- Can the Commercial Beef Value play a role in the suckler beef sector?The Commercial Beef Value (CBV) and the benefit that it can have has received much coverage over the last few months. While its impact will be most significant in the trading of dairy beef animals, it can also be very beneficial in the trading of suckler bred stock. The CBV comprises traits that are of… Read more: Can the Commercial Beef Value play a role in the suckler beef sector?
- 2024 Dairy Banding deadline extended to 15th MayMinister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D, announced extensions to the deadlines to submit Nitrates Derogation applications for 2024 and for Dairy farmers to confirm their 2024 dairy excretion rate band. • 2024 Nitrates Derogation Application deadline is extended to Friday 26th of April 2024. • 2024 Dairy Excretion Rate Band deadline… Read more: 2024 Dairy Banding deadline extended to 15th May
- Have you seen the latest updates to the ICBF HerdPlus App?The latest version of the ICBF HerdPlus app is now available for farmers. This update contains lots of new features including: HerdPlus herds can now access the Inbreeding Checker via the app. The Inbreeding checker will display the levels (if any) of inbreeding between the females in your herds and the selected bull/bulls. Herds can… Read more: Have you seen the latest updates to the ICBF HerdPlus App?
- How to link Contract Reared animals back to your HerdPlus profileContract rearing involves the movement of replacement heifers from the owner’s farm for rearing on contract by another farmer. Dairy farmers contract out the rearing of their dairy heifers to maximise land on their milking platforms and free up facilities and labour.
- NGP Q&A – Padraig O’Connell, Co. KerryPadraig O’Connell operates an 80-cow dairy herd in Causeway, Co. Kerry. Over the last 5 years, Padraig’s herd EBI has steadily increased from €124 to €180. This is largely down to genotyping. According to Padraig, “Genotyping has become a key part of our breeding strategy and in recent years we have really seen the benefits… Read more: NGP Q&A – Padraig O’Connell, Co. Kerry
- Use the Parental Average Prediction tool to forecast the potential genetic merit of future progenyThe parental average prediction tool is available to all HerdPlus members. To access the tool, log-in to you HerdPlus account and go to ‘Applications’ and select ‘Inbreeding & Predictions.’ Herd owners can run up to 10 bulls against their cows and heifers to check for inbreeding and to give predicted metrics on progeny before birth.… Read more: Use the Parental Average Prediction tool to forecast the potential genetic merit of future progeny