Recently we saw proposed changes to EU law governing the transport of live animals threaten the future of the calf export trade in Ireland.

It was only after extensive lobbying that key amendments, put forward by Billy Kelleher MEP, were secured to allow the trade continue – albeit with increased regulation.

However, there is little room for complacency. Many of the highly restrictive proposals that were put forward by the European Parliament’s animal transport committee were driven by a cohort of MEPs with a clear anti-animal-agriculture agenda.

It is an agenda that is not going away and one that we must be extremely conscious of when looking to future challenges. Our exposure to the export market was emphasised further this week with the calf trade struggling due to the impact of adverse weather conditions on ferry crossings.

Against this volatile backdrop, part of the long-term strategy for the dairy sector has to be to reduce its dependence on the live export trade as a market for young calves. A central plank must be an increased focus on the beef qualities of the calf coming from the dairy herd. Such a move is imperative regardless of whether the end market outlet is an Irish beef farmer or a Spanish feedlot seeking an older weaned calf.

To achieve this will require a much greater spotlight to be shone on the genetics being used in dairy breeding policies. This will only be achieved by creating a robust index that can accurately indicate to buyers a calf’s genetic beef potential based on the breeding of both the sire and dam.

The ICBF and Teagasc have developed such a tool in the form of a Commercial Beef Value (CBV) index. The index strips out calving traits and just takes account of feed intake, docility and carcase traits such as weight, conformation and fat score. However, for this index to be robust we must ensure that accurate genetic information is being captured on the sire and dam of the calf. The ultimate aim in achieving this is implementing a national calf-based DNA registration system.

Doing so would not only have the potential to transform cattle breeding across both the dairy and suckler herds, but also reposition Ireland as a world leader in animal traceability. We should not lose sight of the fact that our existing tagging and traceability system, on which we rely so heavily to differentiate our product from third-country imports, is now no longer as unique as it once was.

At farm level, the dividend for a DNA system would be increased accuracy around the key genetic indices used to make breeding decisions, plus the ability to identify outlier animals with superior genetics for traits such as reduced methane, disease resistance (including TB) and meat eating quality. There is a huge potential breeding impact on reducing methane that has yet to really get started.

In the case of dairy beef, those buying calves would no longer be left shooting in the dark. The creation of a robust CBV index, presented at point of sale, would reward dairy and beef farmers who invest in breeding progeny with superior beef traits. Similarly, those who have ignored the best advice, continuing to only generate low-value dairy bull calves of low beef merit, will be forced to reassess.

Sexed semen is often presented as the solution to improving the quality of dairy beef. But it will have limited impact if farmers simply shift to using poor-quality beef-bred bulls producing progeny with no sire details. But the introduction of sexed semen alongside a DNA-fuelled CBV index would deliver real change.

Processors would benefit from the technology in terms of the quality of the beef and traceability of dairy products coming from farms. Plus they would have the added benefit of bringing a unique product to both EU and international markets.

The point of difference in product quality would be significant. Meanwhile, the potential to ensure that beef being sold as Irish is in fact Irish would provide increased reassurances to both farmers and consumers.

There would also be a wider national dividend in terms of tackling climate change and issues such as anti-microbial resistance (AMR).

As research continues, the potential of genetic selection to breed low methane emitting animals with high performance is becoming more evident.

Ireland, through ICBF and Teagasc, has the infrastructure in place to become a world leader in exploiting the potential of animal genetics to tackle the economic, environmental and social challenges facing our sector.

Moving towards a calf-based DNA registration system would appear to be the key to unlocking this potential gain for farmers and wider industry. It shouldn’t be left on the long finger on the basis of costs.

There is a strong case for processors and Government being prepared to share the increased cost burden.

IFA turns spotlight on to retailers