This is a subscriber-only article
Participants in the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) using a stock bull are required to have at least one bull on their holding on 30 June that was a minimum of 12 months old and was rated at four or five stars on the replacement and/or terminal index within and/or across breed on the first genomic evaluation or the genomic evaluation at the time of purchase.
There are two simplifications to this requirement:
1. Where a bull on the holding had a published genomic evaluation and had been deemed ineligible as it was rated at three stars or less on that first genotyping evaluation, it can now be deemed eligible if the bull is now rated at four or five stars.
2. Where bull is in the herd on 30 June but has yet to be sampled - once a sample is received by the lab on or before 30 June and the genotyping process has commenced, this will be considered eligible, provided the bull is rated four or five stars on its subsequent genomic evaluation. This will mean that the July 2019 evaluation (published 22 July) and the September 2019 evaluation (published 23 September) will now be counted for eligibility purposes.
Pragmatic approach
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said the simplification of the stock bull requirement is a "pragmatic approach".
“Officials from my Department have been working closely with their counterparts in the ICBF on this issue and I feel this pragmatic approach to what is a key requirement should lead to as many participants as possible receiving their full payment in 2019 under this important programme,” Minister Creed said.
“They have identified a number of herds that are currently not meeting this requirement and will be contacting them in the coming days to advise them of their obligations under the programme.”
SHARING OPTIONS: