Controversy continues to brew between breed societies and the ICBF.

Maintaining the link between Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) payments and €uro-Stars has been questioned, with the Charolais and Limousin societies now calling for a review of €uro-Star indices.

By 2020, 50% of breeding females have to be four- or five-star for a herd to qualify for BDGP payments.

Other breed societies have voiced concerns, suggesting a decline in average carcase weights blamed on the push for first-cross dairy heifers with high €uro-Stars on the suckler herd.

The ICBF maintains it is committed to improving the suckler herd.

Tony O’Leary, Simmental breeder, Ballincollig, Co Cork.

I welcome change but I think the way things are going, inbreeding and genetic defects could become more prominent because data on foreign bulls isn’t coming in and it’s shrinking the gene pool for pedigree breeders.

I would also have concerns with the makeup of the ICBF board and the fact AI companies are deeply involved.

I have found the linear scorers work for Whole Herd Performance Recording to be pretty accurate but the translation to €uro-Stars seems a total contradiction. I worry about young farmers, their ability to judge cattle is being taken away from them.

David Kirrane, Salers breeder, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo

It has been a positive experience for the breed, because the maternal traits of Salers cows have been highlighted.

In the beginning, the ICBF wasn’t using the French figures. It pulled the breed down. Breeders bringing in new bloodlines from France were being crucified. We had to go out to meet with the French Salers Society, and it took a long time to get figures into ICBF. Since they started using the French figures, the Irish figures were boosted.

Everyone is talking about four- or five-star animals, but it should be the reliability that drives it.

David Erskine, Charolais breeder, Co Monaghan

You can’t blame people if they have to buy a bull to fit the BDGP scheme but I don’t believe payments should be linked to €uro-Stars.

It’s OK for the boys in ICBF on a steady income but we’re dependent on sales which are being affected by €uro-Stars.

Getting the right figures on foreign bulls is an issue. It’s affecting breeding decisions and the gene pool will get narrower.

At the end of the day, you’re selling cattle to farmers and you want the stock to perform well for them, but with ICBF the goalposts seem to be constantly changing.

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