impacted by the changes until the SCEP participant sells an animal that has gone down in rating. For example, if a cow was 4 star prior to the updates and subsequently dropped to a 3 star, this cow will remain eligible for the 4- and 5-star eligibility criteria once it remains in the herd. It is only when this animal moves out of this herd that its 3-star rating will become applicable and it will no longer meet the 4- and 5-star eligibility criteria.

The Department will continue to monitor the impact of index changes on the suckler carbon efficiency programme.