Significant changes to the calculation of the beef breeding indices are to be introduced this autumn by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), the Irish Farmers Journal has learned.
A €97 reduction in EBI values for the dairy herd has also been flagged by ICBF in communications to industry stakeholders.
The beef changes seek to address long-standing concerns regarding evaluations, which have been expressed by breed societies.
The proposed adjustments in the calculation of the September 2025 beef evaluations include:
Revised economic values. Inclusion of farmers’ data into the beef evaluations from schemes, such as the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme and the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme. Integration of an updated file of foreign calving data. Revised methodology for foreign beef data inclusion.In addition, Teagasc has updated the economic values which are used in the formulation of the replacement and terminal indexes, based on the latest data regarding the cost of Irish suckler production.
Crucially, the carcase price used in these economic evaluations has been increased to €5.89/kg.
While this is well below the beef price that is currently being paid to farmers, Teagasc said it was derived from EU forecasts for 2030, which were adjusted for Ireland’s seasonal beef production model.
Changes for the dairy sector
The economic data used in the formulation of the EBI for the dairy sector has also been updated.
The economic value changes account for rising input costs and higher output prices and are based on a projected milk price of 40c/l (including VAT but excluding bonuses) and a protein-to-fat price ratio of 1.7 to 1.
However, the major change on the EBI front is the shift to a new base from which to calculate milk and fertility traits in the dairy herd.
The old base worked off cows born in 2005 and milk recorded in 2007. The new base will be updated to 2015-born cows that are calved and milk recorded in the 2017-2019 period.
It is anticipated that the shift in the base will result in each animal’s EBI reducing by €97, of which €45 will be deducted from the milk sub-index, while €52 will be deducted from the fertility sub-index.
It is not foreseen that changes to the base will result in a re-ranking of bulls relative to one another.
ICBF stated that the changes to the indexes will be included as part of the September 2025 evaluation, pending test-proof publication as well as approval by the Technical Advisory Group and the ICBF board.
“Each of these changes will also flow through to the Dairy Beef Index and Commercial Beef Value,” ICBF said.
Significant changes to the calculation of the beef breeding indices are to be introduced this autumn by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), the Irish Farmers Journal has learned.
A €97 reduction in EBI values for the dairy herd has also been flagged by ICBF in communications to industry stakeholders.
The beef changes seek to address long-standing concerns regarding evaluations, which have been expressed by breed societies.
The proposed adjustments in the calculation of the September 2025 beef evaluations include:
Revised economic values. Inclusion of farmers’ data into the beef evaluations from schemes, such as the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme and the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme. Integration of an updated file of foreign calving data. Revised methodology for foreign beef data inclusion.In addition, Teagasc has updated the economic values which are used in the formulation of the replacement and terminal indexes, based on the latest data regarding the cost of Irish suckler production.
Crucially, the carcase price used in these economic evaluations has been increased to €5.89/kg.
While this is well below the beef price that is currently being paid to farmers, Teagasc said it was derived from EU forecasts for 2030, which were adjusted for Ireland’s seasonal beef production model.
Changes for the dairy sector
The economic data used in the formulation of the EBI for the dairy sector has also been updated.
The economic value changes account for rising input costs and higher output prices and are based on a projected milk price of 40c/l (including VAT but excluding bonuses) and a protein-to-fat price ratio of 1.7 to 1.
However, the major change on the EBI front is the shift to a new base from which to calculate milk and fertility traits in the dairy herd.
The old base worked off cows born in 2005 and milk recorded in 2007. The new base will be updated to 2015-born cows that are calved and milk recorded in the 2017-2019 period.
It is anticipated that the shift in the base will result in each animal’s EBI reducing by €97, of which €45 will be deducted from the milk sub-index, while €52 will be deducted from the fertility sub-index.
It is not foreseen that changes to the base will result in a re-ranking of bulls relative to one another.
ICBF stated that the changes to the indexes will be included as part of the September 2025 evaluation, pending test-proof publication as well as approval by the Technical Advisory Group and the ICBF board.
“Each of these changes will also flow through to the Dairy Beef Index and Commercial Beef Value,” ICBF said.
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