I’ve completed the training course and tags have arrived for genotyping of various animals on the farm.

The Irish Cattle Breeders Federation (ICBF) stated in their accompanying letter that animals were picked on the basis of younger animals that are currently rated four and five star.

This should help farmers get to the required percentages of four and five star genotyped heifers and cows at the various cut-off dates. Many of the older animals currently on farms will have naturally been replaced due to age or other factors by the cut off dates, so it makes sense to select younger animals for testing.

I have to say I was very happy with the animals selected for testing, as if I was to pick a list of animals myself to test, it would have been very similar to the list selected by ICBF. There was just one incidence of a cow that is marked for culling over the next few weeks that has to be tested, where I would prefer to select a replacement heifer in her place.

However, the system used to select this cow could not be aware of my intentions and I understand that as the scheme develops farmers will have the chance to pick what animals they want to genotype themselves.

Selecting animals for testing

Indeed, I understand that spring calving herds receiving their tags later in the year will have the option to select their own animals for testing. There is also the option currently available for farmers to test additional animals in the current year. This is useful for anybody wishing to sell surplus replacement heifers as genotyped four and five star heifers in the future.

I’m sure the new Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed would like to get farmers on side early on and one certain way of doing this would be to increase the payment rate to €200 per cow.

We are exactly one year on from the launch of the BDGP and most of the early confusion appears to have died down. The training course will be a big help in explaining the terms and conditions which farmers have to apply on their own farm.

The first cut-off date is fast approaching, as from the 30 June, 80% of calves born to AI sires must be from four and five star sires. This condition applies across either the terminal and replacement index and will be measured based on calves born approximately nine months after this date.

I’m sure the new Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed would like to get farmers on side early on and one certain way of doing this would be to increase the payment rate to €200 per cow. Here’s hoping.