Last week, we tentatively raised the question whether the beef data genomics scheme was delivering for the industry. Having listened to the difficulties outlined by Prof Donagh Berry at the recent Irish Grassland Association meeting and done a bit more digging on the existing state of knowledge, it seems to me that we can achieve much more gain for the beef industry by a radical shift in direction.

A few key points should be made. First the cattle genome is pretty well fully worked out and known. In other words, we know what sequence of genetic material gives a high-performing animal in terms of food conversion efficiency and average daily gain. This material and the results are specific to each animal tested and so avoids the variability that is part and parcel of the existing beef data genomics scheme. But as well as this new knowledge, a key point is that the cost of accessing this information has collapsed in recent years. Prof Berry gave a figure of €22/animal tested. This would seem at the very top of present day charges.

Given the variability in our beef cattle population and the low heritability of some of the key beef cattle production traits, it would seem to me to make much more sense for a farmer to spend about €15 to obtain accurate information on a calf’s or weanling’s potential early on in life. This information would allow appropriate rearing and feeding regimes to be used and when collated, would also give excellent information on the worth of the animal’s parents especially if we were looking for bulls suitable to stand in AI.

Meanwhile, at the Bord Bia Bloom festival held over the weekend in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, there were wonderful gardens, a great crowd, terrific weather and a magnificent display of food. The stand that really resonated was a large stand in the food hall with an excellent display pointing out the nutritional benefits of red meat and the scientific basis underlying such claims. On enquiring, I was told that the beef display was put on by the butchery subsidiary of the Waterford-based Dawn Meats – a worthwhile and necessary initiative that deserves full industry backing. The work of promoting the scientifically underpinned nutritional benefits of animal proteins needs to move up a gear when we see the advances that are being made by the plant-based protein industry.