Gene Ireland is a breeding programme that is a joint initiative between pedigree breeders, commercial farmers, breed societies, AI Companies, DAFM and ICBF. It is a unique way of progeny testing bulls, in that an independent organisation (ICBF) sets the genetic merit targets that the young beef bulls must meet and then coordinates the distribution of semen to data recording herds. This ensures that the progeny test programme is run in a fair and efficient way.

Efficiency

One of the standout features of the programme, from a genetic progress point of view, is the extremely high levels of efficiency that are achieved between straws being distributed and data being recorded on resulting calves. Because young test bulls would not be as popular or get as many opportunities as a well known AI sire, it is normally a challenge in any progeny test programme to get them used. However, in Gene Ireland, the bulls all have high replacement index values, so their usage is normally quite good when a panel of bulls is released.

As Table 1 shows, Gene Ireland bulls currently have replacement index values around €110 and with nearly 400 straws dispatched, are landing nearly 170 calves on the ground. Due to the data recording structure here in Ireland, we are able to progeny test a lot of bulls with small quantities of semen, as the efficiency levels from straw usage to recording data on the resulting progeny are extremely high. Pictured are some of the bulls that are available under the 2019 Gene Ireland programme.

A Gene Ireland graduate example

Carrigroe Kian is an example of one of the many bulls that have gone through the programme. He was one of the 20 bulls that were progeny tested in 2015. He was bred by John Appelbe, Carrigroe House, Clonakilty, Co Cork and originally ranked highly on his replacement index, which would have caused him to be inspected by an ICBF Linear Scorer. His dam would also have been inspected. All of the information would then have been discussed at a Gene Ireland committee meeting, which would have been attended by breeders, commercial farmers, Herdbook and AI representatives, as well as ICBF personnel.

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The decision would have been made to purchase him for semen collection. He would have then been tendered for sale after his semen was collected. He would have been put on the next Gene Ireland progeny test panel (the same way as these bulls are).

Farmers rang ICBF to order his semen and once the calves were born, the data began to be collected on the various traits of interest. He has now ended up with very high replacement index figures and his remaining straws are reserved for pedigree matings in data recording pedigree herds.