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<\/p>\n23 July 2025<\/p>\n
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Mark Waters from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) is on this week\u2019s Beef Edge podcast to discuss the National Genotyping Programme which has recently opened for applications.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The National Genotyping Programme is a collaborative initiative enabling Ireland to take the first step in achieving a fully genotyped national herd, based on a cost-sharing model between the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine, the beef and dairy industry and participating farmers.<\/p>\n
Genotyping the national herd will provide a huge opportunity for both the dairy and beef industry to accelerate the rates of gain of our national breeding indexes (e.g. EBI, Eurostar & DBI), which will enhance farm sustainability & reduce carbon emissions.<\/p>\n
Mark outlines a number of benefits including:<\/p>\n
Labour-saving \u2013 farmers who sign up to the NGP will have\u00a0exclusive access to Double Tissue Tags.\u00a0By sampling animals at birth, farmers don\u2019t have to wait for button tags or hair-cards for SCEP or Pedigree Societies and then round up and bring in animals for sampling at a later stage. It is also much safer and easier to tag and sample newborn animals than more mature animals
\nCost \u2013 herds accepted into the National Genotyping Programme will genotype any remaining ungenotyped breeding stock\u00a0FREE. From 2024 to 2027 (inclusive), farmers will be required to genotype\u00a0ALL\u00a0calves born at a reduced cost of approximately\u00a0\u20ac6. (This is an estimate and includes the farmer\u2019s contribution of \u20ac4 towards genotyping, plus the additional cost associated with a double tissue tag and postage cost.). Herds participating in SCEP will only incur the \u20ac6\/calf cost of those calves not counted towards their annual 70% SCEP genotyping requirement
\nParent verification \u2013 parentage errors (which currently sit at an average of 15% nationally) lead to incorrect Eurostar figures and create paperwork to correct once the animal is already registered. Genotyping at birth will confirm parentage & correct any errors before registration
\nGenomic Eurostar figures \u2013 animals sampled at birth will receive genomic evaluations at the earliest possible opportunity, thereby increasing the reliability of their Eurostar figures well before they are selected or sold for breeding and confirming their eligibility for SCEP
\nCommercial Beef Value (CBV) \u2013 genotyped weanlings and store cattle that are being traded through marts will have their CBV displayed on mart screens.<\/p>\n
Further information is available here<\/a><\/p>\n Or contact the ICBF on email:\u00a0query@icbf.com<\/a> or phone: 023-8820452<\/p>\n