Calving is now well under way on farms across the country and the number of calf samples being sent to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) for genotyping is beginning to ramp up.
This past week saw 31,047 samples received into the lab, more than double what was received the week before.
Over 27,000 samples have also been processed by the ICBF over the last seven days.
According to the ICBF, the average time from birth to sample being received in the lab was 7.5 days.
Meanwhile, the average turnaround time from birth to passport being issued is 14 days currently.
Last week, the average time a sample spent in the lab was 4.3 days.
Farmers are being urged to download the ICBF HerdPlus app to track their samples through the full genotyping process.
The genotype tracking shows an estimate of when you will receive a result for the sample.
The action list available on the app will highlight which calves require an action to complete registration and will detail what action is required.
Make sure you have the latest version downloaded to access the newest features on the app.
Postage
The ICBF recommends that you send DNA samples to the lab at least twice per week at peak calving. As calving slows down, it may be sufficient for samples to be sent once per week.
Since 3 February 2026, the cost of sending a large envelope increased by 55c, from €2.95 to €3.50.
Farmers are advised to post up to 10 packed-flat samples at a time.
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