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ICBF has released national analysis of data comparing cow performance based on star rating and genetic index. Analysis was carried out on herds with greater than 10 cows.
Greater than 50% of the cows in these herds had to have a replacement index.
When these quality control checks were put in place, this left 28,000 herds for the analysis to be completed on, or 700,000 cows.
Five-star cows had an average replacement index of €96, while one-star cows had an average replacement index of €47.
The analysis shows that the calving interval for five-star cows was 391 days, while one-star cows had a calving interval of 407 days, a difference of 16 days.
The national average calving interval is 400 days. There was also an increase in calves per cow per year, with five-star cows producing on average 0.88 calves/cow/year, while one-star cows produced 0.8 calves/cow/year.
The national average is 0.85 calves/cow/year. The results come on the back of preliminary results released from the Teagasc maternal herd trial in Grange, Co Meath, where Teagasc has said that an extra €110/cow could be realised from keeping suckler cows of high genetic merit.
Beef calving interval hits 400 days
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